Caitlin Hall, opinions editor and a molecular and cellular biology and philosophy junior, has been named the new editor in chief for the Arizona Daily Wildcat.
Hall, who will lead the Wildcat during the summer and fall, said she is excited for the fresh start.
"You have the opportunity to mold the paper however you see fit, and I'll be able to do that for the next eight months," Hall said.
Hall said as EIC, one of her first and most challenging priorities is to redesign the Wildcat, something that should improve the paper's readership.
"We're changing a lot of things, including the layout of the paper," she said. "I expect (the job) to be a lot of hard work, but the quality of the paper should improve and readers will be getting more."
Hall, who was hired as a columnist her freshman year, has been on staff for three years.
She is the first non-journalism major to be named EIC, which is somewhat of a rarity, said Mark Woodhams, director of Arizona Student Media.
"For an editor in chief to not be a journalism major is very unusual," Woodhams said. "She's certainly earned her journalism stripes with her role at the Wildcat and should bring an exciting difference to the newsroom."
Hall said she is impressed with the fact that non-
journalism majors can contribute to the Wildcat.
"I think it's pretty cool," she said. "It's good that we're recognizing that non-journalism majors can work in the media and contribute their knowledge to a newspaper."
The Wildcat hasn't had a female EIC since spring 2002.
Woodhams said he's been very impressed with the progress Hall has made during her time at the Wildcat and thinks she's a good fit for the EIC position.
Outgoing EIC Saul Loeb said Hall knows how things work and will do a good job as EIC in the summer and fall.
"She's one of the smartest people on the staff, and I'm comfortable she's going to make some great contributions to the newspaper," Loeb said. "She has the willingness to learn new things and try things, inquiring on different aspects of the paper and how things work. I think (this) has prepared her for the EIC job."
Loeb said Hall shouldn't have any problem switching from opinions editor to EIC because of her experience at the paper.
"The summer will help her prepare for the fall, and she'll be able to grasp the job quickly. You'll see her effect on the newspaper almost immediately," he said.
Woodhams said Hall's presentation to the Arizona Student Media Board for the EIC position was superior and impressive. She showed the board she has a good grasp of how the Wildcat works, with her goals and plans set out for the summer and next semester, he said.
"She brings organizational skills, leadership and insight that a leader needs to have," Woodhams said.