'U' hopes for safer 'Mile'

In preparation for Tuesday night's Naked Mile run - when University students will mark the end of classes by streaking through campus - students and administrators are working to educate participants about the potential dangers that accompany the event.

"We're not trying to deter people from participating or killing the spirit," said Residence Halls Association President-elect Albert Garcia. "We just want students to know exactly what's going on."

Garcia, an LSA sophomore, said student volunteers will help officers from local police departments monitor the event.

"Students often have a better sense of perception as to people's intentions," Garcia said, adding that the student volunteers will only help fellow students avoid threatening situations. "We're not going to be policing or breaking up fights."

The student monitors will be situated at "hot spots," Garcia said, which are areas where runners congregate. Monitors will have access to two-way radios that can be used to contact Department of Public Safety officers in case of an emergency.

In past years, runners have been fondled and videotaped during the event.

Another component of the plan to make the annual event safer is to offer T-shirts to runners at the end of the run.

"We're going to make as many T-shirts as we can afford to make," Garcia said.

The T-shirts will be funded by student group donations, he said, adding that organizers hope to collect and print at least several hundred T-shirts.

Engineering senior Bill Belknap, a member of the Michigan men's club crew team who has participated in the Naked Mile for the past two years, said he approves of the University initiative, in light of previous years' problems.

"If it will improve the chances for a safer run, then I think it's a good idea," Belknap said.

In addition to attempts by the University to make the Naked Mile safer, the city of Ann Arbor is also encouraging participants to be aware of threats to their safety, including sexual assaults on women.

Ann Arbor Mayor Ingrid Sheldon said that while she supports the University's efforts to make the event safer, the most effective way to prevent harassment is to not run in the Naked Mile.

"All that we can really do in terms of improving safety for our young women is encourage them to not participate," Sheldon said. "I just encourage all women to think about the consequences of this seemingly fun activity."

Sheldon said the run may have started out as an innocent college prank, but it has turned into a nationally publicized event. This, she said, opens a window for more harmful situations.

Belknap added that the spectators who come to Ann Arbor solely to watch the run add a negative element to what should be a chance for University students to let loose and have fun.

"I hate all the people that come from out-of-town to watch it," Belknap said.

Ann Arbor City Councilmember Elisabeth Daley (D-5th Ward) said the kind of action the city had initiated - which includes advising participants about safety risks - is more effective at this point than for the city to try and ban the event.

"When there is a large crowd, whether people are naked or not, it can be a very dangerous situation," Daley said.

Director of University Housing William Zeller said a great deal of emphasis is being placed on making the Naked Mile an overall safer event for everyone involved.

"I'm just pleased that our student leaders have taken the responsibility of trying to communicate to the students about the issues that are very real in my opinion and try to take some action to make it a safer and more responsible event," said Zeller, who is working with other University administrators and student leaders to collaborate the outreach.

Students or groups who are interested in volunteering at the Naked Mile or learning more information about how to help can address questions to mile.98@umich.edu.

04-16-98