FLORENCE, Ala. — University of North Alabama Student Government Association President Jake Statom announced that he will not be resigning from his presidency following a controversial social media post.

In a letter to members of the SGA, Statom said he was elected by the student body to serve as SGA President and plans to continue his service to the students.

“I am striving to do what is best for the students, SGA, and the University,” Statom said.

The SGA Senate called for Statom’s resignation after he shared a story to his personal Instagram account that many said was not representative of the LGBTQIA+ community. The post depicted the image of a T-shirt with a rainbow and a message that reads, “Born this way? You must be born again.”

The SGA previously stated that if Statom did not resign by June 30 at 5 p.m., it would begin a formal impeachment process at the first meeting of the fall semester on August 26 at 3:30 p.m.

Statom publicly apologized following the backlash he received, adding he will “actively create intentional opportunities to get feedback from other students and continue to seek training.”

In Statom’s letter to the SGA, he referenced the university’s statement on the controversy as well as the United States Supreme Court saying, “‘America’s public schools are the nurseries of democracy,’ we, the UNA SGA, have a unique opportunity to be an example to others on how people with differing beliefs can and should work together.”