The rowdy student behavior last week that prompted Dean of Students Burgwell Howard to e-mail Northwestern undergraduates continued a trend of rocky relations with the surrounding community, Howard told The Daily on Monday.

Though NU makes many beneficial contributions to Evanston, including the Special Olympics and Campus Kitchens, irresponsible behavior by a few students can negate them, Howard said.

“All these things get erased because of the conduct of 10, 15 individuals,” he said. “Reputations are very easy to lose and very hard to get back.”

Residents of the neighborhoods west of campus reported students vandalizing construction signs along Maple Avenue and chanting as they walked in the streets, Howard said. In an e-mail sent at about 1 a.m. Saturday, he questioned the students’ behavior.

“These actions of some students is highly disappointing to the Dean’s Office and disheartening and infuriating to the other neighbors,” Howard said in the e-mail.

Two 22-year-old students received tickets Thursday for being too loud late at night, one on the 900 block of Gaffield Place and the other on the 800 block of Hamlin Street, said Evanston Police Department Cmdr. Tom Guenther.

Police often receive more calls about student conduct when the weather improves, Guenther said. Residents are more likely to leave their windows open on warm nights, so noise travels more easily. More students also party outside.

A dozen students have been ticketed for public urination since Spring Quarter started, Howard said.

“Since the weather has improved people feel they can drop trou a little easier,” he said. But the arrival of spring does not excuse rowdiness, Howard said.

Howard Cohen, who has owned Howard’s Books at 2000 Maple Ave. for 10 years, said most of his experience with NU students has been positive. But he described one encounter with a drunk student who asked to use his bathroom and left it “in a state that you might walk out if you didn’t live there.”

“I have maybe felt some negative thoughts,” Cohen said.

Last summer, University staff and Evanston residents discussed the challenges Dillo Day poses, which include about 20 arrests per year, Howard said. He said canceling it this year is not out of the question.

“There are a lot of positive things that happen Dillo Day weekend,” he said. “But all it takes is one horrible incident to make everything go away.”

Police will keep working to promote harmony between Evanston and the University, Guenther said.

“We diligently try to create partnership and work with our neighbors at Northwestern through education and also through enforcement,” he said.

Howard said he hopes reNUvation, an event in which students will paint and clean up the area west of campus May 30, will help offset the recent strains to campus-city relations. He wants the neighbors to see students taking responsibility for the place where they live, he said.

“We recognize that college students are going to have a good time, and they’re going to enjoy each other’s company,” Howard said. “Whether you’re in Allison Hall or living on Ridge, we ask that your social life not interfere with the neighbors.”[email protected]@u.northwestern.edu