Will Pawlenty Ever Make Another Student Appointment to the MnSCU Board? (Updated)

*Updated*

We were wrong...

After searching both the MnSCU and Governor's sites yesterday, we did not come across any indications that the Governor had infact, made appointments to the MnSCU Board. We regret the error and apologize.

Three students were appointed last Friday. The community and technical college students will serve full two year terms. The technical college student position was 2 years past due for reappointment. The 4 year college student student will serve 1 year.

Best of luck to the trustee's! It will be a great experience!

Top 7 story lines in 2007

So much to sort through and consider. In coming up with the order of importance, we weighed the amount of traffic and the number of stories that were cross posted or linked elsewhere.

Lots of great stories were left off the final list. Some of them include the per diem follies of Randy Demmer and our other fiscal conservatives, school levies passing in Dassel Cokato and Glencoe Silver Lake, the statewide smoking ban, and other legislative endeavors.

Mark Olson was even spared from the Top 7, but to be fair, we could just do a Top 7 for him alone!

Beyond becoming engaged to Bluewoman in Washington DC, with a 11/8/08 wedding date, here are the Top 7 Blueman story lines for 2007. I'm looking forward to a stronger 8 in 08!

7. Urdahl and Shimanski Townhall Forum. For someone who paints himself as a "moderate" one would have to ask why they hang out with such extreme company.

While the forum itself, billed as a townhall forum and appeared to be a rally, was interesting, the festivities afterwards were even better.

Toe to toe with Dean Urdahl was an awful lot of fun, interesting too. We discussed Rep Urdahl's flip flop of the Transportation vote.

Apparently, Urdahl's vote to sustain the Governor's Transportation veto had nothing to do with transportation. As a scholar of government, I ought to know that. Urdahl said quite a bit tonight, not going to lie...but apparently neither myself nor his wife understands what he does.

Bottomline, he flip flopped. Said he'd support a gas tax increase in October 2006, voted for it in the original bill, and flopped after the Governor called him to the carpet.

Despite this forum and run in, it only makes #7 on the list.

6. MinnCan pipeline. Nice to see the MinnCann pipeline taking shape just outside of Cokato (between the high school and the golf course). While the story remained on the periphery of Minnesota news in 07, the pipelines garnered a lot more attention after the accident at Clearbrook.

We'll get photos up after the New Year!

5. Elwyn Tinklenberg's resistance to abide by the DFL endorsement. As a Local Unit DFL official, I have sworn to support DFL endorsed candidates. Does it bother anyone else that when asked about the endorsement, Tinklenberg cannot give a straight answer?

At the November 15th forum at St Cloud State University, Tinklenberg stated his intentions on the endorsement. From the SC Times.

The DFL race would appear to be up to party delegates to decide, as Tinklenberg, who had avoided saying he would abide by the party's endorsement process earlier, appeared to commit Thursday.

"I supported the party's endorsed candidate before," he said of his 2006 endorsement loss to Patty Wetterling. "I will certainly do that again."

Olson reiterated his previous commitment to abide by the endorsement process.

Yet, on December 13th at the SD 19 DFL meeting in Buffalo, Elwyn had this to say about the endorsement.

"We will honor the endorsement if it is an honorable and straight forward process."

Which left many potential delegates asking the question, "What, what does that mean?"

Elwyn came back with "We will honor the endorsement if it is an honorable and fair process."

Call me naive, but it sounds to me like someone who's prepping for a primary!

4. Dean Urdahl flip flops on Transportation. While admitting that Governor Pawlenty's Transportation plan underfunded roads in Greater Minnesota, Urdahl put politics before the people. Whats even more shameful of this vote was that Urdahl told County Commissioners that he would support a gas tax increase, during the 06 campaign cycle.

I expect more antics from Rep Urdahl now that he's in the minority. Let me guess, he'll work to address school funding reforms he did little about when he was in the majority.

3. Michele Bachmann. Dump Bachmann will do this more justice, but just off hand...

Groping the President, votes against working and middle class Minnesotan's, her Iran quotes, and a slew of other stories.

2. Luke Hellier and the MnSCU Board of Trustee's. I drew the ire of righty bloggers and radio talk show hosts for this one, and we were dead on. The issue is still closely followed by the statewide student associations. MSUSA, the 4 year student association, is anxiously awaiting their replacement to the MnSCU Board, a mere 6 months late now. It's much worse for MSCSA, the 2 year student association. Their student representative has served 18 months past the end of her initial appointment, without replacement.

Meanwhile, Governor Pawlenty spends his time pimping John McCain.

1. Walter Reed Scandal / Veterans Suicide. Support Our Troops, Liberate Iraq was the slogan on the lawnsign. Too bad it never carried over to when our brave men and women came home.

Being treated in despicable conditions at Walter Reed and other military and VA hospitals across the US, it took a Washington Post story to break this scandal wide open. Miles from the concrete palace our President resides in, our soldiers and Veterans were second class citizens.

Suicide rates of veterans also rose and remain more than double of "normal" society. Minnesota has lost no less than 16 Iraq or Afghanistan Veterans under the age of 30, since 2005.

It's a story that should be number 1 in more places than just Blueman and will remain a focal point of my blog.

Hellier strikes again!

So while Governor Pawlenty stalls, letting everything cool off a bit before he appoints Luke Hellier as a MnSCU Board of Trustee member, it seems that Mr. Hellier is being vocal about where Governor Pawlenty now stands on the gas tax.

Hellier compares Al Franken's support of a gas tax increase with that of Governor Pawlenty's new found support of a gas tax increase, an increase he has vetoed multiple times.

Anyone in on the pool to guess when the Hellier post will disappear? I'll give it til Monday at noon...

MnSCU Trustee appointments: Ezra Kazee speaks!

As you know, a few weeks ago the King and the Korb blasted me on the 5000 watt flamethrower, AM 1280 "The Patriot". They interviewed Luke Hellier about his candidacy for the 4 year student trustee to MnSCU.

Adam Weigold also made his case that day as well.

But no one has heard the opinion of the third candidate, Ezra Kazee. I have known Ezra for several years as well and know that he would represent students very well as the student trustee.

Here is Ezra Kazee, in his own words. Responding to questions I posed to him regarding his qualifications, desires and motivations for this post as the 4 year student trustee to MnSCU.

Over the past several months, the process of selecting the next MnSCU Board of Trustee for the four-year university student representative has been going on. This is an astronomically huge position, as this is the students’ voice at MnSCU and on the Board of Trustees for MnSCU.

This is a position that will help and explain to the rest of the Trustees what students are going through, as they are in all likelihood going through it his or her self. This is an advocate for students, an advocate for the future workforce of the state, and an advocate for the future students of our MnSCU institutions.

I have decided to seek this position because I believe in the MnSCU system and the institutions of MnSCU. I believe that we can have the best system when it comes to public higher education in the country. I believe that not only can we have the best system in the country; we can also do it in the most affordable way for students and taxpayers. Our higher education system already provides the state of Minnesota with the highest level of nurses, law enforcement personnel, and educators. These are the people who will be teaching our children, protect our families, and keep us in good health so that we may experience all of those important things that everyone wants to experience.

And I want to see this trend continue on into the future. I want to see the system kept affordable for students. And I want to see the system run efficiently and be accountable to everyone as citizens of Minnesota and students of the system. For if it isn’t, then we have just given a blank check to those in charge, and that is, in almost all cases, bad.

Since I have been at Winona State University, I have been involved in Student Government at many different levels. I have served on the Winona State University Student Senate as a Freshman Senator. I have served as President and Secretary within the Inter-Residence Hall Council as well. I served as the Co-Chair on the Winona State University All-University Cultural Diversity Committee, which developed the Winona State University Cultural Diversity Plan.

I served the students of the 7 State Universities in a wide array of positions in the Minnesota State University Student Association, first as the Student Services Coordinator, then as the MnSCU Policy and Procedure Facilitator, and finally as an at-large board of director. I have also served on a technology task force as well as a task force to develop the website for people with Disability through MnSCU. Through out my service to the students, I have not only gained invaluable experience, I have also seen the inner-working of MnSCU, am intimately familiar with the policies and procedures of MnSCU, and have developed a very good relationships throughout the system, especially with Chancellor McCormick and Vice Chancellor Franz.

However, above all of that, the reason that I am the best person to serve in this position is because I believe in being out-spoken, especially in things you don’t agree with, and giving a straight and honest opinion on anything that I am asked. I believe in listening to everyone’s opinion, and making a determination on what is best. My service will show that I have always stood up for what I believe, and always stood up for what I believe is right. And finally, it is the way I make decisions that makes me the best candidate for the job. A mantra that I believe in was much in the same way the Theodore Roosevelt believed, and that is decisions must be made for the greatest good for the greatest amount of people for the greatest amount of time.

Originally, MSUSA endorsed two candidates at its Spring Delegates conference, myself and Adam Weigold. At the request of St. Cloud State University, a third candidate was introduced after the deadline. Dana Kutcher was given consideration at a conference call, and ultimately rejected from the recommendation. During this process, since both myself and Mr. Weigold were currently on the Board of Directors, the body responsible for making the decision, we both appointed proxies for these decisions.

Our names and information was then forwarded on by MSUSA, interviews took place around the beginning to middle of June. Shortly there after, I found out about a third candidate, Luke Hellier. I don’t know Mr. Hellier personally, but apparently from passing in his involvement with his fathers wrestling promotion in which I was a spectator and he was a referee. I do know some stuff about him, from research I have done. He is a graduate of a private 4 year university up near St. Cloud who is enrolled part time at Minnesota State University-Mankato for his Graduate degree. OK fine. Strictly speaking, by the letter of the law, he does qualify. Granted, he didn’t go through the MSUSA recommendation process as is prescribed, but ok. There have been other trustees who haven’t.

I do have some concerns with his experience and knowledge of the system. If Hellier is appointed, he is going to be on such a steep learning curve that I have concerns over how long it would take for him to truly be effective. Mr. Weigold and myself have both been in the public system for many years, have worked within student government, and are exponentially more experienced when it comes to the MnSCU system then Mr. Hellier is. There are also some concerns about statements he has made about putting liberal professors on the defensive.

Universities should be about open exchange of ideas, not about putting one side or the other on the defensive.

But here is my biggest concern. Those who know me will probably always remember me for my work within the arena of diversity. I have always been an advocate of diversity, and will always work to try and improve diversity. It is my belief that diversity not only enriches all of us as student, but also prepares us for an ever changing world in which globalization is quickly becoming a key element. And we must become open and willing to explore diversity, to embrace diversity, and to make sure that diversity is something that we all understand.

It has been reported that Mr. Hellier has used some rather derogatory terms towards diversity, more specifically towards members of the GLBT community. The specific incident that I am referring to can be found at is at http://community.livejournal.com/csbsju/9909.html. (Thanks to Lisa M. Pintok’s live journal) The words are right there, and Helliers response is that "In the heat of the moment things are said and possibly the homophobic remarks came from them, I would hope that would never happen again." Now, I know a lot of things can be said in the heat of the moment, but how often to discriminatory and homophobic slurs come up. I’m not normally the language police, but at some point we have to say something. To his credit, he at least apologizes. I can’t help though but question his sincerity in these comments though. And I can’t help but wonder if something like this doesn’t say something about his character and his concern toward a system which thrives on diversity.

I just want to make this very clear. This isn’t a Republican-Democrat thing. This isn’t a conservative-liberal thing. Mr. Weigold is a very qualified conservative and republican whom I’d be very honored to have chosen over me. While I don’t always agree with his views, I feel that he is a very qualified candidate and a candidate that the association can be proud of. Even a look into my own political affiliations, you would find that the two recommendations by MSUSA would be a Republican and an independent. (I use the small I in independent so as not to confuse anyone with thinking I’m affiliated with the independent party.)

Let me finally just say that I am always open to discussions and talking. Feel free to e-mail me at either my school address (ejkazee0250@winona.edu) or at my personal address (e_kazee@yahoo.com.)

Thank you for your time in reading this and allowing me to give some of my own personal thoughts on the current situation.

Excellent job Ezra. Shoot him a note if you have any further questions! He's a great candidate and would serve students across Minnesota in a honorable and consistent manner.

Breaking: Students confront Pawlenty over Hellier

I received word late last night that college students in Southern Minnesota confronted Governor Pawlenty at a GOP fundraiser this weekend, grilling him over Luke Hellier.

More to follow...

More on Hellier

The cool cats at I Don't Hate America have a great posts up about Luke Hellier's candidacy on the MnSCU Board of Trustee's.

DJ has been doing an excellent job covering Minnesota politics, especially the whole controversy surrounding Luke Hellier. I served in the student organization (MSUSA) which endorsed candidates Ezra Kazee and Adam Weigold. I can personally attest to the quality of both men who serve students at MnSCU schools with passion. To see our Governor show interest into a candidate not even at a MnSCU school displays the lack of commitment to the reason a student representative serves on the board of trustees in the first place. Students need proper representation from someone who knows what they are going through and has a record for doing everything they can for student interests. Adam and Ezra both fit the profile, Luke does not.

The King and the Korb make this out to be a partisan witch hunt. I remind the readers that the segment before King lost his top, they were talking about Barkley's Match.com profile and the need for Republicans to do everything they can to secure elections.

Katherine Kersten has a different opinion of Match.com and dating sites.

I've regaled my kids with tales of the sometimes hair-raising experiences I had
with men I encountered while searching for a mate in younger days.

My eyes are still burning a bit...

Back to Hellier...

Being conservative does not disqualify Hellier to serve on the MnSCU Board.

His lack of experience in a public higher education setting make him unqualified.

Pawlenty's student appointments

Here's a look at the Governor's previous student appointments to the MnSCU Board.

Tyler Despins

Press release date of July 29, 2003.

Despins, of Winona, is a student at Winona State University pursuing a bachelor’s degree. He also attended Rochester Community and Technical College (RCTC) from 1999-2001. He has served as State Legislative Affairs Coordinator for the Minnesota State University Student Association. He also served as both President and Vice President of the Student Senate at RCTC. Despins is appointed to the position for a State University student. He will serve a two-year term ending June 30, 2005.

He was a late appointment by the Governor.

He was replaced by Michael Boulton.

Press release date, June 17, 2005.

Michael Boulton, of Porter, is a May 2005 graduate of Southwest Minnesota State University (SMSU) in Marshall. He received a B.S. degree in Political Science and Business Administration. This coming fall, Boulton will start classes toward a Master's of Arts in Urban and Regional Studies degree at Minnesota State University-Mankato. He is expected to graduate with his M.A. degree in May 2007.

Boulton served on the board of directors for the Minnesota State University Student Association in 2004-05. He served as a president (2004-05) and senator (2002-04) for the SMSU Student Association. Boulton also served as president of the SMSU Political Science Association from 2002-03 and as a member of the SMSU Pep Band from 2002-04.

He continues to serve while the Governor stalls on his appointment.

Carol (Ley) Wenner represents Technical College students on the board. IMHO, she has been the best student trustee I have worked with.

Carol C. Ley, of Alexandria, is a currently enrolled as a full-time student at Alexandria Technical College. In May 2005, she is scheduled to receive an Associate of Applied Science degree in Marketing and Sales Management. Ley has been named to the Dean's List and is a member of the Phi Theta Kappa, an international honor society for two-year colleges. She has also served as a Vice President of Business Partnerships for the Minnesota chapter of Delta Epsilon Chi (DEX). Ley is a member of her Student Senate and participated as a student representative on the search team for a new college president at Alexandria Technical College.

According to her bio, her term ended June 30, 2006.

Governor Pawlenty is a year late in announcing her replacement, after appointing her late.

Caleb Anderson represents Community College students on the board.

Press release date, August 31, 2006.

Caleb J. Anderson, of Maplewood, is pursuing an A.A. degree from Century College in White Bear Lake. He currently works as a lifeguard and swimming instructor at the Maplewood Community Center. Anderson also works as an assistant pre-school teacher at the Maple Tree Child Care Center in Maplewood. He is the co-founder and co-owner of Mason-Anderson Professional Cleaners LLC. At Century College, Anderson is involved in the student senate, debate team, theater, and honor society. He is appointed to the board seat for a community college student and will serve a two-year term which ends June 30, 2008. Anderson replaces Christopher Schultz on the board.

He'll serve through June 2008, and was a late appointment by the Governor.

Christopher Schultz

Press release dated June 30, 2004.

Christopher Schultz, of Plymouth, received an A.A. degree with high honors from Normandale Community College in May 2004. This fall he will be continuing his studies at the Carlson School of Management at the University of Minnesota. While at Normandale, Schultz served as Treasurer of the Student Senate. He is appointed to the Board seat for a Community College Student. Schultz will serve a two-year term which ends July 31, 2006. He replaces Shaun Williams on the Board.

Schultz was replaced by Anderson, who was appointed late.

Note the trend in service with each of these appointee's. Strong backgrounds in student governance, with the 4 year students, ties to the 4 year student association, and non-student governance leadership positions in non-political organizations.

While Weigold and Kazee pass this litmus test, Hellier fails...miserably.

Also of note, the Governor has been late with his appointments on four occasions. Having appointed 5 with 2 pending, that's not a positive track record.

I hold the MnSCU Board in high regards. Having testified before them on countless occasions, I have developed a great deal of respect for what they do. Members like Ruth Grendahl, David Olson, Duane Benson, Tom Renier and others provide a great deal of experience and knowledge to the board. Student members supplement that experience with current perspectives on how these issues impact students they represent.

Hellier has no experience in a public college setting. How can he represent me? Other 4 year public college students?

My prediction? Hellier will be appointed, but the Governor will continue to wait on the matter, letting the controversy behind Hellier's candidacy die down.

And the righties called me a coward!

Potatoes before students?

Governor Pawlenty took the time to reappoint a member to the Area One Potato Research and Promotion Council.

The reappointment provides greater fuel to the Pawlenty's Vice Presidential candidacy as he speeds past Dan Quayle status and can actually spell "potato".

Don't get me wrong...I love a good potato.

But I'd rather see a good student appointed to the MnSCU Board. Technically, Mr Boulton continues to serve as the Trustee until the Governor makes his decision.

I wonder what's taking the Governor so long on this?

A letter to the Governor

An excellent letter from a student at Metropolitan State University.

29 June 2007

Office of the Governor
130 State Capitol
75 Rev. Martin Luther King Dr.
Saint Paul, MN 55155

Dear Governor Pawlenty,I am a student at Metropolitan State University, just a stone’s throw from your office at the Capitol. I am the type of non-traditional student that Metro State was designed for. I have worked full time for Hennepin County Human Services for the past nine years. I started back at Metro in the fall of 2005 declaring a major in Social Science.

I recently became aware of the candidate that your office has apparently selected for the seat on the MNSCU Board of Trustees to represent students at four-year public colleges/universities in the MNSCU system.

Including students at the Trustee level is an excellent way to provide some insight for the other board members into student thinking and a wonderful opportunity to have a student’s voice heard. However, it appears that rather than appoint a student who can represent ALL students, you have chosen a partisan, radical political kindred spirit of yours instead.

This is quite discouraging, to say the least. Though your selection may meet the basic criteria (I heard he is going to attend Mankato State via “distance learning” part-time), Mr. Hellier hardly represents the “average” student that attends a MNSCU school. That he recently graduated from a private school is even MORE troubling.

Aren’t there other opportunities to reward political loyalists? Mr. Hellier’s efforts for GOP candidates and ideologies are certainly worthy of reward, but why at the expense of the average student that attends a MNSCU school?

I served on the board of directors for the Minneapolis / Saint Paul Church of Christ for two and a half years, only recently relinquishing that position. My input on the board was appreciated since my background and experiences have been socially and economically diverse.

Not to cast aspersion upon Mr. Hellier’s character, but one who has apparently been beating the drum for politicians who prove their distaste for public education institutions like Michelle Bachmann and Mark Kennedy is hardly a suitable choice to represent students.

I ask that you please reconsider your choice and NOT appoint Mr. Hellier to the MNSCU Board of Trustees as a representative of students.

Please review the candidates that were recommended by the students who serve in MSUSA. If those recommended candidates are not satisfactory to you, then perform another search and/or work directly with those who serve in MSUSA to select a more suitable candidate.

Sincerely,
Robert W. Velez

No appointment yet...

It's July 1st, do you know who your new student trustee to the MnSCU Board is? Governor Pawlenty has not made an announcement yet.

One interesting item I stumbled across this past weekend...

Hellier was paid more than $16,000 for his work with Congresswoman Bachmann in the past election cycle.

Are we ready for a private college, political operative to represent 4 year students on the MnSCU Board?

Another interesting tidbit...

We all know the controversy surrounding the Koch Industries / MinnCan pipeline being forced down the throats of Minnesota's farmers.

In Minnesota's Congressional Delegation, Koch Industries is a top contributor to both Congresswoman Bachmann and Congressman Kline.

Looking at the map, it's no wonder why Koch Industries would want to buy off Congresswoman Bachmann and Congressman Kline, the pipeline runs through the heart of each of their districts.

The Cucking Stool beats up MDE

Spotty came out with a nice post about Mr Brodkorb with Minnesota Democrats Exposed.

Michael Brodkorb is a foppish Republican dandy, the saloon keeper at Minnesota
Democrats Exposed, a site dedicated to the extrusion of an effluvium of rumor,
gossip, and innuendo, like a dotty Play-Doh Fun Factory, loaded with
excreta, run amok.

Spotty owes me a new keyboard for that one. Note to self...never drink coffee while reading the Cucking Stool...

He ends equally as strong!

Anyway, the Korb registered shock and dismay that Jeff Fecke, writing at Minneosta Matters, would pick up the story and write that the Manchurian Candidate seemed
to be the governor's apparent choice. Why, he didn't source it properly! (Spot is not making this up, boys and girls.) Based on what he knows, boys and girls, Jeff's inference is a reasonable one; Brokorb's complaint is like Elmer Gantry, railing against sin while boinking the help.

Great work once again Spotty!

Brodkorb wrote on my site a few days ago as well, stating that he did not believe I had any sources. I really don't care what Brodkorb does or doesn't believe. I have 3 very solid sources on the issue. And he has nothing...

Avidor with an excellent post on Helliergate

Good work!

It provides some history into Governor Pawlenty dissing college students in the past as well.

More from the Cucking Stool

Spot comments on the apology.

Let's just be sure Spot has this straight: if Hal is a former student, it's okay to savage him and compare him to Gomer Pyle, If he's a student, however, he gets the kid glove treatment. Banaian's invective—especially on his website—was full of information about Hal Kimball's time as a student, a student activist, at that. How do you think that your remarks bore the imprimatur of Saint Cloud State any less if Hal was merely a former student, Professor?

Banaian wants to be sure that we know that he's never likely to cross paths with Hal Kimball at school; Hal is going to be studying social responsibility. Boy, your right, Prof, little risk there.

It's no wonder why the Cucking Stool is the best liberal blog in the Twin Cities.



I have accepted Dr Banaian's apology, although his email apology differed dramatically from his SCSU Scholars apology. Seems like he wanted to save some face publicly, after he bloodied mine publicly.

An astute reader tipped me off to another bit of irony from Saturday's eruption of Mt. St. Banaian.

The hour beforehand, Gary Gross from Let Freedom Ring, was on the air with MDE and Dr Banaian discussing campaign tactics.

During the first hour, Michael said that his perspective on campaigns was to
“never bring a knife to a gun fight”, a position that I wholeheartedly subscribe
to. In fact, when I called, I said that “We can be sure that the DFL is bringing
‘a gun’ to the campaign so let’s adopt this slogan: ‘It’s time to break out the
double-barrels’”.

Recall that MDE defends his actions in bringing forth match.com info on Independent Dean Barkley's possible 2008 campaign for Congress in the 6th.

And exposing Luke Hellier for the unqualified political operative he is crosses a line? In fact, it shows the hypocrisy of the right.

The MnSCU system roughly has 70,000 students in the 4 year system. If Governor Pawlenty selects Hellier to represent us in St Paul, the message is clear.

He doesn't care. He'd put a student with no experience as a public college student in a postion to advocate for them.

Furthermore, he couldn't find a conservative student amongst those that have served in College Republican, Student Association and other 4 year campus leadership positions.

That's why conservative students in Mankato and St Cloud continue to send me info on Hellier on a daily basis.

Will the Governor actually appoint this student on the July 1 deadline? I suspect that if Weigold or Kazee is appointed, he'll do so early. If it's Hellier, he'll wait for it to cool off a bit to do so.

Ambush

Dr Banaian sent an apology yesterday for his SCSU Scholars post this past weekend's fit of rage and his verbal assault of a student.

In a previous post, Dr Banaian labeled me as "political actor". Those listening to AM 1280 last weekend witnessed the true political actor in the group. He prepped for the show last Saturday knowing he was going to blow his fuse on me. It was political acting at its finest.

Which makes me ponder the issues of accountability behind this case.

Had Hal identified himself as a returning student before our Saturday broadcast,
I would have hesitated on running the story and would certainly have been more
tempered in my discussion of his role;

First off, I am a current student, not a returning student.

Also, recall that I was out of town this past weekend. The statement above indicates that Dr. Banaian was prepped beforehand to erupt on air.

Why was it my responsibility to inform Dr Banaian beforehand, before he acted like a fool on air, that I was a current student? As Michael at MDE put it, "we just want you to come for a discussion about the Board of Trustee's issue".

I've been around awhile...it truly was an ambush waiting to happen.

Michael Brodkorb posts that neither myself or Jeff Fecke cannot provide a source.

Let's be clear, I have 3 rock solid sources on the case, each tie this story together in a pretty neat bow.

I can provide Brodkorb with sources, I simply won't.

And this is the presumptuous nature of the conservative bloggers.

I was supposed to notify Dr Banaian of my enrollment status before he harassed me on air?

I am supposed to provide a political operative with the rock solid sources I have on the Trustee Story?

I know I was gone for 5 days, but who died an put Brodkorb in charge of the internet, the blogosphere?

The truth is, conservative bloggers are still scrambling to find where this has come from...and a week later, they are no closer to solving the puzzle.

Incidently, Larry Schumacher at the SC Times has posted about it as well.

More coverage and commentary on Hellier

The Cucking Stool has a hilarious post about Dr. Banaian's fit on Saturday.

Twin Cities Daily Planet picked up the story.

I Don't Hate America is covering it.

Truth Surfer comments.

Lloydletta has a compiled list as well.

Firedoglake has it as well.

Banaian wrong again...

Dr Banaian posts on his site.

Mr. Kimball is not a student at SCSU at this time. Having left the university,
he is not subject to any special consideration from me as a faculty member. I
checked this before agreeing to do the story on the show by establishing he no
longer had an email account at the university. He has never been in one of my
classes and his resume indicates he left the university in 2006.

Shoot me an email at kiha0201@stcloudstate.edu, see if my email address works, since I am not a student and all...

The resume was from 2006 indicating that I am still in school, I never said Graduate.

Once again, Dr Banaian has failed to do some proper documentation and has misconstrued the facts.

A national post on the Hellier issue

Free Exchange on Campus has a post up about the Hellier/Pawlenty mess.

To be clear, it's not Mr. Hellier's political affiliation that's the problem - it's his lack of experience. Elected officials have every right to appoint officials who share their political and ideological views, however much we might disagree with those views. But the public expects these appointments to be issued on the basis of the nominees' experiences and abilities.

Governor Pawlenty has been presented with two nominees who have demonstrated a commitment to student government and who are highly qualified to serve as trustees, one of whom is a conservative. Fast-tracking a nominee based solely on his or her partisan loyalties does a great disservice to the students at Minnesota's public colleges and universities and is the worst kind of cronyism.

Well put!

Golf Weekend!

Wow, I can't leave for a few days without the riff raff heh?

Those that know me, know my love for the great outdoors. Normally, the summer consists of a week long trek into the Boundary Waters. This year, the boys created a weeklong extravaganza of Boundary Waters and Golf Weekend!

Brilliant!

I ended up bailing on the Boundary Waters side of the trip, too much going on with the family and work to pull away for 10 whole days, but I did make the Golf Weekend trip.

We have a pretty interesting group, a bunch of classmates and friends from Annandale High School and their college friends. A fun group of guys, with a wide range of political views. It's nice though, we may disagree on politics, but we have a lot of fun together and I cherish the time I get to spend with this group.

Wednesday was a travel and get organized sort of day. Left the Twin Cities somewhat early and made our way up to the Grand Rapids area. After a several hour trek with numerous pit stops for assorted needs and goodies, we hit Amen Lake, about 25 minutes north of Grand Rapids.

The rustic cabin is up against the Chippewa National Forest. No power, no running water. Just charcoal, propane and an outhouse!

In fact, there are no roads on the cabin side of the lake. We parked and had to take a pontoon across the lake to get to the cabin.

Thursday we had a great breakfast in town, a little place called Dotties. We made our way out to Sugarbrooke for 18 holes of fun. I was able to golf with both Junior and Senior, which was pretty nice. Both are very good golfers and were able to provide me with some good feedback. The 18th hole at Sugarbrooke is a stunning hole! A slightly elevated tee box provides you a great look at a relatively open green and an even better view of the lake.

I hit a 106 on Thursday with a pretty strong finish!

Friday brought us to Wendigo, where I was teamed up with Senior again, as well as Manea and Bernie. Wendigo is the toughest course I have ever played. It's a pretty tight front 9, which I proved by losing 5 balls.

I hit a 108 on Friday, taking a 9 on 17 and an 8 on 18. I almost drove the green on 18, but chipped into a deep bunker in front of the green. It was not a pretty sight!

Saturday took us to Pokegama. I teamed up with Schmidty, Bernie and Manea for this fun filled round of 18.

We got a little bit of a later start with the golf as busloads of soldiers returning from Iraq made their way with an escort through Grand Rapids. As an old Infantryman, it was a moving experience seeing these warriors make their way home. While it was an impromptu stop, it was an important one for this Vet.

My putting game started to come around on Saturday and I was able to card a 105, with a pretty strong performance on the back 9.

Saturday night also brought some bad weather in the area. We were all lounging in the water after a long day in the hot sun when we saw the front move in. Within 15 minutes, we were struck by some severe straight line winds, marble sized hail, and a lot of rain. It swept through in about an hour, but it was a pretty exciting storm to watch come in.

Sunday is the annual Golf Weekend scramble. I paired up with Mehr for this final round. We're the Gilligan and Skipper of the group. Mehr, about 6-2 nearly 300 lbs, was an offensive lineman for Moorhead State back in the day. Imagine Mehr and I in the same canoe together for a week! It's a fun sight.

At the turn, Mehr and I were in last place, carding a 46 on the front 9. We pulled it together on the back 9 carding a 40 and taking 2nd in the scramble. Losing to Schmidty and Manea by 2 strokes.

Limited cell coverage and a lack of a charger hindered by ability to remain connected to the "real world" the entire weekend, which was fine by me. 5 days and 4 nights with this crew was exactly what I needed. We didn't worry about much over this time. Lots of laughs and shenanigans!

I guess King Banion doesn't like me...

I hear he savaged me on the 5,000 watt flamethrower, AM 1280 this weekend. In fact, he called me a coward for not calling into the show. He also called for my mom to dial the phone for me.

For the record, the only cowardly thing I did this weekend was to not go for the green on 8 at Wendigo.

Stay classy King Banion...

Good stuff really. He had a typical conservative meltdown and completely misses the point on the controversy surrounding Luke Hellier's MnSCU Board of Trustee nomination.

Poor old Luke Hellier. He works the crowd at parades and partisan functions, videotaping those that oppose his candidate. He writes about his desire to ensure keep "liberal professors and students on the defensive". He has no background at all in public college student advocacy.

If I were attacking conservatives, I would have hit Adam Weigold and Michael Boulton pretty hard as well. However, they have strong track records for supporting students, unlike Hellier.

But King and his merry men simply do not want to understand that.

Progressive bloggers hit a jackpot here, and the conservative bloggers are in damage control mode now.

When I left on Wednesday, I had worried about this story dying.

Seriously, I did.

Thanks to King Banion and MDE, they kept this thing on the radar for at least another week.

BTW, anyone else feel the irony of King Banion, a professor at St Cloud State, savaging a student from St Cloud State on the 5,000 watt flamethrower they call AM 1280?

If a liberal professor had said those things about a conservative student, righty bloggers and the academic freedom folk would be calling for that professor's resignation...

Thanks again for keeping the controversy going guys!

Questions for Luke Hellier...

Questions students, faculty, and the Office of Higher Education ought to be asking Luke Hellier as he moves his way through the vetting process to be the next MnSCU Board of Trustee member for 4 year public college students.

1. Who recruited you for the MnSCU Board of Trustee position? Was it someone in the Governor's office or someone else?

2. How does a background in partisan politics and private college life qualify you for service to public college students on the highest collegiate governing board in the State of Minnesota?

3. Your resume read that you would be going to Mankato to pursue a Master's in Public Administration. It then said "Bloomington" in the line below that reference. Are you participating in a distance learning program? Will you ever set foot on the Mankato campus? As a part time student, how many credits are you going to take per semester?

4. A speaker you brought to St Johns, David Horowitz, said this about "liberal" programs on our campuses. "Peace studies programs are probably the leading example of campus support for terrorism." Do you support that sentiment?

5. As a trustee, you will be the voice of all 4 year public students, regardless of their political perspective. You wrote at the Young America Foundation "putting the liberal students and professors on the defensive and introducing our classmates to conservative ideas!" Will you continue to put professors and students who do not agree with your ideological views on the defensive?

6. Your history indicates work against Statewide Student Associations, such as the Minnesota Association of Private College Students. Will you work with the students you would represent at the Minnesota State University Student Association (MSUSA) and their coalition partner, the Minnesota State College Student Association (MSCSA)? Or will you continue to fight to degrade their efforts?

7. With student debt continuing to climb and putting the cost of affordable higher education beyond the reach of more and more students, do you still support cuts in aid programs that took $7.8 billion from student loan and aid programs?

8. Is discriminatory language commonplace in your life? Did you say those harsh words about the LGBT community at the Johnnie Hockey game? At first you said you didn't, then you said you may have. Which is it?

9. Being a student in Mankato, and if you are not distance learning from Bloomington, are you being put in place in the 1st CD to assist Dick Day in a race against Congressman Walz? You have experience on other Congressional campaigns...it's plausible.

10. Will you be able to hold Congresswoman Bachmann accountable for her lackluster higher education views? As a Board member, you will have the opportunity to travel to Washington to lobby elected officials on the MnSCU system objectives. Are you able to be non-partisan enough to persuade a member of Congress to support the MnSCU mission and the lives of public college students. Can you support that?

11. Describe how you envision your working relationship would be with MnSCU partners like the Inter Faculty Organization, MSCF, MAPE, AFSCME and other union partners. Will you continue to work against unions? Will you be a "union buster"?

We'll post more questions later...back to the phones and more research!

The story grows

The Luke Hellier MnSCU Board of Trustee story is spreading.

The cucking stool has a great post up about the Hellier mess, titled "The Manchurian Candidate".

Minnesota Campaign Report carries the story as well.

Dump Bachmann picked it up!

Most of these sites also feed into LeftyBlogs as well.