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U Regents To See If Sviggum's New Job Is Conflict

ST. PAUL, Minn. (AP) -- The University of Minnesota Board of Regents plans to review whether Regent Steve Sviggum's new job with the Senate Republican caucus poses a conflict of interest.

Regents Chair Linda Cohen announced the review Tuesday, the day Sviggum started his new job.

In a statement, Cohen says the board will "carefully review the situation" under its ethics code and determine what steps are necessary "to take in the best interest of the board and the university."

Sviggum is a former Minnesota House speaker from Kenyon. The Senate Republican caucus named him as its executive assistant and communications director.

Sviggum did not immediately return a phone call to his home Tuesday night. But he earlier told Minnesota Public Radio News there was no conflict under the university's conflict-of-interest policy.

(© Copyright 2012 The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.)

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