Postering To Move to Afternoon Time

Harvard students will no longer have to wake up at the crack of dawn and brave frigid temperatures to publicize their groups’ performances and activities.

As a result of an Undergraduate Council initiative, starting Nov. 25, Facilities Maintenance Operations (FMO) workers will strip down old posters from kiosks and walk-ways in the Yard and in front of the Science Center at 12:30 p.m.—five hours after the usual 7:30 a.m. time—allowing students to get some extra sleep before rushing to claim space for their signs.

The set days for postering, Monday and Thursday, will remain the same.

“A lot of students have been complaining about having to wake up so early. It’s incredibly cold outside that early in the morning during the winter,” said Sheila R. Adams ’05, last year’s vice-chair of the council’s Student Affairs Committee (SAC).

Adams said the SAC is also looking for ways to increase poster space, although she said such a move would require the approval of the Cambridge Historical Commission.

According to Adams, the Commission has said it would support the creation of more poster spots, but the offer is contingent upon a decrease in illegal postering.

The time change was the result of feedback from a poll conducted by the SAC last April. Asked if they would prefer a later postering time, most students said yes, according to Adams.

She said that the SAC worked with Yard Operations and the FMO in order to have the time changed.

“We had to work around the schedule of the landscaping and grounds people,” she said. “They were concerned that this schedule wouldn’t be as efficient, but they were generally very supportive.”

Adams said this is only a trial period for the new postering time. If students complain, she said, then it will be changed back.

Only time will tell if the new hour is better, said Adrienne M. Minster ’04, who co-directed last year’s dance show “Ex-Rated.” Minster added that she personally did not enjoy waking up early to poster.

“Spending many early mornings treading from the Quad to put up posters isn’t pleasant, but you have to do it to publicize your show,” she said.

But Minster also pointed out that students will be in classes and at lunch during the new time, so they may in fact be inconvenienced by the change.

Other students worried that the later time may increase the competition for space.

“Right now it’s already really competitive. People from each group bombard the poster boards,” said Lane D. Levine ’06, a member of the Din and Tonics.

“I could definitely see people fighting each other for space, shoving other people over to get their posters up,” quipped Gavitt A. Woodard ’06, who founded a new singing group last year.

Roberto H. Michelassi ’06, a member of the Notables, said pushing the time back to 12:30 takes the challenge out of the student group tradition.

“Anybody can be a lazy bum and get up at noon to poster,” he said.

—Staff writer Ebonie D. Hazle can be reached at hazle@fas.harvard.edu.