Wednesday is half-naked day at the library...

Stop stripping in the library! Oxford students threatened with disciplinary action over 'half-naked half-hour'

By DAILY MAIL REPORTER

Last updated at 12:53 AM on 4th June 2011

Oxford dons have learned to put up with a number of eccentric traditions among students over the years.

But they have drawn the line at Half-Naked Half-Hour.

Undergraduates at Worcester College have been threatened with disciplinary action if they continue removing their tops in the library on Wednesday afternoons.

An Oxford University library (not the one pictured) has banned a 'half-naked half-hour' by students at Worcester College

A group of students calling themselves the Breakfast Club started stripping off in 2009 to brighten up boring revision days.

Up to 40 male and female students became involved in the group action for a 30-minute period between 3pm and 4pm every Wednesday 

They carry on their work partly-clothed - some of the girls are even said to have removed their bras.

However high-profile visitors including heads of state regularly visit the library as part of a tour of the university, and there have been a string of complaints.

Librarians sent an email to the college saying the practice was 'unacceptable' and 'a distraction to other readers'.

In their email to students, the library committee warned: 'While half-naked half-hour may have seemed like a piece of harmless fun, we ask you please to stop this kind of behaviour in the library.

'If inappropriate behaviour continues, library staff will refer the matter to the Dean.

'It is not appropriate for groups of people to organise social or other kinds of events in the library without the permission of the librarian.'  

The tradition of stripping off at the Worcester College library (pictured) was started in 2009 by a group of students calling themselves 'The Breakfast Club'

Members of the Breakfast Club reacted angrily to the ban, claiming it had 'quite literally left our college in a state of chaos'.

One member told student paper Cherwell: 'It came as a great shock to most of the college and scenes in the lower library that day were those of confusion and disarray.

'Half-naked half-hour has long been a tradition at Worcester College as a way of breaking up the monotony of a long day's revision and using the opportunity to cool down during the hottest periods of the day.' 

But Chloe Cesar, a first-year Worcester student, said she backed the ban.

She added: 'I can see why the college decided to ban half-naked half-hour.

'For visitors to the library I expect it must have seemed a bit weird and I'm not surprised college took the action they did.'

Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1393907/Oxford-University-students-threatened-disciplinary-action-library-stripping.html#ixzz1OJdX0wHK