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PHOTO BY MORGAN FORD/THE GAMECOCK Adam Schaffer, presidential candidate for SG, hangs a poster in Gambrell Hall in support of his campaign. PHOTO BY KATIE KIRKLAND/THE GAMECOCK Zach Scott speaks to RHA about his campaign. Scott hopes his SG experience will win voters. Scott builds on SG experience, hopes to continue service Williams seeking change in Student Government system _I PHOTO BY MORGAN FORD/THE GAMECOCK SG Presidential candidate Justin Williams talks with Justin Young and Takela Funderburk. BY JACKIE FAYE BURTON THE (iAMECOCK ® Adam Schaffer wants you to know he is not a politician. He's an SG presidential candi date campaigning as an outsider, hoping to make USC the “crunk est place on the globe.” Schaffer, a third-year English student, has numerous plans if elected. His platform is based on being a student at USC. He said he wants to increase more student in volvement so all students can ex perience their time at USC to the fullest. “I want to change the face of the government from a political face to more of a student face,” he said. Born in New York, Schaffer P^rew up in Hilton Head, S.C. He I tended Hilton Head High School and Camden Military Academy where he graduated. During his high school days, Schaffer was the founder and president of the Surf Club and the captain of the junior varsity soccer team. While obtaining an education at USC, Schaffer has become a member of Hillel, which provides guidance and organization for re ligious, cultural, educational, so cial welfare and interfaith activi ties for Jewish students. Schaffer believes happiness is the key to life and wants to change USC to make all students have a better quality of life while attend ing USC. “I'm running as a student rep resenting the freedom we deserve. I stand strongly for the concept of enjoying your life to the fullest,” he said. He wants the university to have more free shows, events and pro motions. He also wants to improve transportation and parking. He ♦ ADAM, SEE PAGE 6 BY CARRIE GOODIN THE GAMECOCK Zachery Scott, a third-year po litical science student and SG presidential candidate, has years of experience to put to ward his campaign. Scott, a Charleston native, graduated from West Ashley High School, where he served as student body president. ' Scott has spent two years in the SG senate and one year as SG vice president. He was also in the Residence Hall Association senate for a year before becom ing vice president of RHA, and is a Red Bull representative for USC. He lobbies for Rep. Jim Clybum, D-S.C., but he said his interest lie with nonprofits. Scott said that his experience has given him an understanding of Student Government. “People know me, and I've gained their trust,” he said. “They know that I’m not going to let an issue go.” If elected, Scott said he would like to continue the readership program and see the cost sup plemented by the administration and faculty members. He said he'd also like to bring health insurance to graduate as sistants. “They're the oil that makes the university machine work and are often underrepresent ed,” Scott said. One of Scott’s main focuses will be to push the South Carolina State Association of Student Governments, an orga nization to lobby state legisla ♦ scon, SEE PAGE 6 BY ASHLEE RICKARD THE GAMECOCK Don’t let Justin Williams fool you. This self-proclaimed “big kid” who loves to tell jokes (ask him the one about the gospel singers) is a serious guy— espe cially when it comes to leadership. "I’m a natural leader in any situation,” he said. “That’s who lam.” Williams, a third-year public relations student, graduated from Wagoner High School where he served as class president during his sophomore and junior years and student body president his senior year. At USC, he’s the president of the Association of African American Students, a member of the SG retention committee, chairman of Dance Marathon and an active member of the NAACP. Williams is also a page for state Senators Brad Hutto, D Orangeburg, and Nikki Setzler, D-West Columbia. Now he’s looking to add Student Government President to his list of accomplishments. While Williams believes SG is active, he says that “there are a few people making a lot of deci sions.” “It’s been said students don’t care about SG, but SG doesn’t care about the students,” he said. “The students need to be taken care of.” He plans to take care of the stu dents by addressing issues such as safety, parking and tuition in creases. Last semester, Williams’ car was broken into. He said he plans to make the campus safer by vamping up surveillance, fund ♦ WILLIAMS, SEE PAGE 6 VRCandiates Treasurer.Candiates NAME: Mark McLawhorn AGE: 19 HOMETOWN: Columbia MAJOR: Political Science PLATFORM: Some key issues for McLawhom’s campaign are safety, student organizations and ! class fees. He said the USC police » station, located on Senate Street, is too far from students, and there should be “mini-stations" located at central and southern parts of campus. He also wants to extend the drop/add date for classes and opposes the 16-hour tuition bracket USC enacted last fall. NAME: Brian Wayne AGE: 21 MAJOR: Finance HOMETOWN: Greenville PLATFORM: Wayne said he wants to enforce the senate rules. He said senators are not fulfilling their obligations to the student organizations they represent. He said if senators don’t go to their student organizations, they don’t need to be senators. He also wants to keep the Thomas Cooper Library open 24 hours, have a non SG student attend Board of Trustees meetings and have a trophy for the Clemson-Carolina game. Wayne is also the only vice presidential candidate who has served in the student senate. n Miller AGE: 21 HOMETOWN: Spartanburg MAJOR: Electronic journalism PLATFORM: Miller’s platform is based on the three S’s: Safety, shuttle system and SOLVE. She wants SG to implement more polices that have a great impact on safety and the shuttle system. Through SOLVE, Student Organization Leaders Value Excellence, officers new to SG and those with more experience would have the opportunity to interact and share ideas. Miller also wants to renovate the Thompson Student Health Center, update the University 101 curriculum and network student leaders on campus. She also supports the readership program. -' NAME: Cameron Burnette AGE: 27 HOMETOWN: Cleveland, Tenn. MAJOR: Political Science PLATFORM: Burnette wants to make sure students are aware of how SG is spending their money and how USC is distributing their money. He said the treasurer position is more service-oriented than political. He said his seven years in the Navy . have prepared him to lead and manage money. While serving on the USS Jimmy Carter, Burnette took a $32-canteen budget and turned it into a $42,000 business. NAME: Kenyatta Frazier AGE: 21 HOMETOWN: Aiken MAJOR: Biology PLATFORM: Frazier wants to make the SG treasurer, instead of a senator, the chairperson of the finance committee. He said this would ensure every senator would have an opportunity to vote. He also wants to work with student organizations to simplify the budget proposal process. Vote at vip.sc.edu under personal tab