A Northwestern student was robbed while walking on Foster Street on Sunday evening, according to an e-mail from University officials.

According to the e-mail, the student was on the 800 block of Foster Street around 7:55 p.m. when a black woman in her late teens or early 20s approached her, stepped on her foot and demanded she give up her purse. Although the student did not give up her purse, she gave the woman $25 before the woman fled west on Foster Street.

Both the University Police and the Evanston Police were unable to comment on the robbery, as the incident report had not been finalized.

Vice President for University Relations Al Cubbage sent an e-mail dubbed “emergencyinfo” to NU students, faculty and staff about three and a half hours after the robbery. Cubbage said the e-mail is part of a University security notification procedure.

“Basically, what we’re trying to do is keep the campus community informed on a timely basis,” Cubbage said. “We try to send out an e-mail as soon as we can.”

Sunday’s e-mail was the second security alert e-mail in the past week, following one sent out Oct. 12, also about a robbery. Both e-mails advised students, faculty and staff to stay alert while traveling.

Cubbage said the e-mails are sent after a potential threat is posed to the NU community, whether it involves a member of the university or it occurs close to campus.

Cubbage said he does not think the robberies are related.