Bernie volunteers storm dorms

Reslife is reaching out to campaign offices to inform them of UVM’s solicitation policy.

“Here’s the plan: we are going to try and get as many people as possible to get involved in the campaign,” Shane McKibbins, the Burlington volunteer coordinator for the Sanders campaign said, addressing the students before they began Dec. 2.

Rafael Rodriguez, associate director for Assessment and Strategic Initiatives for ResLife, said Reslife is reaching out to local campaign offices to inform them of the solicitation policy according to a Dec. 7 email.

Students showed support for Bernie Sanders by gathering in the Greenhouse lobby to canvass for his campaign.

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(Left to right) Sophomore Clare Cecil and first-year Anastasia Tsekeris canvass for the Bernie Sand- ers campaign in University Heights South Dec. 2. Canvassing is not allowed in the dorms according to the University’s solicitation policy. OLIVER POMAZI/The Vermont Cynic

Following a post made on the University of Vermont Students for Bernie Sanders Facebook page Nov. 30, a group of students met to knock on students’ doors and ask them to volunteer for Sander’s campaign in New Hampshire.

“The goal will be canvassing in the dorms to spread the word about opportunities to get involved with the campaign,” the post stated.

Door-to-door canvassing in residence halls is not allowed, according to the University’s solicitation policy.

“No resident, UVM student organization or other individual or group is permitted to engage in any door-to-door canvassing activities, such as solicitation or campaigning, in the student living areas of residence halls,” the policy states.

“Our solicitation policy does prohibit activities, such as political campaigning, in the Residence Halls,” Rodriguez wrote in the email.

First-year Margaux Higgins, a member of UVM Students for Bernie Sanders, said she did not know canvassing in the dorms is against UVM’s solicitation policy.

The students met in the University Heights South lobby and were briefed on how to proceed in the canvassing process by McKibbins.

The goal of the “dorm storm” was to get volunteers for local campaigning and the New Hampshire Democratic primary, McKibbins said.

The “dorm storm,” was not intended to impose political ideologies, but rather to give information to those who wanted it, he said.

“You want to introduce yourselves, let them know you are here and see if they are supportive of Bernie. If they are not supportive, we are just going to move on,” McKibbins said.

“We are not here to convince anyone because that would be not cool under school rules,” he said.