It’s indisputable that Mark Jaede, a professor at St. Cloud State and a long-time DFL activist, used government property to help plan a political rally that was organized by Jane Conrad, a staffer at the Minnesota AFL-CIO. Apparently, Prof. Jaede doesn’t think that the rules apply to him.
Specifically, he must think this rule doesn’t apply to him:
Subpart D. Use of state property. All system property is also state property. With limited exceptions, state property is not to be used for personal or private use except as specifically authorized, such as limited personal use of computers as provided in System Procedure 5.22.1 and incidental use of system cell phones, as provided in System Procedure 5.22.1.
Earlier this week, Prof. Jaede posted this political announcement on St. Cloud State’s listserv system:
This message is from Jane Conrad, who can be reached at 320-267-0899:
A rally was planned to counter racist speaker Ron Branstner who was speaking at the VFW at 9 18th Ave N in St Cloud. Two hours after I let the police know about our action and after the police talked with management at the VFW the speaker was canceled. So I canceled the rally. However, I did find out that the VFW did allow the event to go forward with a racist speaker from Willmar, Bob Enos. To counter this we are planning a rally this Saturday at 1:00 in front of the VFW. Please join us a peaceful collective community action. We are all in this together.
When Prof. Jaede used his SCSU email address to highlight an AFL-CIO political rally, he used state property “for personal or private use.” He wasn’t conducting University business when he posted this event information. He seems to admit that in signing off:
Mark (writing as an individual faculty member who is concerned about having a community that welcomes all)
Considering the fact that Jaede’s been a DFL activist for years and considering the fact that he was using state resources to highlight an AFL-CIO political rally, does anyone take Prof. Jaede seriously when he insists that he’s doing this “as an individual faculty member who is concerned about having a community that welcomes all” and not as a DFL activist?
His closing statement was to give himself cover with the university, i.e. to state that his comments were not sanctioned or authorized by SCSU. In other words, he knew SCSU would not approve what he was saying or of using their equipment to say it had he asked.
by their very actions and words they show contempt for anyone who doesn’t agree with them. I would offer that Jaede is being hypocritical for saying…'[as one who] is concerned about having a community that welcomes all”. Time to tell the liberals to put away their name calling and get on with life.
Patrick, I’d modify Prof. Jaede’s statement to read “as one who is concerned about having a community that welcomes all people who think like me and other hardline progressives.”
Today’s progressive movement has a strong fascist streak to it.
Gary, agreed
Let’s not forget that Jaede is a former president of the Faculty Association at SCSU. Is he going to plead ignorance of the rules?
I believe Mr. Jaede is a professor of history? If so, he did poorly in Constitutional Ammrndents
101. First amendment freedom of speech and assembly! Why does he wish to silence the
people of St. Cloud from discussing issues that impact the entire city. Let the truth be known
and reasonable dialogue follow.