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Jackson gets high-tech help from college students

Steve Carmody/Michigan Radio
Jackson, Michigan (file photo)

JACKSON, Mich. (AP) - Graduate students at the University of Michigan are turning the city of Jackson into a classroom.

About three dozen students in the School of Information are tackling 10 projects in Jackson, including ways to promote vaccinations and digitize cemetery records. They'll help the police department adopt an anonymous text message tip system.

The projects will continue for three years with new students stepping in each semester. Associate professor Clifford Lampe says in a university release that the class could become a model for partnerships between universities and cities.

The class meets once a week. Students will travel to Jackson every other week to work on assignments.

City Council member Derek Dobies says Jackson faces problems and students will help deliver 21st-century solutions.

The Associated Press is an independent global news organization dedicated to factual reporting.