Today, The Times-Delphic ran a story about the Drake University administration’s response to the two sexual assaults on Drake students – a response that took too long to create, did not evoke the hoped-for compassion and did not make the assaults the university’s priority.

Monday afternoon, the day we broke the story on the two sexual assaults, we asked Drake spokeswoman Lisa Lacher for a statement from the university on the sexual assaults. Three hours later, we received a statement from President Maxwell that addressed alcohol abuse, as if alcohol was to blame for the crimes against these young women. We, like “The Des Moines Register,” published the statement.

Three days later, students received an e-mail from President Maxwell that addressed the statement published in the Register, blaming them for the juxtaposition of his statement to the sexual assault stories. Only at the end of the e-mail did he mention the sexual assaults – five days after the incidents occurred.

If there was a stabbing or mugging on campus, students would have received an e-mail or text message no later than a day after the occurrence. But when two students get raped – one by a 39-year-old man – students hear mum on this issue until the president has to defend his image. This is unconscionable and unacceptable for any university president to do.

To the Drake administration: This is a key time for the university. With these recent crimes and increasing pressures revolving around underage drinking, President Maxwell and his administration need to take a deep look into last week’s actions and lack of response. We’ve had students pour into our office voicing extreme concern over these recent actions, considering transferring to another school. Don’t let this be the definition of Drake University. We, at the TD, have put too much into our Drake experience to see it go by the wayside because of the irresponsible and irreverent actions of Drake administrators hiding behind their public image and legal counsel.