Although wild behavior has become an expected practice of college students on Spring Break, two University students found that it does not pay to start celebrating prematurely.
In the early morning of Friday, March 10, the last day of classes before Spring Break, four people were arrested as a result of streaking the Lawn.
First-year Architecture student Benjamin Webne and two non-University students, Angus Lamond and Daniel Mulloy, both of Alexandria, Va., were charged with indecent exposure.
First-year College student Michelle Shea was charged with disorderly conduct in connection with the incident.
University Police Capt. Michael Coleman said Shea had remained clothed although she was a companion of the streakers and does not face the same possible legal consequences.
Coleman explained that the arrests were made at 3:15 a.m. because the officer witnessed "folks running down the lawn without any clothes on."
According to Coleman, arresting students for streaking is "not an uncommon situation nor a common one ... it depends on what goes on" and is left to the discretion of the involved police officers.
University Historian Raymond C. Bice explained that student streaking creates a difficult and uncomfortable legal situation for the University.
"Technically it is illegal," Bice said. "The University can't very well ignore it, which I think they'd like to."
He said streaking the Lawn is not the long-entrenched tradition that many students believe it to be.
Streaking is "not an old tradition, it's a very recent one," about five to eight years old, he added.
Asst. Dean of Students Aaron Laushway emphasized the illegality and dangers of streaking.
"Public indecency is considered against the law," Laushway said. "We want our students to be law abiding."
He said students' vulnerability while nude also is an important concern for the University.
He explained that drinking is often a component in streaking the Lawn and that it is easy for streakers to become "inattentive to their surroundings" and make themselves vulnerable to dangers.
Laushway recalled incidents of female streakers being pursued by "non-community onlookers."
Webne, one of the students arrested, said he feels he is in an unfortunate situation.
"I'm the unlucky one," he said, pointing out that many students streak the Lawn without the police arresting them.
Although most streakers are not charged with a crime, this is not the first time during this school year that students have faced charges for their naked late-night indiscretions while they sprint to the Homer statue.
Three University students were charged with indecent exposure last October for streaking the Lawn.
These students also were accompanied by non-University streakers who also were charged with indecent exposure.
Charges against both the students and the non-students were later dropped.
Webne and Shea face an April 25 court date in Albemarle County General District Court.
Indecent exposure is a Class One misdemeanor, and is punishable by up to one year in jail or a $2,500 fine.
Shea could not be reached for comment.
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