Candidates kick off campaign

By Jonathan McFadden

mcfaddenj@mytjnow.com

Experience the change.

That was the message that rang out during the official campaign kickoff for student-body presidential candidate Kambrell Garvin and vice presidential candidate Kaitlin Sapp on Monday.

About three dozen students gathered around Byrnes at 6 p.m. to listen to Garvin and Sapp give their views on parking, increases in tuition and a transparent student government.

Before the campaign, Garvin and Sapp’s supporters hovered.  

“I think they’re great,” said Jimmy Graham, senior psychology major. “He [Garvin] already has leadership experience.”

Adrian Price agreed.

“He has it,” said Price, a freshman international business major who is working with Garvin and Sapp on their campaign. “I feel like he’s already fit the position before he started running.”

Campaign committee member Melody Lewis greeted Garvin prior to the kickoff with a “I’m voting for you, Kambrell.” 

“He’s a good leader,”  said Lewis, senior integrated marketing communication major. “He’ll do his best for this campus.”

Alongside Garvin is Sapp, who is the only vice presidential candidate. But this doesn’t guarantee that she will take the office. She still has to get 50 percent of the votes plus one. 

Sapp received her own share of supporters at the rally.

Ashley Sineath, sophomore interior design major and annual member of CSL, came out to support both Sapp and Garvin. She said she has  worked closely with both of them on CSL and currently working on their campaign committee.

“I’ve seen all the work that they’ve done for the school already and I feel that they can handle these big jobs on campus,” Sineath said.

Big jobs, indeed.

Garvin and Sapp plan to improve parking and lobby legislators in Columbia making higher education budget cut decisions.

“Our tuition is going to increase next year,” Garvin said.

To drive his point home, Garvin told listeners about his own experience with signing a contract with The Courtyard for the fall and having no idea of how much money he’ll have to pay.

“We’ll be leading a campaign to talk to our members in both the state government and national government about ways in which we can lower tuition,” Garvin said.

One student voiced concerns about how Garvin and Sapp planned to improve parking. 

Their answer: evaluate the parking situation on campus and try to improve the security conditions in the lots around campus.

“We’re going to ask questions and figure out the logic behind it,” Garvin said.

Sophomore math major and current member of CSL Andre Isaac asked Garvin and Sapp how their other responsibilities around campus could interfere with their candidacy.

Sapp, who is already in CSL, said vice presidency would only extend her responsibilities.

Garvin, who is involved with several organizations, said he feels his connections with diverse groups are an asset to his viability as a president capable of truly engaging the student body.

Another attendee at the rally was Timothy Kroboth, one of Garvin’s opponents for presidency.

Though he said he feels he’s the most qualified candidate, Kroboth has more than just winning the election in mind. 

‘The most important thing is not whether me or Kambrell wins but that you guys turn out and vote,” Kroboth told the crowd. “You need to actually participate in this otherwise the administration is going to pull the plug on this.”

With 10 days left to campaign before votes are cast, Garvin and Sapp plan on making public appearances at Starbucks, the DiGiorgio Campus Center and communicating with students via their Facebook page.

“Feel free to change your profile pictures to our campaign flier, especially during Election Day,” Garvin said. 

By kickoff’s end, the signatures from supporters filled a red banner etched with, “Experience the Change,” the two candidates’ campaign slogan.

Students can get more information about Garvin, Sapp and their campaign on the duo’s Facebook page, “Experience the Change: Kambrell and Kaitlin 2011-2012.”