More than a week after a reported rape at Shocker Hall, students and dormitory residents are finding out about it.

Wichita State made a “judgment call” last week to not notify students and employees of the incident — which occurred at 11 p.m. Aug. 31, according to a university police crime log — because “both individuals were known and it was an isolated incident,” chief of university police Sara Morris said Sunday.

Under the Clery Act, universities are required to provide timely warnings if an incident — such as sex offenses — represents a “serious or continuing threat to students and employees,” according to WSU’s 2012 Annual Security and Fire Safety Report.

“Based on all the facts that we have, the individuals involved and the actions that had been taken, a determination was made that an ongoing threat didn’t exist,” said Wade Robinson, vice president of student engagement. “It is subjective and so that’s a decision we have to make each and every time.”

Kari Nilsen, a WSU grad student, found out about the reported alleged rape on Twitter. She said she was appalled.

“Rape happens and to just say that it was isolated and this is the only time that it will happen and to gloss over it…doesn’t mean it’s still not a problem,” Nilsen said. “Murder is still an isolated incident but they would tell us about that.

“It just seems really, really suspicious.”

In the five years that Robinson has been at Wichita State, he said the university has used a campus-wide notification system two or three times. Two years ago, students were notified that vehicles were being stolen out of campus parking lots, and before that, an individual with a weapon was walking around just south of campus.

“The person was unknown,” Robinson said, “they were not captured, they ran away. An existing threat existed. So there was a campus-wide notification.”

Taylor Mooradian, a freshman living at Shocker Hall, said it shouldn’t have taken so long for dorm residents to find out.

“I think we should be notified of something like that because we live here and we need to know what’s going on,” she said. “It happened like a couple weeks ago, we should have known by now. We shouldn’t have to find out from a school newspaper.”

One WSU senior — who wished to be anonymous — said she knows what the alleged victim is going through.

“This very thing happened to me against my will,” she said, at the University of Kansas.

“I would say don’t do what I did and be scared to talk about it. It sounds ridiculous to go and get therapy or a lot of times you feel embarrassed.

“I felt guilty even though the person did what they did … Now that I’ve lived through it, you can’t feel guilty for that person at all.”

The student said she left KU because of the lack of support she found there. In her first semester at Wichita State, she said she’s felt safe, even if walking to her car after class at 10 p.m.

Aidan Cattermole, a WSU freshman, said he understands the university’s decision but said it hides current trends in rape culture.

“It makes sense for them to say that ‘oh, because the two students were known, then there wasn’t as much of a reason for panic, because we know and have identified the two students involved.’

“What doesn’t make sense, is that federal regulation, like the Clergy [sic] Act, shouldn’t be the reason that universities tell students when there are sexual assaults on campus.”

Chelsea Thomas, a graduate student, said she didn’t understand why an alleged rape is considered “isolated.”

“As a woman, it is very disheartening to know that WSU authorities called this an isolated incident and that no other students were at risk,” Thomas said. “Rape is a violent crime and the statistics show that is grossly under-reported, both of which imply risk to others and the potential for this to not be an isolated incident.”

When asked if the fact that the alleged suspect and victim were known to one another would affect sanctions against the alleged victim, Robinson said he couldn’t comment.

“The investigation is still ongoing and all the facts are still being learned,” he said. “There’s no way to say there’s any implicating factor and any connection between those.”

Robinson said he wants to reassure students that safety is a number one priority.

“We work daily to make sure the campus is safe and secure because that creates a positive learning environment,” he said. “I want people to know that.

“There are many scenarios where students need to feel comfortable. And we are here to help. We have the support mechanisms in place and they should know they will be supported.”

For a list of resources on campus for victims of sexual assault, those dealing with depression, suicidal thoughts or other matters, see thesunflower.com.

— Contributing: Kevin Brown of the Sunflower