SR 32, ASG President Support Act
Online Text
(as of 9-4-2007, as initially introduced)
SENATE RESOLUTION 30
A RESOLUTION TO BE ENTITLED
An act EXPRESSING THE CONFIDENCE OF THE N.C. STATE UNIVERSITY STUDENT SENATE IN THE CONTINUED SERVICE OF MARQUES COLE JONES AS PRESIDENT OF THE UNC ASSOCIATION OF STUDENT GOVERNMENTS
Short
Title: ASG President Support Act (Senate)
Sponsored by: Senators COMPTON (corresponding), DAWKINS, McPHERSON and WALDRUP; [additional sponsors pending
confirmation]
Signatories:
Student Senate President DOUCETTE, Student Body Treasurer FOXX, Student Chief Justice WHITESIDE,
Legislative Counsel HANKINS, ASG Delegate LLOYD
First
Reading: September 5, 2007 Version
Date: September 3, 2007
Referred to:
[legislative
fast-track intended] .
Section 1. Statutory Authority.
This bill is adopted pursuant to the provisions
of Article II, Section 5(d) of the Student Body Constitution and Chapter 2,
Rule 17(d) of the Student Body Statutes.
Section 2. The North Carolina State University
Student Senate hereby adopts the following Resolution:
WHEREAS, the University of North Carolina Association of
Student Governments (UNCASG) is an umbrella organization composed of Student
Government officials from each of the 17 constituent institutions of the
consolidated University of North Carolina system; and,
WHEREAS, N.C. State University is a charter member of
the UNCASG, and its students comprise the single largest funding source for the
Association; and,
WHEREAS, at its General Assembly meeting on April 14th,
2007 at N.C. Central University in Durham, the Association overwhelmingly
elected Marques Cole Jones of East Carolina University as its President for the
2007-2008 term; and,
WHEREAS, Mr. Jones received the unanimous support of the
N.C. State delegation, including votes cast by Student Body President Bobby
Mills and Student Senate President T. Greg Doucette; and,
WHEREAS, prior to his election as President of the
Association, Mr. Jones was unanimously elected Chairman of the UNCASG Council
of Student Body Presidents at its February 23rd, 2007 meeting at
N.C. A&T State University in Greensboro, including a vote cast by N.C.
StateŐs Student Body President Emeritus Will Quick; and,
WHEREAS, Mr. Jones and two opposing parties were charged
with assorted misdemeanor criminal offenses arising from a domestic dispute
that took place on February 14th,
2007 in Havelock; and,
WHEREAS, said charges were adjudicated in a criminal
trial on August 1st, 2007 at the Craven County Courthouse in New
Bern, wherein Mr. Jones was acquitted of two charges but convicted of a third;
and,
WHEREAS, the Senate, by and through the Student Senate
President, was the only third party in North Carolina to observe Mr. JonesŐs
trial in its entirety and is uniquely suited to offer its dispassionate
analysis due to such first-hand knowledge of the proceedings; and,
WHEREAS, no active prison sentence or other punishment
impeding Mr. JonesŐs ability to execute his official duties as UNCASG President
was made as a result of Mr. JonesŐs conviction; and,
WHEREAS, Mr. Jones has also
appealed his conviction due to questions regarding the adequacy
of the legal foundation supporting it; and,
WHEREAS, in any event, both Mr. JonesŐs unanimous
election as Chairman of the Council of Student Body Presidents and
near-unanimous election as President of the Association occurred after the
aforementioned charges against Mr. Jones were filed and disclosed; and,
WHEREAS, the N.C. State delegation, including Student
Body President Mills and Student Senate President Doucette, supported Mr.
JonesŐs election in both instances, fully aware of the pending criminal
proceedings and their potential consequences; and,
WHEREAS, University leaders, administrators and other
interested parties are justifiably awaiting direction from student leaders
regarding studentsŐ support or opposition to the continued service of Mr. Jones
as President of the Association; and,
WHEREAS, in light of N.C. StateŐs record of
support for Mr. Jones, coupled with the concerns relating to the equity of his
trial and its questionable relevance in any event to Mr. JonesŐs execution of
his official duties, the Senate finds no substantive reason to retract its
previous support of the President; now, therefore be it
RESOLVED, by
the North Carolina State University Student Senate that the Senate hereby
expresses its confidence in the continued service of Marques Cole Jones as the
President of the UNC Association of Student Governments; and be it further,
RESOLVED, that
the Senate, in reaffirming its prior support of M. Cole Jones, respectfully requests
all applicable parties allow Mr. Jones to continue his service as UNCASG
President in an unimpeded fashion, including assumption of his statutory ex-officio seat on the UNC Board of Governors; and
be it further,
RESOLVED, that
the Senate calls upon the UNCASG Council of Student Body Presidents to adopt a
formal statement in support of its President at the CouncilŐs next meeting.
Section 3. Enabling
Legislation. Upon ratification and enrollment, the
Student Senate President or his designee shall cause this Resolution to be
forwarded to the UNC Association of Student Governments, the Chairman of the
UNC Board of Governors and other such interested parties as he deems
appropriate. This section shall
not be construed as a limitation upon the implementation authority of the
Executive Office of the Student Senate President, which is retained pursuant to
Student Body Statutes ¤3-11.2.
Section 4. This
act shall be effective immediately upon its ratification by the Senate.