CAA President, VP Withdraw From Election

Almost 24 hours after the student elections kickoff meeting, the confusion around the race for Carolina Athletic Association was just beginning to settle Wednesday.

The final list of candidates compiled by the Board of Elections late Tuesday night listed current CAA President Tee Pruitt and Vice President Bryan Hart in the running, although Hart officially withdrew from the race early Wednesday morning.

Pruitt, who said he considered running for a third term as CAA president after realizing he would have remaining credit hours to fill after May, slept on the issue before officially removing his name from the list of candidates Wednesday afternoon.

"I have decided not to pursue a third term as Carolina Athletic Association president," he said.

Pruitt said he entered the race after being approached by people who were deeply concerned with the future integrity of the CAA.

"These students and members of the University community held opinions regarding the CAA that I sincerely value," he said. "I have been very fortunate with the opportunities I've had to serve the student body in the last two years and feel that it is in my best personal interests to not pursue any additional terms."

Hart said he considered running for the CAA presidency after being encouraged by other people but withdrew his candidacy after realizing he was not totally committed to the race.

"I have a job now in CAA that I'm committed to," he said. "I didn't think it would be fair to people who would be supporting me to take this on knowing I wouldn't have been in this 110 percent.

"I'm really not into it at the level I think I would need to be."

But more eyebrows were raised when CAA presidential candidate Michael Songer was dismissed from the current CAA Cabinet less than an hour before the kickoff meeting.

Both Pruitt and Songer would not disclose the reasons for the dismissal, but Songer, who was serving as special projects co-coordinator, said the decision took him by surprise.

"I was completely shocked," he said. "I was in the process of working out a lot of exciting events for the Beat Dook Week."

Hart said the decision stemmed from internal conflicts within CAA.

"There were issues that needed to be dealt with -- I just want to focus on the good things (Songer's) done," he said.

Songer said that he is disappointed he is not able to continue his work with the CAA. But he added that the decision has not altered his feelings concerning his candidacy for CAA president.

"It doesn't affect our campaign at all. We're going ahead and working on the same issues.

"It hasn't changed our focus."

Amid the confusion, another student joined the ranks of candidates for CAA president.

Reid Chaney, a junior biology major, contacted Board of Elections Chairman Jeremy Tuchmayer on Wednesday afternoon about his intention to pursue the post.

Chaney said he wants to help students get what they want.

"I'm ready to get under way, get started, get my name out there and see how people respond."

The University Editor can be reached at udesk@unc.edu.