ASG President Jones resigns

Cole Jones announced his resignation as president of the UNC-system Association of Student Governments on Wednesday, citing a need for the association to move forward instead of focusing on past disputes.

"I think I have strained myself, my family and the state of the association," Jones said. "And I don't think that's fair to anyone."

Since his conviction Aug. 1 for criminal assault, Jones has struggled to maintain support for his presidency.

Rumors of an impending resignation have swirled for weeks as student body presidents and UNC-system officials privately questioned Jones' ability to manage both his office and his ongoing appeal of the conviction.

Tensions mounted last month after system officials decided Jones would not take his seat on the Board of Governors unless the conviction was overturned.

Serving on the board is considered a key responsibility for the ASG president, and student leaders interpreted the refusal to seat Jones as a clear sign that system officials lacked confidence in his presidency.

Jones said he remains confident about winning the appeal, noting that two related charges have already been dropped.

But he said his personal life should not serve as a distraction to the ASG.

"I think the best thing I can do right now is resolve my personal situation," he said. "Flexibility is what I need the most, and stability is what's most needed in the association."

The announcement came hours after a closed-door meeting between university administrators and a number of student body presidents. No details of the session were released, but university officials called it an honest conversation about the challenges facing the ASG.

Kemal Atkins, who serves as the liaison between the student organization and university administrators, said the participants had outlined "initial next steps" to bolster the ASG.

But aside from additional discussion, he declined to say what those steps might include.

"I think we really emphasized on both ends that this is a student organization," Atkins said. "We just want to keep the lines of communication open."

System officials called the meeting last week in response to growing concern that the ASG was losing its ability to serve as a unified voice for students.

Participants said they hope the stepped-up involvement from administrators will be taken as a sign of confidence in the association, rather than an indication of deeper problems.

"Everybody is now on the same page," said Mike Tarrant, student body vice president at UNC-Chapel Hill. "We're ready to move forward."

Jones said his resignation will take effect sometime before the next ASG meeting, scheduled for Oct. 5 and 6.

Under the association's bylaws, Senior Vice President Cody Grasty will become president and serve out the remainder of the term, which expires next June.

Contact the State & National Editor at stntdesk@unc.edu.