Kansas University delivered an e-mail alert to students and their parents Thursday morning, informing them of a series of sexual assaults in Lawrence that involved KU students.

All of the crimes have occurred between about 2 a.m. and 4 a.m. and during periods when KU students were on some type of a break from school. Thursday was the last day of fall classes for KU students.

Most recently, a 19-year-old KU student was raped Dec. 1 in her southwest Lawrence home by a suspect who Lawrence police believe is connected to multiple sexual assaults in the city since 2004. Students returned from Thanksgiving break the same day as the attack.

“Because these sexual assaults have a pattern of occurring near University break times, I encourage you, especially now, to follow the safety practices outlined below,” the e-mail sent to students said, followed by a lengthy list of sexual assault safety tips. The communication was sent by Marlesa Roney, vice provost for student success.

Roney told parents the e-mail was sent because most students hadn’t read recent newspaper accounts of the rapes.

The suspect is described as a white man between 25 and 40 years old, 5 feet 9 inches to 6 feet tall, with a slim build. Police said the suspect has been armed during the sexual attacks, which a detective said “last awhile.”