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In the post, Prokosch wrote that she felt like a traitor because she worked for Residential Life. Prokosch
then claims that Nancy Klein told her that her help would no longer be needed because of her deceitfulness, asked why she was pretending to like working for Residential Life, and suggested that she seek help for her anger and bitterness.

Although Prokosch admits that the entry was “a fairly forceful post,” she compared her blog to a personal journal, in which she normally writes “pretty mundane things,” and which she works on only during her personal time. Prokosch felt that she had proved her integrity and character through the work she had done for Residential Life, and she was shocked that the staff had made “a complete 180 based on one thing taken out of context.”

Prokosch also questioned the timing of her dismissal, saying that she and other RAs had already made it clear that they disagreed with the decision to terminate Neve to Residential Life last spring.

Patti Klein, director of Residential Life, emphasized the importance of a cohesive and cooperative office environment.

“Supporting the office - it’s an expectation that our staff does do that,” especially, she emphasized, because of the responsibility that is vested in each staffer in terms of student confidentiality and access to sensitive areas.

Although she recognized that Prokosch was an “astounding” worker and that she never personally heard her suggest that she didn’t want to work for Residential Life, Patti Klein asked, “If you feel awkward in the office, why would you want to be here?”

She also said that Prokosch had made hypocritical and destructive comments towards the Residential Life
office in her weblog post.

She also pointed out that Prokosch’s weblog was available on the Internet to anyone and was linked on another student’s site, so she felt that there was no invasion of privacy.

“[Prokosch] never came to me with these concerns,” Patti Klein said. “I’m more than happy to have that conversation. I’ve had a very open door to students.”

However, Patti Klein made clear that disagreeing with office policy was not automatic grounds for termination.

“I don’t want a policy that says ‘We’ll fire you if...’. Each situation needs to be handled differently depending on the individual.”

She also cautioned, “People have been terminated for putting things out there [on the Internet]. That’s the reality we live in.”

Associate Dean of Students Alan Sickbert echoed Klein’s thoughts.

“People can say what they want. There’s no gag policies - but do you want someone to work with you who is critical of you or your office?” He continued, “There’s a difference between disagreeing and beginning to use it detrimentally against the office.”

Rather than firing someone outright for criticism, Sickbert said, offices should try to work out any disagreement with a student worker in an appropriate manner. He added that it’s not important for student workers and their supervisors to agree on all issue all the time, but it is important that professionalism is maintained.

“I don’t expect people to believe everything I believe,” Sickbert said, “but how people chose to carry out their work within a given area and probably what they do in that work would come under scrutiny.”

Prokosch feels that the decision to end her relationship with the Residential Life office was not in line with Hamline’s mission as a student-centered university that allows for personal growth.

She feels her ability to express herself has been stifled.

“My words were forceful, but I have the right to voice them, even if it is on the Internet,” Prokosch said.

As an on-campus student, she says that she now feels alienated from the Residential Life office and embarrassed because her integrity was questioned.

“I don’t want to sound clichÄ, but it ruined my whole weekend.” Prokosch said.

“They don’t know what effect they have on people personally.”