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The Dartmouth
July 26, 2025 | Latest Issue
The Dartmouth

SA candidates debate Greek issues

The student body presidential candidates went head-to-head in a debate held on Wednesday at Sigma Alpha Epsilon fraternity.
The student body presidential candidates went head-to-head in a debate held on Wednesday at Sigma Alpha Epsilon fraternity.

The debate provided the candidates with their first opportunity to go head-to-head as they were given the chance to ask each other questions.

Lever chose to ask Nolan why he decided to run. Nolan acknowledged concerns that his decision was based on a desire for "facetime," but said that his true motivation was his desire to "represent the students."

Nolan also said he decided to run because of the his view of the administration of current Student Body President Molly Bode '09.

"I ran because I felt that the Bode administration was bogus," Nolan said. "All that she did was overstep her boundaries, over-program and not advocate enough for the students."

Nolan asked Vernon to address her collaboration with and supposed similarities to Bode.

"I am not Molly Bode," Vernon said.

She said that while she thought Bode's administration had made progress, there was still ample room for reevaluation and discussion of the Assembly's efforts.

Vernon asked Lever to provide a specific examples of campus leadership roles that have prepared him to assume the responsibilities of student body president, explaining that she was asking for "tangible things."

Lever responded by citing his penchant for "collecting perspectives" and his varied interactions with administrators as preparation for representing the student body.

The candidates all suggested ways to increase students' use of the College's Good Samaritan policy.

Nolan and Lever raised the possibility of funding a Dartmouth-run ambulance service to avoid the Hanover Police escort that currently accompanies Hanover Fire department. As a result of this escort, underage students who are transported to Dartmouth-Hitchcock Medical Center are arrested if they have a blood alcohol content above the legal limit.

Nolan defended the cost-effectiveness of the proposed ambulance service. He said that the money students would save by avoiding the cost of the Diversions Program, an alcohol education program that may be offered as an alternative to legal action, would equal the ambulance's expense after three years.

"The criticism that an ambulance is not cost effective is ridiculous," Nolan said.

An ambulance would cost about $60,000, James Cart '10, the Summer 2008 Assembly president, previously told The Dartmouth.

The candidates were also asked about their view of collective punishment, particularly in the context of the upcoming recommendations from the Sexual Assault Task Force. The task force may recommend the investigation or punishment of an entire Greek organization if one of its members commits sexual assault.

Nolan said he does not support collective punishment, citing Delta Delta Delta sorority's nine-month probation for the behavior of some of its members at its Fall term formal as an example of what he believed to be an unjust implementation of the policy.

"The behavior of a few does not stereotype a house," Nolan said.

Vernon said she does not agree with the idea of a collective punishment policy, but that she would consider a wide range of opinions before making a policy decision.

Lever initially said he would "reluctantly" punish an organization for a member's actions, but, when asked to clarify his answer, said he would not support a collective punishment policy.