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CAA presidential candidate Goforth runs unopposed

A year ago, as the North Carolina basketball team entered its Atlantic Coast Conference schedule and student campaigns kicked off, the campus was peeved.

Five phases required students to wait longer before games. And students received only one ticket through the lottery in a policy some blamed for lower attendance.

So students paid attention to the ticket policies put forth by the candidates for the Carolina Athletic Association presidency.

But this year, only one candidate, Caitlin Goforth, has entered the race. Without opposition, she said she is without a firm idea of what next year’s ticket policy might be.

Goforth, a junior political science and Latin American studies major, is currently the head of campus relations for the group and has been a member of CAA for three years.

Even though she is the only candidate running, Goforth does not want the student body to think of her as an illegitimate appointment.

“I do think I am the most qualified candidate for the job next year, for sure. I truly believe that,” said Goforth, who has also worked in the executive branch of student government and in Carolina Fever.

Goforth has worked closely with current CAA president Brandon Finch, whose biggest initiative was revamping the basketball ticket distribution from the year before, continuing several years of changing policies.

Goforth said she has not yet decided whether she will keep Finch’s policy or institute yet another one, saying she plans on meeting with athletic officials, CAA officers and students after the season is over.

“I do not have it set in stone that I’m going to change anything right now,” she said.

Finch said he is confident in Goforth’s ability to do great things for the CAA and has high hopes for the organization’s future, especially concerning student involvement.

“I hope Caitlin will continue to advocate for the voice of the student body in order to generate more student involvement,” he said. “The CAA has the potential to be an incredible resource to students but we need to do a better job at reaching out, which I hope Caitlin and her new administration can do.”

And Goforth said she intends to do just that. She said one of the perks of not having to run a campaign is that she has already started work on some of her endeavors for next year.

She has also been working with graphics experts to create a recognizable logo, which will be placed around campus. She aims to increase the presence of both the CAA and of non-revenue sports on campus.

“Caitlin wants to put a bigger emphasis on some of the non-major sports on campus,” said Kevin North, Goforth’s campaign manager and current CAA special projects co-chairman.

“She wants to increase the attendance to events such as soccer, women’s basketball and volleyball.”

Only time will tell how her likely presidency will affect attendance at the University’s major sport.

Contact the University Editor at university@dailytarheel.com.

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