Rutgers student assembly vice president steps down

Vice president of the Rutgers University Student Assembly (RUSA), Jaidev Phadke, a School of Arts and Sciences junior, has stepped down from his position. 

In a statement posted to the organization's Facebook page, it announced a new vice president will be elected from within the assembly during its first meeting of the coming fall semester. In the interim, RUSA President Suzanne Link, a School of Arts and Sciences senior, will be filling both roles. 

During last spring semester, Link and Phadke ran together as a part of the One Rutgers ticket, according to The Daily Targum.

Phadke said he is passionate about the work RUSA does and ran alongside Link to make an impact on the student body, according to the statement.   

“However, in the weeks following the election I realized that this year the vice president position wasn’t the right fit for me,” he said in the statement. “This was an incredibly hard decision to make, knowing that you, the student body, entrusted me to serve in this position. But ultimately, you deserve someone who is wholeheartedly excited to fulfill the role, and is fully dedicated to it.”

Phadke said he supports RUSA and its leadership and will continue working on issues around campus, as well as in collaboration with the assembly.

Link said students can reach out to her or Phadke with any questions they may have.

"After many difficult conversations, I can attest to the fact that Jaidev did not take this decision lightly," she said in the statement. "Jaidev is a strong leader and our assembly looks forward to his continued participation in many of our initiatives, in whichever new capacity best suits him. I support him as a person, and in this decision. I hope you will support him as well."