Jones emphasizes plan to connect campus

Unity — that’s the word Rob Jones uses to describe his campaign for student body president.

“I think that my administration can create a central hub to help students find their passions and get connected with things they would love to do on campus,” Jones said.

The Chapel Hill native said he knew he wanted to run a long time ago but officially committed to the idea during the summer.

“I’ve always had the idea — I’ve tried to talk myself out of it a bunch of times, but I knew I was going to end up doing it,” he said.

Jones’s platform has a project-oriented focus, with three main components: a comprehensive events calendar, a “true One Card,” and exam week stress relief programs.

He said the comprehensive calendar, compatible with the UNC Mobile App, would be able to connect students and make them more aware of events on campus.

Jones said he also hopes to expand the use of the One Card to make food purchases at athletic events as well as making an option to use meal plan swipes at on-campus food retailers.

He said he plans to make the libraries more accessible during exam week by pushing to keep Davis Library. open 24 hours a day.

Alex Keith, Jones’s campaign manager, said the three projects are important because they represent realistic campaign goals for student voters to consider.

“We could be campaigning on a lot of good rhetoric, but we’re trying to bring people a vision that we can achieve,” he said.

“We want people to have a concrete idea of what we’re going to do.”

Jones said tuition hikes and campus safety are two other major issues he would address.

“My administration will work tirelessly to keep college as affordable as possible and make sure from the moment you get here on campus that you feel safe and secure,” he said.

Through his involvement with several athletic organizations — he is a manager for UNC’s Women’s Soccer program, a statistician for the J.V. men’s basketball team and a member of the Carolina Sports Business Club — Jones said he has developed leadership skills that would serve him as student body president.

Keith said Jones is like a team captain because of his ability to inspire without taking an authoritative position.

“For some for some ungodly reason, I stayed up until like three in the morning helping him,” Keith said.

“It’s insane looking back on it, but he really is a very good motivator.”

Jon Hebert, Jones’s social media director, added that Jones would be accessible to the students as student body president.

“He takes every opportunity to meet people and remember who they are,” Hebert said.

Jones said he and his team of about 30 plan to reach voters by being visible to students.

“(I will) try to talk to as many people as possible,” Jones said.

“Just help others understand who I am and what I’m about and how I can make a tangible impact next year.”

Contact the desk editor at university@dailytarheel.com.