The University's chapter of the ONE Campaign, an international organization dedicated to eliminating world poverty, was recognized for its work on campus at the Ann Arbor City Council meeting last night.

Democratic Mayor John Hieftje invited ONE members to the meeting to receive a proclamation deeming Ann Arbor a “city of ONE.” At the meeting, Hieftje commended the group, founded in 2008 by Public Policy senior Stephanie Parrish, for its efforts on campus.

In a speech to the council, Parrish thanked the council and noted that the University was recently declared the “number one poverty-fighting school in the nation.”

In an interview after the meeting, Parrish said the proclamation was “a culmination of about three years of hard work on campus.” She said the proclamation will serve as a means to expand the group’s programs in the city.

“I think it’s a really good step toward broadening our outreach beyond (not) just campus, but to the entire Ann Arbor city,” Parrish said. “It’s good to know we have a public official’s support.”

Panhellenic and MSA representatives address City Council regarding lighting issues

In light of increased crime in off-campus areas, two representatives from the Panhellenic Association and the Michigan Student Assembly Student Safety Commission were present at city council to discuss their concerns regarding street lighting near campus.

In their addresses to council, LSA senior Katie Rosenberg, former Panhel president, and LSA sophomore Stephanie Hamel, vice chair of the MSA Student Safety Commission, appealed to the city to work with the University and Greek community to improve lighting on and near campus.

Rosenberg and Hamel serve on the Student Safety Commission, which was recently formed by MSA to work with University administrators and public safety officials to increase campus safety, and encourage awareness of resources on campus.

Rosenberg said two recent armed robberies in the Oxford area have raised concern in the Greek community, since 13 fraternities and sororities are located in the neighborhood. She said Panhel and the Interfraternity Council have allocated funding for fraternities and sororities to install lights on trees in the areas surrounding their houses.

Hamel told council that the city had already replaced standard street lights in areas surrounding South Forest Avenue, Hill Street, Packard Street and Wells Street in a collaborative effort with DTE energy. She added that the venture is projected to save the city about $5,500 in annual costs.

Hamel asked council to consider an additional contract with DTE that would replace Oxford’s lights with LED lighting. Hamel noted that because LED lights are brighter, they can better illuminate areas.

“Money spent in this investment to convert the lights would go a long way in both making students feel safer walking at night in that area and making dark neighborhoods brighter for motorists,” Hamel said.

In an interview before the meeting, Rosenberg said while it would be ideal to add new light fixtures to the area, budget constraints and a current city moratorium deters the installation of new streetlights.

Hamel said the DTE partnership overcame those barriers because DTE subsidized the streetlight installations. She said student organizations like MSA would be willing to aid a project to replace lights in other areas including Oxford.

“We just want to see something happen in the area,” Hamel said.

City Council rejects proposal for hotel and conference center

While an underground parking garage is still under construction at 319 South Fifth Ave., what will be built above the structure is yet to be determined.