The first Undie Run of the year will take place on Wednesday, but university officials said concerns about student safety and damage to university property may jeopardize the future of the triannual event.
Robert Naples, assistant vice chancellor of student affairs said there were several concerns among the administration about the event, including an increasing amount of outsiders not affiliated with the university who come to watch, but the main concern is the potential for injuries.
An unofficial but consistent tradition, the event dates back to fall 2001 with one participant and has expanded to what police estimated to be 9,000 people at the Undie Run last June, according to Daily Bruin archives.
Naples said the university does not sanction or sponsor the event, but administrators are aware of it and continue to work with student leaders to ensure the event proceeds safely.
He said university officials want to see “reasonable attempts by students to use good judgment.”
Naples said he has heard reports of and witnessed violations of university code in previous Undie Runs.
“Students aren’t going to be disciplined for running,” he said, but if they are publicly intoxicated or doing harm to themselves or others, they risk being cited by university police or potentially facing disciplinary action.
Gabe Rose, president of the Undergraduate Students Association Council, said administrators have been willing to work with student leaders on ensuring the longevity of the run.
“Our job … is to be a facilitator. We’re trying to represent student body concerns and keep a really great tradition alive,” he said. “Our goal is to make Undie Run sustainable … to work with administrators to find a way for students to still have a great time.”
But Rose said that with the increasing popularity of the event comes the increasing likelihood of a serious incident which could put an end to it.
“If something big happens … (Undie Run is) going to have to stop,” he said.
Naples said the event has the potential to be dangerous, but he added that most students are willing to compromise with requests from the university.
“We’ve been very fortunate that an overwhelming majority of students have been compliant,” he said.
In the past, student leaders have already compromised with university officials, moving the starting point from the intersection of Landfair and Gayley avenues to the Strathmore Avenue underpass.
Previous Undie Runs have also resulted in damage to university property such as sprinkler heads and the lawn outside Powell Library.
Since there is no sponsoring organization to bill for the damages, Naples said the university has been forced to absorb the costs each quarter.
“There are real bills. … Someone has to pay for it,” he said.
Another cost covered by the university is for extra security to monitor the event.
Nancy Greenstein, director of police community services for university police, said officers will be present at the event, as they have been in previous events.
“Our goal is to ensure everyone will be safe,” she said.
Greenstein said she suggests participants wear proper shoes when running, and discouraged wearing high heels or flip-flops or being intoxicated.
“(It’s) best not to be under the influence of alcohol so you maintain all your senses,” she said.
Greenstein added that students who take their cell phones with them should have UCPD’s phone number, which is (310) 825-1491, programmed in their address book and to call if they see anyone who may need help.
“Watch out for each other,” she said.