Three students win uncontested elections

For the three candidates in uncontested races at Tuesday’s student body elections, victory was not the question at hand.

Junior Caitlin Goforth, who claimed the Carolina Athletic Association presidency with 6,008 votes, said that running uncontested has been very two-sided.

All election results are unofficial until certified by the Board of Elections.

“It’s disheartening that I feel the need to prove myself to the student body,” she said. “I do have experience and I’m ready to take on this role as CAA president.”

In fact, Goforth said not having to wait for election announcements actually benefited her campaign.

“I didn’t have to stand in the pit campaigning in the rain,” she said. “Instead, I was using my time to meet with leaders and organizations, such as the athletic department.”

As president of the organization, one of Goforth’s main objectives will be to review the athletic department’s ticket policy through a series of evaluations that will combine the opinions of the student body, the athletic department and the ticket department, she said.

Graduate student Serena Witzke was elected as president of the Graduate and Professional Student Federation with 609 votes.

Witzke said the organization she now leads is made up of serious and passionate members.

She added that her main objective for the remainder of the semester is to look to current GPSF president Laura Blue for guidance.

“I want to see what she thinks are the most important things to focus on as she’s leaving office and what we need to watch out for,” she said.

She added that she already has concrete goals, including the creation of a website that will show specifically where tuition funds are going.

One of Witzke’s principal concerns is graduate students’ ability to receive tuition remission beyond the 10-semester cap.

Witzke said she is firmly committed to serving the interests and protecting the safety of all graduate and professional students at UNC.

Hans Peng was elected president of the Residence Hall Association with 3,380 votes.

Peng was not in attendance for the announcement of the election results Tuesday night.

He could not be reached for comment.

One project Peng has planned to improve communication between residents and their community is by providing suggestion boxes in residence halls.

He has also said he will work to implement a bike-share system, enabling residents to borrow bikes from their communities.

All results announced Tuesday night are unofficial until certified by the Board of Elections.

Contact the University Editor at university@dailytarheel.com.