GRAND FORKS (AP) - University of North Dakota officials issued a campuswide e-mail alert after a student reported she had been sexually assaulted.

Thursday's alert was the first issued under a new procedure the university adopted in response to the Virginia Tech massacre.

Earlier this month, 32 people were shot and killed by Virginia Tech student Seung-Hui Cho before he took his own life. Since then, many campuses across the country have reviewed or updated security measures.

UND Police Chief Duane Czapiewski said that on Thursday afternoon, officers had a suspect in the alleged assault but he was not in custody. The situation gave the department a chance to test the e-mail communication system.

"It's an opportunity for us to see how well that information got out there," Czapiewski said. "Traditionally, with a sexual assault involving an acquaintance, we did not notify others."

The alert, sent out about 2 p.m. Thursday, said a woman living on campus reported an attempted rape by a male acquaintance who did not live on campus.

A suspect - a 22-year-old man who is not a UND student - was arrested Friday afternoon on a gross sexual imposition charge.

In the past, police would have alerted people through fliers in the immediate area, Czapiewski said.

Some students wanted more information in the e-mail Thursday, but most said they appreciated it.

"I'm happy that they started sending it out," said Ashley Kennie, who works at a coffee shop on campus. "It's good to know what's going on."

Not all students regularly check their university e-mail accounts. Some say they almost never check them, using personal accounts instead.

"I don't check it, but I'll definitely check it now that I've heard about it," said senior Mike Haley.