During February’s President’s Cabinet meeting, President Marysz Rames made note that there had been several rumors making their way around campus, and that those were actions that needed to stop, according to meeting minutes obtained by “The Wayne Stater.”

“There had been rumors about Bowen not being done in time, which is something (“The Wayne Stater”) has since reported on,” Rames said. “There were rumors about the budget when the Budget Task Force was working and no recommendations have come forward. And as we see new faculty open, there were rumors that there would be no new faculty in Education and Counseling, which isn’t true.”

Rames said she believes some of these rumors arose amidst discussions on the tightening state budget, but there have been no decisions made on the budget yet. The task force is something Rames pointed to as an indication that the school is doing its best in staying transparent with policies and letting everyone have an equal say in what goes on at WSC.

“The Budget Task Force is in the spirit of bringing all the constituent groups together and having open conversations about things,” Rames said.

Rames has a communications background, having a bachelor’s in communications from the University of Northern Colorado in 1982. As a bit of an expert herself, she had insight on how WSC can improve communication and lessen the rumor-spreading on campus.

“I think communication is something you have to constantly work at,” Rames said. “If you have questions, ask, and make sure you listen intently, and I think that is something we all can work on.”

The national administrative landscape has been no different in terms of the spreading of false information and rumors. Phrases like “fake news” and “alternative facts” are thrown around daily, and Rames isn’t sure consumers of this information are aware of where it comes from, or if it’s accurate.

“It’s so easy to tweet out information and create blogs that aren’t focused on being accurate,” Rames said. “In higher education, we’ve been very clear on where we think that information is.”

At least locally, this newspaper is one source Rames noted people can rely on.

“As students, you want to have the same experience here as you would out there, which is something (“The Wayne Stater”) has done since I arrived,” Rames said. “That’s our job, to make sure we create environments that are the same you’ll experience after you graduate.”