"Harvard has certain requirements--they want what they want," says Claude LeBlanc, the superintendent. "They're a demanding client."

Harvard keeps a close watch over the construction projects it undertakes and generally has stricter regulations, says Michael B. McCartin, a journeyman carpenter who has worked on the Pennypacker renovations and now works on Thayer.

Perechodiuk says he agrees with McCartin's assessment, citing Harvard's rule against smoking in the building and the tight work schedules.

In its effort to maintain the historical character of Thayer (and increase its longevity), Harvard has requested hardwood floors, restoration of original fireplace mantles, and slate roofs. These requests can involve complex procedures and specialized skills, workers say.

History? So What?

But not all workers feel the same sense of history, and for some the rewards of working at Harvard are more tangible than nostalgic.

Despite the school's rich history and the interesting working environment, workers often complain about their jobs--often because of the fact that their employer is Harvard.

"If you don't work you can't eat," says John J. Robbins, who also worked at Pennypacker. "I don't really feel any sense of history working here."

And some workers just aren't happy at all working at Harvard.

"If I had another place to work I would," says roofer Michael Braga, whose major gripe is reduced pay. "I think Harvard sucks...There's all this `Do you have any Grey Poupon?' bullshit. The buildings are nice, but who cares?"

Specifically, some of the construction workers point first to the 10 percent cut in pay they took as a result of agreements between Harvard and the trade unions--in which Harvard promised several building contracts in exchange for wage concessions.

"The 10 percent cut in pay stinks, and it isn't fair from the richest college in the country," says roofer Roger M. Young.

"The joke is that we should be able to get tax write-offs for the pay cut we took. After all, the money went to Harvard," Power says.

Michael Braga, a roofer, says the agreement which included the 10 percent cut, negotiated by Harvard and union leaders, takes advantage of workers.

He says he could never make enough money to send his children to Harvard, and that Harvard should be blamed for perpetuating a social hierarchy.