Best of CASE District II Award
 

Institution: McMaster University

Title of entry: Be a Good Neighbour

About this entry: There is a trend of large, off-campus, unsanctioned street parties in university communities commonly referred to as ‘fake homecoming.’ These events negatively impact the reputation of universities and strain neighbourhood relations. In advance of an anticipated fake homecoming in the fall of 2022, McMaster implemented a two-phase community outreach plan that spanned from August to October 2022. The first phase (August) welcomed students to the surrounding community and encouraged neighbourly interactions. The second phase (September – October) included collaborating with key community partners to inform students about a new Nuisance Party Bylaw implemented by the City of Hamilton and discourage students from attending street parties. As a result of this new robust targeted outreach plan, student awareness of key messages increased, we received positive feedback from key stakeholders in the community, and the amount of negative media attention focused on the unsanctioned event in the news and on social media decreased by over 84% compared to 2021.