Programs Finance Committee Sen. Jessica Jones resigned Friday after a week of illness from the H1N1 virus.
“It occurred to me, while confined to bed for the past week, that the best part of illness was finally getting some sleep,” she said in a letter addressed to the Senate.
Jones stated time commitment as the sole reason for her resignation.
“It would be unfair for me to try and not do the best that I could for the Senate; it would be unfair for me to fall behind as a student in trying to do other things,” she said.
Although she hasn’t declared a major, Jones is studying both Russian and French. She is a junior by credit and in her second year at the University.
The Senate has already lost three senators this summer, including Christina Ergas, Lidiana Soto and Benjamin Dodds.
Senate President Nick Gower said he is sad to lose another member of the Senate.
“I think it’s unfortunate that we lost another senator, and I wish Jessica the best in the future and hope we find a replacement as quickly as possible,” he said.
The resignation hit especially close to home for Gower, being that Jones was on Gower’s slate in last year’s elections.
“(The Senate is) losing another member on the body, but being someone who supported her and helped her get elected, I’m sad to see her go,” he said.
The time commitment for senators includes Senate meetings, office hours and various
internal committees.
“I really hope we can move forward, and we don’t lose any more senators this year,” Gower said. “The obligation comes down to those who accept the position.”
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