HARRISBURG (SIC NEWS) – The Southeastern Illinois College Board of Trustees met for its regular session on Tuesday, April 15, at 6 p.m. when a change of leadership took place.
In a unanimous vote, Trustee Debbie Hughes was elected chair of the SIC Board of Trustees.
“It’s an honor to be elected by my fellow trustees to serve as board chair,” said Hughes. “Southeastern has always been close to my heart, and I’m excited to continue serving students and our community in this new leadership role.”
“Debbie Hughes has been a dedicated advocate for Southeastern Illinois College and the students we serve,” said SIC President Dr. Karen Weiss. “Her leadership and experience will be a great asset to the board in this new role, and I look forward to working with her as we continue to advance the college’s mission.”
Newly elected trustee Gina Sirach and re-elected trustee Jim Ellis were sworn in, along with Avery Henderson, student trustee for the 2025–26 academic year.
Other officers elected include Dr. Frank Barbre, Vice Chair and Illinois Community College Trustees Association (ICCTA) Representative; Jim Ellis, Secretary and Alternate ICCTA Representative; and Gina Sirach, Alternate Secretary.
Weiss shared several updates during the meeting. The Illinois Community College Board’s 2025 Opening Enrollment Report showed a 3.9% increase in enrollment from spring 2024 to spring 2025.
Weiss also noted that ICCTA Lobby Day is scheduled for May 6–7, and the ICCTA Annual Conference will be held June 6–7. Nursing program applications for SIC’s practical nursing (PN) and associate degree in nursing (ADN) programs have returned to pre-COVID levels.
SIC’s donor appreciation reception, hosted by the SIC Foundation, will take place Friday, April 25, prior to the theatre department’s production of Something Rotten. The Carmi building project – the Stanford D. Williams Career and Training Center – is nearing completion with a projected finish date in May.
In personnel matters, the board approved the hiring of Will Armijo as director of network and security.
The next meeting of the SIC Board of Trustees is scheduled for Tuesday, May 20, in the Rodney J. Brenner Board Room.
