Gov. Robert Bentley asked Tuesday for the chairman and vice chairman of the Alabama State University Board of Trustees to resign their positions following a downgraded credit rating and conflict of interest allegations.

Bentley sent two, separate letters to chairman Elton Dean and vice chairman Marvin Wiggins, who oversees Dallas County as a judge for Alabama’s Fourth Judicial Circuit. The letters ask for both to resign by 5 p.m. on Thursday, July 24.

In his letter, Bentley cites proposed amendments to ASU’s bylaws, conflicts of interest for Wiggins and Dean and a downgraded credit rating by Moody’s Investor’s Service.

“As Governor, my sole interest is in doing what is right for ASU, its students, faculty, staff and alumni,” Bentley said in the letter. “Out of deep concern for the future of ASU, the student body, its accreditation and financial standing, I am compelled to request your voluntary resignation as a member of the Board of Trustees of Alabama State University immediately.”

After Bentley sent the letter, Wiggins declined to comment on the governor’s request, but said he “would be taking action soon.” Wiggins did not elaborate on what action he might take.

The governor’s letter follows a similar request earlier this week by ASU Student Government Association president Darren Dubose, who requested Wiggins and Dean step down. ASU’s president of the national alumni association also requested Wiggins’ and Dean’s resignations.

Dr. Ronald Peoples, the president of Selma’s local ASU alumni association, expressed support for the school following Bentley’s request.

“It is our position that we support the institution and have always supported the institution,” Peoples said. “We have seen the letter, however, we do not feel that we have sufficient evidence to come to any kind of conclusion relative to why [Wiggins and Dean] have done anything that would cause them to resign. We want the institution to survive and want the community to support ASU until such time that there is a clear reason why they should not.”

Dubose’s and Bentley’s letters both contain references to the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools (SACS), the accrediting agency for ASU, which put the school on warning for a number of accrediting standard violations in June.

A SACS letter dated July 9 accused Wiggins and Dean of conflict of interest violations.

“The presiding officer of the board, Trustee Wiggins, was not free of familial financial interest in the institution,” the SACS letter stated. “ASU and president board chair Wiggins do not deny that family members of the chair worked for ASU, but indicate that the amounts paid out were small and the chair did not know about of the contracts. Both arguments are irrelevant … the board chair has a familial conflict of interest.”

In the letter, Bentley cited a proposed amendment to ASU’s bylaws that would allow removal of trustees only for criminal acts.  The current statute allows for the removal of trustees for conflicts of interest. Bentley’s letter goes on to cite five other potential changes the bylaw amendment could have, including establishing an attorney-client privilege between ASU’s general counsel and the board of trustees.

Bentley also cited a downgraded credit rating by Moody’s Investor Service as a reason for Wiggins and Dean’s resignation.

ASU president Gwendolyn Boyd released a statement Tuesday afternoon following Bentley’s letter that read: “I have read all of the material from all of the concerned parties, which includes the Alabama State University Student Government Association president, our alumni, friends, supporters of the University and Governor Robert Bentley; and we will respectfully continue to move forward as these issues are being resolved.”