A lack of transparency leads to a lack of trust. A lack of trust and transparency leads to a weak university. 

A college campus should be a place where students feel safe, supported, and informed, but when communication breaks down, so does the foundation that holds its community together. 

When Castleton student Lucas Kane was caught lurking in the women’s showers in Ellis Hall, students were left feeling scared and confused. And understandably so. 

Even worse, most students didn’t hear about his arrest from the university. 

In fact, most students only found out about Kane through word of mouth from their peers, or through posts on YikYak, an app where users are able to leave anonymous comments with other people in their radius. 

YikYak, not the university, became the main source of information for many.

The Rutland Herald then published a report about Kane’s arrest two days after the incident, followed by coverage from WXAC a day later. However, despite growing unease and confusion on campus, the university stayed silent for nearly a week.

It wasn’t until Oct. 3, six days after Kane was reported, that the school finally addressed the situation. 

In an email titled “Campus Incident Update,” Jamia Danzy, dean of students for all Vermont State University campuses, wrote she was “legally prohibited from sharing any details about the incident due to privacy laws.”

While this may be true, the delayed response and lack of transparency have only deepened students’ mistrust in the administration. By the time the university acknowledged the situation, it was too late to address the growing concerns, leaving students frustrated, feeling unheard, and still with a lack of information or update.

No further updates have been provided about Kane since.

Yes, we can sympathize with the administration for finding themselves intertwined with this incident as they navigate legal constraints, campus safety, and maintaining trust with students. But, the pressure VTSU faces does not change the reality of students’ concerns, and their silence speaks louder than their words. 

Students don’t want to discover a student was arrested for lurking in the women’s showers from an anonymous app. They don’t want to rely on whispers from their peers to know what’s happening on their own campus. 

Students are asking for transparent, timely communication from their administration. They want to be informed, not just after the fact, but when incidents occur. They want to know that their university cares about their safety and well-being enough to keep them in the loop. 

It’s time for Vermont State University to step up and provide that transparency. 

A stronger, more trusting community can only exist if the administration commits to being open and honest with its students. That’s how we rebuild trust. That’s how we move forward, because we truly are better together.