VP Finance candidate Adam Forsgren receives conflict of interest warning

VP Finance candidate Adam Forsgren has been given a warning by the AMS elections committee for a conflict of interest regarding his use of AMS office space.

Forsgren, currently the financial systems operator, advertised his AMS office as a means of contacting him in relation to his VP Finance race.

Under AMS code IX A 8(b), “Candidates shall not use the Administration Office, the Events Office, other staff offices, Executive offices, Commission offices, or other offices of the various branches of the Society’s student government... for any purpose related to elections.”

Elections administrator Filza Raza confirmed via email that this constitutes infringement of the rules, but clarified that it would only be a warning unless there is evidence that students met with Forsgren in the office space.

“At this point it would constitute a warning and not an actual penalty,” said Raza in the email.

Forsgren says that the listing of the office space was “an oversight” and that the page has now been amended.

“It was unclear to me from the all candidates handbook on specifically mentioning my office space in the contact page,” said Forsgren.

Under AMS code rule IX A 8(d), Forsgren was required to report his access to “privileged university buildings” such as the AMS offices prior to the campaign’s start.

“Nothing but transparency,” said Forsgren. “So moving forward from there.”

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