The Michigan Daily - michigandaily.com Wednesday September 15, 2010 - 5A The Michigan Daily - michigandailycom Wednesday September15, 2010 - 5A Toyota official says that he hopes to continue to collaborate with 'U' From Page 1A outlined Toyota's plans to create an automobile that uses alternative energy sources and is more fuel efficient. He said the company will aim to increase the use of "smart grid" - when an automobile plugs into a grid to re-charge - and hybrid technologies. Uchiyamada said Toyota hopes to continue to collaborate with both the University and Ann Arbor. Today, over 1,000 engineers work for Toyota in Ann Arbor. "I hope some of you will also join our team," Uchiyamada told the audience. Uchiyamada addedthatthelocal Toyota technical center would be actively hiring University students in the future. He said the Univer- sity has been a great help with research for Toyota in the past and he hopes this will continue into the future. "I believe that it's important that we have a lot of good students come from the University of Michigan to work at Toyota," Uchiyamada said. In addition to fuel efficiency, Uchiyamada said Toyota values safety. The corporation meets all safety guidelines for the countries selling Toyota automobiles, he said. Toyota has been under fire in the past year after it recalled a number of vehicles for a variety of problems including unintended acceleration. "But beyond that, we have our own standards that go beyond those regulations to make the vehi- cle safe," Uchiyamada said. Rackham graduate student Ye- sheng Kuo said he enjoyed Uchi- yamada's presentation, adding that it gave him a sense of Toyota's plans for developing green tech- nology. "I think Toyota is a leadingcom- pany in the future of vehicles for alternative energy," Kuo said. OFFICE HOURS From Page 1A While some University profes- sors see the meetings as a cata- lyst for lasting change, others are more skeptical of the potential outcomes. Mark Tessler, the Universi- ty's vice provost of international affairs, said the two entities are working on long-term issues this time around rather than short- term problems as they've done in past talks. The issues include the status of Jerusalem, Israeli settlements in the West Bank, the region's bor- ders and the status of Palestin- ian refugees, Tessler said. Those issues must be resolved before a "permanent resolution" to the conflict can be reached, he added. Unlike in past peace talks when the United States suggested cer- tain policies, the United States is taking a backseat role during this year's meetings, according to Tes- sler. "(The U.S.'s) contribution is on the process, not on the substance," Tessler said. But Victor Lieberman, Marvin B. Becker Collegiate Professor of History, said the U.S. is still play- ing a crucial role in the talks. "The United States is going to be involved at all stages, in a closely monitoring capacity," Lieberman said. Nothing is off limits during the peace talks, Lieberman added. In the past negotiations, the par- ties have come to the table under certain coniditions or with agree- ments to only address certain issues. "They're supposed to be uncon- ditional, with no prior commit- ments," Lieberman said. "All topics are up for discussion." Part of what brought the parties to the table is a shared concern over addressing concerns about Iran, Lieberman said. "Israel, the U.S., the (Palestin- ian Authority), and some leading Arab states share a novel antipa- thy to Iran, and this sense of a common enemy may foster novel threads of alliance and a novel sense of urgency," Lieberman wrote in an e-mail. The peace talks' chances of suc- cess arebetterthan theyhave been in the past, according to Political Science Professor Jim Morrow. "The thing that I think looks most optimistic in the current situation is that the current Pales- tinianPrime Ministerisveryinter- ested in trying to build up civil and political institutions within the Palestinian Authority, which, if it's successful, might belay a lot of Israel's concerns," said Morrow, who is also a research professor for the Center for Political Stud- ies at the University's Institute of Social Research. However, Tessler expressed a different view on the prospect of an agreement. "The odds of reaching an agree- ment on the final status issues are not impossible, but the odds are against it," he said. LSA junior Richard Kallus, chair of the American Movement for Israel, pro-Israel group on campus, said he hopes a resolution can come from ihe talks.' "A peaceful resolution would help establish a two-state solu- tion and allow both sides to feel safe and secure within their own states," Kallus wrote in an e-mail interview. LSA junior Ahmad Hasan, co-chair of Students Allied for Freedom and Equality - a pro- Palestinian group on campus - said he views the situation dif- ferently. "The whole peace process, the whole concept, is meaning- less, unnecessary, but also kind of skews the view towards how people perceive the Palestine and Israeli conflict right now," he said. Hasan said he thinks that the talks are taking place in a frame- work that is unfair to the Palestin- ians because the Israeli officials have more power when it comes to control of the region. "It doesn't make sense to see Israel and Palestine as equals on the table," he said. Kallus said students should have a vested interest in the con- flict and in the resolution that will hopefully follow. "Students should care because not only are millions of lives in the Middle East affected but, ulti- mately, it will affect all of us," Kal- lus wrote. "If this conflict can be equitably resolved then that will give hope for a peaceful solution for all other conflicts." Like Kallus, Hasan said stu- dents should maintain an active awareness of the situation. "It's one of the largest world issues currently happening that involves social justice issues and that's one of the core values of the University of Michigan," he said. I ORDINANCE From Page lA tionship between pedestrians and vehicles, specifically in city cross- walks. "My work is fully support- ive of types of changes that have occurred," Cooper said. The individuals involved with the ordinance began to outline an education program to get the word out to motorists and pedestrians through brochures and media releases. The members were also hoping to have additional signage in various areas of the community that will provide notice to vehicles that they must stop for pedestri- ans in those areas, Cooper said. Council member Carsten Hohn- ke (D-Ward 5), who, has also been a strong advocate for increased pedestrian safety, said he's already seen the success of the ordinance. Hohnke added that he's been working with attorneys offices and the Ann Arbor Police Department for over a year to make sure the ordinance is enforceable. "All ordinance changes take some time to impact the commu- nity," Hohnke said. "I have noticed more and more cars stopping for people at unsignaled crosswalks." Over the summer, Cooper and the Ann Arbor Police Department conducted a targeted enforcement campaign at two intersections using changeable message signs and messaging in the vicinity of two crosswalks. The messages announced that the local law was to yield to pedestrians in cross- walks. Police then observed the motor- ists' interactions with the pedes- trians and determined that the new ordinance was necessary for the safety of pedestrians. Cooper said the intent of this targeted enforcement wasn't to purposeful- ly cause a driver to receive a ticket, but to raise public awareness of the rules. There was a press release that made drivers aware of this target- ed'enforcement as well as the visu- al presence of police that resulted in no citations, but more public awareness. "Everyone walks, so this ordi- nance affects all. Every trip begins or ends with a walking segment," Cooper said. "I am pleased to see the community that I work in take pedestrian rights seriously. Pro- viding these protections will cre- ate a safe environment for those of us already walking in the com- munity." Hohnke added that he believes the ordinance will provide a more comfortable walking experience in the campus and downtown areas. "I hope this ordinance will make students' walking experi- ence around campus more pleas- ant and safer," Hohnke said. Nancy Shore, a University alum and program director of the get- Downtown Program inAnn Arbor, which aims to reduce the number of drivers in Ann Arbor, said she hopes the ordinance will encour- age people to use public transpor- tation and not drive. "I think the ordinance is a good idea because Ann Arbor should be finding ways to make itself more pedestrian-friendly," Shore said. "A pedestrian-friendly community attracts young professionals who are interested in living in a nice, attractive community." Cooper added that he has already seen changes in drivers' behavior. But he said it is still important that students still cre- ate person-to-person contact with motorists, and are respectful and aware of the changing laws. "There is a different mind- set that is beginning to exist in our community and the intent is acknowledging all pedestrians," Cooper said. "I hope (University students) feel more welcomed as pedestrians with these changes." Cooper and Shore both acknowledged that this ordinance is not the only method of increas- ing public awareness about pedes- trian safety. Cooper added that over time, the Ann Arbor community will continue to provide awareness and future targeted enforcement activities in order to really raise pedestrians' comfort as they enter crosswalks. Shore said the ordiriance is the first step in increasing awareness of pedestrian issues. "Even if we have the ordinance, if it is not promoted in the com- munity, it is hard for people to know what is happening," she said. "People can come around to understanding, they just need more information." WANT TO WRITE STORIES/TAKE PHOTOGRAPHS/DESIGN PAGES * FOR THE MICHIGAN DAILY? Come to our mass meetings at 420 Maynard (That's right there's more than one, so no excuses): THURSDAY SEPT.16 @ 7 P.M. MONDAY SEPT. 20 @ 7 P.M. THURSDAY SEPT. 30 @ 7 P.M.