Endorsements: Fenne and Atcha for College of DuPage trustee

This endorsement is a consensus opinion of the Daily Herald Editorial Board.

The College of DuPage has come a long way in the six years since Christine Fenne was elected to the Glen Ellyn school's board.

In November, the era of former college President Robert Breuder was put in the rearview mirror when the college's insurance provider reached an agreement with Breuder to settle his wrongful termination lawsuit from 2015. School trustees also agreed to drop any counterclaims against Breuder, which allowed the settlement deal to be finalized.

Now the board members are devoting all their energy to what matters - education.

Two seats on the COD board are up for election. Fenne is the only incumbent in the race with two challengers - Andrew R. Manno and Haroon Atcha.

We really like all three candidates, but our endorsements go to Fenne and Atcha.

Fenne, an account executive from Wheaton, has played a role in the success of the college. When she joined the COD board in 2017, she said she would work with fellow trustees to get things done. She has done that. Fenne is a collaborative leader with a positive approach.

Manno, an attorney from Aurora, is a strong candidate who says his primary focus would be on the students. He also has interesting ideas on how to increase enrollment at COD.

Atcha, a data scientist from Naperville, is equally impressive. He previously worked as a researcher at a large community college, where he examined barriers to student success. He also has taught at a community college.

That experience would prove valuable for the COD board when it deals with issues the school must face in the coming years.