PSLM Protest Draws Heavy Media Attention

Nice weather and impeccable timing attracted about 150 students and a dozen members of the media to a rally by the Progressive Student Labor Movement (PSLM), held yesterday under the afternoon sun one day after the University announced Lawrence H. Summers as the official Harvard president-elect.

In the group's second protest in two days, they criticized the secretive nature of the presidential search process and lobbied for a $10.25 minimum wage for Harvard workers--a figure that the Cambridge City Council has adopted as the official Cambridge living wage.

Members of PSLM have garnered extensive coverage recently from members of the national press in town for the presidential announcement.

Although the rally did not feature any celebrity speakers and did not attract more students than rallies held in the past, a news helicopter flew overhead and local news stations filmed students as they marched across the Yard armed with a loudspeaker and two drums.

"There's definitely far more press here than I've seen before," said Associate Dean of the College David P. Illingworth '71, who regularly attends PSLM rallies.

"I'm pleased, in so far as media coverage translates into effectiveness," said PSLM member Benjamin L. McKean '02. "I think this will really give us a lot of momentum."

While plans for the rally have been in the works for weeks, members of PSLM incorporated Summers into the rally on short notice after the presidential announcement.

"People have really learned a lot from us," McKean said. "We very effectively framed the living wage issue as one of the key challenges of Summers' presidency."

Rally organizers spent the weekend researching the president-elect and distributing information about Summers' labor history via e-mail, after spending much of the week searching for information about University of Michigan President Lee C. Bollinger, seen by many as the frontrunner for the Harvard presidency.

PSLM framed the rally as a "hunt" for the Harvard Corporation. As the rally wound from Mass. Hall to Loeb House, protesters carried cardboard cutouts introducing members of the Corporation, which they described as "the single most important body standing in the way of a living wage policy at Harvard."

The cutouts included the names of Corporation members, the companies they direct and their net worth. The piece of cardboard representing Summers read, "Larry Summers: secretly chosen Harvard President."

Throughout the course of the hour-long event, College administrators, Harvard University Police Department (HUPD) officers and photographers crowded the Yard.

The protest began as PSLM Member Molly E. McOwen '02 addressed the crowd to a soft background drumbeat.

She explained that just this past fall, PSLM "discovered" the Corporation as the University's ultimate decision-making body.

HUPD Chief Francis D. "Bud" Riley noted PSLM's changing strategy.

"They've ratcheted it up from University Hall to Mass. Hall to the Corporation," he said. "The students are going through the infrastructure of the University."

When McOwen criticized the Corporation for its "absolute secrecy," the crowd hissed.

The 150-strong crowd then marched across the Yard to Mass. Hall shouting, "Hey Harvard, here's the word, student voices must be heard!"

Dismayed to discover that the Corporation members were not actually inside Mass. Hall, organizers directed the crowd to Loeb House, where the Harvard Corporation was holding a luncheon.

"It looks like they're not here," PSLM Member Madeleine S. Elfenbein '04 told the crowd. "We're tired, but we're just going to have to keep hunting."

The group wound its way up Mass. Ave., earning curious looks from onlookers as they chanted, beat drums and waved the cutouts of Corporation members.

Three HUPD officers met the protestors when they arrived outside Loeb House.

Students held a large card asking both Summers and the Corporation to pledge to give workers a living wage.

But as the protestors approached Loeb House, HUPD officers pointed to a tree in the yard and told the students that they could not move up the walk beyond the tree.

More police officers were present at yesterday's protest than usual. Riley said HUPD assigned six new officers to the protest as a training exercise, and HUPD had stationed a regular detail at Loeb House for the Corporation meeting, in addition to officers assigned to Mass. Hall, University Hall and Tercentenary Theatre for the rally.

PSLM Member Roona Ray '02 took the loudspeaker and addressed the crowds while officers watched in silence.

She gestured to the brick facade of Loeb House.

"Welcome to the last place of administrative power we are visiting today," she said.

She said PSLM had tried repeatedly to contact the Corporation, with little success.

"We've been met with silence at every turn," Ray said. "We're not worried about the new president, but about the silence and secrecy that surrounded his appointment."