3 The Cambridge City Council passes an order supporting a living wage of at least $10 an hour for all Harvard employees, threatening that town-gown relations will be strained unless the University acts soon. The council had mandated that all city employees and employees of firms contracting with the city must be paid at least $10 an hour in May 1999.

5 FAS completes negotiations with the Institute of 1770 to take ownership of the Hasty Pudding building. FAS will foot the bill for massive renovations to the dilapidated building--by some accounts, likely a $10 million undertaking.

10 The Institute of Politics confirms that former Sen. David H. Pryor (D-Ark.) will take over as director Aug. 1, replacing former Sen. Alan K. Simpson (R-Wyo.), who will leave the post in June.

11 In a report released by the FAS Committee on Resources, FAS says it wants more say in how the University spends its money and calls for the creation of a faculty committee to advise Rudenstine on finances. "Major decisions involving the commitment of substantial resources...are sometimes first discovered by Faculty from the local press," the report says.

18 After fielding months of questions regarding the use of Harvard's name in Internet domains, the provost's office issues a new set of name-use guidelines primarily directed at University users. The policy clarifies and expands upon a 1997 policy on the use of Harvard names and insignia. That policy does not mention the Internet.

21 Romance Languages and Literature Professor Lino Pertile and his wife Anna Bensted, the managing editor for Boston's National Public Radio affiliate, are named co-Masters of Eliot House. Tom C. Conley, also a professor of Romance languages and literature and his wife Verena A. Conley, a visiting professor in literature, are at the same time appointed Masters of Kirkland House.

28 During pre-frosh weekend, about 30 members of the Progressive Student Labor Movement occupy Byerly Hall for six hours to promote their campaign for a living wage at Harvard. Facing down potential arrest, members refuse to heed requests from the Harvard University Police Department that they leave the building.

May

3 After 15 months of forceful student pressure, Rudenstine announces that the University plans to extend health care and job training benefits to virtually all Harvard employees, but will stop short of enacting a 'living wage.' These recommendations are included in a report released by the Ad Hoc Committee on Employment Policies.