Official Statement About Credit Card Expenses

Alma Mater Society of Queen’s University

Official Statement About Credit Card Expenses

Following the AMS special assembly from last night, the AMS Board would like to share a statement to clarify rumours and misinformation that have been circulating regarding AMS credit card expenses.

Throughout this process, there has been extensive communications between AMS management, full-time staff, the executive, and the Board of Directors. In the interest of transparency, the Vice-President (University Affairs) called a Special General Assembly to ensure members had the opportunity to receive accurate information and ask for clarification.

Following the review, the President repaid $640.70 in expenses that could not be substantiated, including $377.32 that were acknowledged as personal expenses. There was no financial impact to the AMS, and no student funds directed to the AMS were misappropriated. All funds have been fully accounted for through Management and Board oversight.

Claims regarding $27,225.50 being misused are false and misleading. This figure represents the total credit card spending across the President’s portfolio and does not reflect personal expenses. They represent routine expenses supporting normal AMS business. All related expenditures have been reviewed and substantiated.

The Board was made aware of this discrepancy related to credit card use that did not follow AMS practice and affirmed management’s decision to withhold future credit card access from the President. The systems and controls in place worked, and there is no further risk to the corporation

There is an article currently circulating that contains misleading information. While corrections were requested and some were made, other inaccuracies remain and continue to contribute to misinformation.

The AMS’s systems and controls functioned as intended, corrective action was taken, and there is no ongoing risk to the organization. Additional steps have been identified to strengthen procedures and prevent similar issues in the future.

In care and solidarity,

Eshal Ali (she/her)
Vice-Chair of the Board
Alma Mater Society of Queen’s University
On behalf of the AMS Board of Directors

 

Update: Regarding the aforementioned article, the Journal agreed to correct one error and has since corrected two additional errors which had not yet been shared with the Journal at the time of our statement. After further communication, the article was promptly corrected to reflect that:

• Jana Amer’s personal expense, which was repaid, amounted to $377.32, not $263.38.

• The date of the Board of Directors meeting was Dec. 12, not Dec. 19.