The committee continued on schedule after Hoxby’s departure, convening at least once per week.

Meetings included presentations from a wide variety of sources, including administrators discussing outsourcing and labor relations and perspectives from union members and workers.

The committee also solicited comments on its website.

“I think that the process that was set up with the committee, whatever its origins, was a very good process,” Katz said.

“Minds were changed. The committee process worked well,” he continued. “We came up with a better set of policies that will do more for workers than anything we had to begin with. What is remarkable about this process is that a whole set of diverse viewpoints unanimously accepted the recommendations.”

—Staff writer Daniela J. Lamas can be reached at lamas@fas.harvard.edu.