Two hundred and sixty-three words.

That's how many of them it takes for Penn State President Graham Spanier to say he is concerned about sexual assault awareness.

And thank goodness for that.

Because for a second, it seemed as though a four-paragraph, or five, if you count the last sentence as its own paragraph, press release issued at live.psu.edu, was about all the student body could expect from its president.

Sexual assault is so important, so urgent, that Spanier quietly issued a tidy little press statement from the Office of University Relations without any hoopla or fervor.

And that's exactly what happened: four brief paragraphs, 263 stale words, and Spanier suddenly earns the right to say he is concerned on behalf of Penn State students.

Not so fast: That's not the way it works.

Typically students should have the expectation that a president, a leader of an institution, will verbally address tragedies as they occur on campus.

But we know that isn't the case.

Not at Penn State, anyway.

It doesn't matter if it's a student death or sexual assault: Mum's the word. Unless, of course, you count a press release issued three days before Sexual Assault Awareness Month begins.

Even the President of the United States typically gives a public statement when things go awry.

"At Penn State, we are fully committed to combating sexual violence and to responding quickly and compassionately to those victimized by it," the president wrote.

Well, that's just great. Should such an inane statement even be uttered?

"Through education, advocacy, intervention and the creation of safer surroundings, Penn State is working to prevent all forms of violence against others," the second sentence of paragraph four reads.

Perhaps specifics would help.

Or better yet, what about a press conference addressing such serious issues?

Without a doubt, attitudes in a college town will change when sexual assaults finally warrant more than a press release from the university president.

For now, however, we'll have to settle for a few, sparing words expertly slapped together on a piece of paper with a Penn State letterhead.

But such purported "concern" from a university president sure does look good when news organizations write stories about the university's latest initiative regarding X, Y or Z.

How about being more forthcoming with information regarding the real number of sexual assaults and rapes that occur on campus?

How about responding to and addressing specific, recent instances of sexual assault and rape, instead of vaguely dancing around them to seem as though you're putting Sexual Assault Awareness Month at the top of your priorities?

How about highlighting the ways in which Penn State can create safer surroundings?

How about really getting involved in the community, Penn State Performing Magicians and the Phyrst Phamily band aside, by attending a One in Four meeting, which is the local branch of the National Organization of Men's Outreach for Rape Education?

Sexual assaults don't just occur in April: They occur year round, every day.

For shame.