Members of the Progressive Student Labor Movement (PSLM) have established their campaign for a living wage as one of the most visible causes on campus, galvanizing hundreds of students and community members through two and a half years of agitation.

They have staged countless public rallies, camped out in front of the Science Center and occupied the admissions office--calling for a living wage of at least $10.25 per hour for all Harvard employees.

And their very visible presence has had a significant effect.

Last spring, a high-ranking committee of faculty members and administrators released a 100-page report--after 13 months of research--recommending that the University enlarge the scope of worker benefits, including health insurance, education and access to campus facilities.

PSLM members did not endorse the recommendations and vowed to continue to fight for a living wage.

"[The report] really shows us how entrenched the administration's resistance is [to a living wage]," says PSLM member Madeleine S. Elfenbein '04.

Despite members' dissatisfaction with the committee's findings, the report did change the dynamic of the campaign this past semester.

Campaign organizers have responded by taking a less visible approach to the campaign--temporarily foregoing the public rallies so central to their cause last year to instead strengthen relationships with Harvard unions, faculty and fellow campus groups.