The relationship between cities and their universities and colleges is complex and often challenging.

As several cities in Canada such as Halifax, Guelph, London and others experienced in recent days, student partying can bring very serious community problems. These can range from public intoxication, drunk kids doing stupid things who sometimes end up in the hospital, angry neighbours upset about the invasion of their street or property, bars and other businesses being subjected to large crowds of drunken kids, vandalism, urinating in public, and so on.

At the same time students inject tens of millions of dollars into local economies. They bring energy and excitement to city streets. They make important civic and charitable contributions.

Often the college or university sports teams generate enormous civic pride. Academic leaders are praised publicly for their contributions. Joint planning for civic and college projects and expansion provide more jobs and a greater presence. Often the institution serves as a resource for civic problems.

There are many examples of cities and universities and colleges coming together to boost the local economy. Waterloo, Ontario is a prime example of how the city, the universities and the business community formed an alliance to invest in the community and drive innovation and achievement. The result today is a community internationally recognized for computer sciences, innovative companies, research and corporate success—Blackberry is perhaps the leading example.

And many alumnae give back to those cities in a very substantial way as their career success peaks. Often significant contributions to a local hospital, arts endeavour or other civic amenity are made by the grads who decades before went to college in a particular city and had fond memories of their time there.

Still, civic leaders (and University presidents and deans) are justifiably angry and upset over rowdy public behaviour and drunken street parties that can attract thousands. It is not uncommon for a city to spend $100,000 or more on public safety for just one weekend trying to subdue and suppress a volatile mix of beer, testosterone and twenty-year olds.

Some people have theorized that this year the situation has been exacerbated because the freshmen class wasn't in school last year and didn't get the 'socialization' that would normally have happened as high school seniors. They landed on campuses this fall free, for the first time in eighteen months, to 'party on'...and they have.

With restrictions on how many people can go into a bar, and limitations on attendance at concerts and other events, you simply know that kids are going to find a way to get together and party. Despite the earnest warnings of public health officials and pleas by mayors and Prexies, students are going to party and socialize as part of their college and university experience.

This was, perhaps, also complicated by the initial timid declarations by universities about the need for full vaccinations to attend on campus. A full-throated, early commitment to the necessity of being fully vaccinated to attend class on campus might have sent a stronger public health message to the students.

MOH's continue to study the situation with concern. Police Chiefs and civic bylaw officers continue to try to handle big street parties. Mayors issue hectoring warnings. University and college presidents proclaim the need for full vaccinations (even as some faculty oppose that) and responsible student behaviour.

Yet at the end of the day, and despite these problems, cities, institutes of higher learning and local economies are all better off for this symbiotic triangle of beneficiaries.