Effective tomorrow, James Madison University student government President Brandon Eickel has resigned amid a plagiarism scandal that divided the JMU community. It was discovered that nearly half of the bulleted goals listed on Eickel’s campaign website were taken from the campaign website of College Student Assembly President Zach Pilchen ’09 and Vice President Valerie Hopkins ’09.

p. “In the best interests of the JMU student body and the Student Government Association, I have decided to resign as Student Body President,” Eickel said in a statement released Friday. “It is my hope that this decision will allow the SGA to renew its focus in helping students.”

p. JMU’s SGA senate voted Tuesday not to impeach Eickel but instead to censure him, reported JMU’s student newspaper, The Breeze. At least one senator had planned to resign and organize sit-ins at future senate meetings to protest the decision not to impeach Eickel. JMU will hold a special election to determine Eickel’s replacement.