Each year, the ITGA recognizes members who work toward improving the quality of life in campus communities. The ITGA Presidential Excellence Award is presented to a member who demonstrates exceptional performance in one of the following areas: Volunteer service, leadership, or educational achievement. The Larry Abernathy Award is presented to a City, University and/or student that best represents the mission of the ITGA. Recipients of the awards will be presented at the ITGA City & University Relations Conference in May. To access the nominations forms, click here. To see past submissions and distinguished recipients, click here. The deadline for submission is April 1.

The ITGA is conducting its annual Data Digest survey which helps us better understand the unique issues and opportunities facing ITGA members. The outcome of this work will advance knowledge in the field of town-gown relations and provide insight for engagement between municipalities and institutions of higher education. The survey is open until Friday, March 8. As our way of thanking you for completing the survey, you can enter to win a free conference registration. Survey results will be shared in aggregate form at the ITGA City & University Relations Conference in May. To take the survey, please click here.

Mayor Ed Holder pulled no punches during a debate about the out-of-control parties to celebrate so-called Fake Homecoming, saying Western University has to step up to stem the tide of bad student behaviour before someone is killed. Holder pushed for "extremely clear, extremely strong academic sanctions" that would see students suspended or expelled for taking part in dangerous or illegal behavior during the raucous street party that brings tens of thousands of students from London, and outside the city, to Broughdale Avenue each fall. Last year, more than 50 people went to the hospital and at least one person was seriously injured after jumping off a roof. The street party cost upward to $200,000 in emergency services. The London Free Press

Boulder City Council is working with its staff to develop a plan for an urgently needed flood mitigation project the city would like to build on University of Colorado property. With this application, we are pleased to support the community by donating up to 80 acres of our land to the city, an estimated value of $18 million, for implementing flood mitigation. Over the past three years, we have dedicated significant effort to listening to input and sharing information at numerous city council and board meetings and have gathered valuable input through community engagement, outreach and surveys. CU Boulder Today

The town and university have long enjoyed a pleasant working relationship, but never formalized that relationship on paper. Until now. Officials from Dartmouth and UMass Dartmouth are scheduled to meet March 1 to sign the Town Gown Compact, the culmination of seven months of work by both sides to strengthen ties. The compact's origins stretch back to July when newly hired Town Administrator Shawn MacInnes learned the Select Board wanted him to bolster the town's connection with the university. MacInnes got in touch with UMass administrators, including Chancellor Robert Johnson, who told him he was very interested in UMass having more involvement with the town. SouthCoast Today.