Revised route receives mixed reviews

Undeterred by the recently changed Undie Run route, students stayed true to tradition as they ran along the police barricaded path in Bruin Plaza on Dec. 10.

The estimated turnout of the event roughly matched those of previous events with some several thousand in attendance, and the alternate destination of the intramural athletic fields seemed to cause little distress.

University police reported only two emergency medical services calls for unspecified injuries, but there were “no scrapes or small injuries as we typically had on the old route,” said Nancy Greenstein, UCPD spokeswoman.

“All in all it was, in a good way, relatively uneventful,” she added.

Though there were a few skittish rebels who broke from the herd with screams of “charge,” as well as a small group who elected to chant “Rodney King” as they passed, no students made any serious effort to confront authorities or run an alternate route.

“I honestly don’t care where we run; it makes no difference to me,” said Dan Cashman, a fourth-year cognitive science student who said he had attended Undie Run in the past, prior to the route change.

With hardly an opportunity to run any of the former routes that end at the fountain outside Royce Hall, some expressed distaste for the change in scenery.

“I absolutely hate it,” said Shannon Somers, a fourth-year biology student.

Damages to the intramural fields were negligible, according to university administrators, though regular repairs to the turf were conveniently scheduled for after the event.

Campus administrators said that while long-term plans for Undie Run will depend on further deliberations and future behavior, fall quarter’s episode showed appreciated improvement.

“As they are known to, the students stepped up and did what we asked, and I think that by having (the route) end on the IM fields ... the opportunity for damage was a lot less,” said Robert Naples, assistant vice chancellor and dean of students.

Naples said that he was pleased with the way students behaved this time around, but was not entirely optimistic about the event.

“I hate to be the bearer of bad news, but Undie Run is really only as good as its last event. I don’t think the students have written themselves a blank check this (time), but I think I did see improvements.”

Naples said that he saw less evidence of alcohol abuse at fall quarter’s event and that he had the impression that fewer non-UCLA students had been in attendance, in accordance with his prior complaints.

Talks regarding the ultimate survival of the tradition will be ongoing throughout the quarter, but Naples noted that he still takes an issue with the frequency of the event.

Campus administrators and members of the undergraduate student government will be meeting toward the end of this quarter to discuss plans for winter quarter’s Undie Run.