The decision not to notify residents immediately upon receiving a report of a sexual assault on campus was poor judgment on the part of university officials.

A full day after a sexual assault reportedly took place outside Holden Hall, university officials and hall directors still had not notified residents and other students of the occurrence.

The number of attacks on campus so far this semester is appalling - but just as alarming is the fact that university leaders still are not handling situations such as these effectively.

The incident was the ninth sexual assault reported this semester and the second to involve assault by a stranger. Unfortunately, this is not the first time university officials have delayed in notifying the community of a reported assault on campus.

Earlier this semester, a series of three unrelated assaults occurred in Brody Complex. An entire week passed before students received e-mails explaining the incidents.

After this latest incident, Holden Hall Complex Director Josh Gillespie said he did not send out a mass message to residents because he didn't want to interfere with police investigations.

When confronted with these situations, community leaders have a very difficult and delicate balance to achieve. They must simultaneously respect the privacy of individuals directly involved, not meddle with the legal process and ensure the safety of the general public. Sexual assault crimes are sensitive issues, and the hesitation to disclose any information is understandable.

But in cases involving sexual assault by a stranger, it is vital for officials to act immediately for the protection of the community as a whole. A general e-mail does not need to detail specifics of the reported assault, but it should alert students to the incident and remind them how they can protect themselves.

University officials need to strike that difficult and delicate balance by not leaving the rest of campus in the dark about sexual assaults.

Keep us informed. Our safety depends on it.