Nearly 700 peaceful protesters armed with posters and noisemakers crowded outside Mass. Hall yesterday afternoon in the largest rally in the Yard in six years, while inside the occupied building members of the Progressive Student Leader Movement (PSLM) continued their second day of talks with administrators.

The rally featured speeches from local politicians, Harvard workers and faculty members, and attracted an unprecedented media presence with all three major networks descending on the Yard to film stories for last night's evening news.

Inside Mass. Hall, PSLM members met again with two University representatives, the Rev. Dorothy Austin, co-master of Lowell House, and J. Bryan Hehir, head of the divinity school.

Although the talks alone are a major breakthrough in the sit-in, now entering its ninth day, little progress was made yesterday. The administration held to its line that no negotiations would take place while Mass. Hall was occupied and PSLM members held firm to their decision to remain in the building indefinitely until granted a living wage of at least $10.25 an hour for all University employees.

University President Neil L. Rudenstine issued a statement, published as an ad in today's Crimson, reiterating his "willingness" to meet with students "once the sit-in has ended."

In addition, Rudenstine has invited Faculty members to a special meeting this afternoon to discuss the situation, University spokesperson Joe Wrinn said yesterday.

Meanwhile, the day's main event, a rally titled "The Big One," drew a huge chanting crowd from the steps of Mass. Hall to University Hall.

Under the watchful eye of almost twenty Harvard and Cambridge police officers, PSLM member Amy C. Offner '01-her voice hoarse from days of chanting-opened the nearly two-hour long rally by criticizing University President Neil L. Rudenstine for his unwillingness to negotiate.

The rally included a small number of Harvard employees, one day after hundreds of dining hall workers crowded into Mass. Ave after a union meeting Wednesday night called to support the students occupying the administrative building.

A janitor, wearing his Harvard work jacket, spoke briefly yesterday, calling for the administration to negotiate with the students continuing to occupy Mass. Hall.

"We all have something else to do," he said. "I need to go to work and these kids need to go to class and see their families. It's time to negotiate now."

The janitor's voice joined a chorus of union members supporting the cause yesterday.

Andy Stern, the president of the SEIU International Union called Offner on his cell phone during the rally to endorse the sit-in and thanked the students for "speaking out against injustice."

Stern and the rest of the AFL-CIO executive board plan to travel to the Yard next week to show their support for the ongoing sit-in, Offner said.

"It would be smart for [the University] to negotiate now and fix this before {AFL-CIO President} John Sweeney gets arrested in front of Mass. Hall," Offner yelled to the crowd.

The massive rally also drew a small counter-protest that was the scene of the day's only heated moments.

Fifteen students circulated through the crowd holding signs reading, "Against Coercion, Against Intimidation, Against PSLM."

"Don't negotiate with terrorists," shouted Brian R. Smith '02.

Harvard police had to repeatedly separate PSLM supporters from the counter-protesters, as heated words flew between the two sides.

As the speeches wound to a close, about 300 students marched-holding noisemakers and chanting-from Mass. Hall to circle around University Hall.

From inside Mass. Hall, PSLM member Benjamin L. McKean '02 addressed the crowd with a loudspeaker.

"We're tired and stressed but pumped to see you all out here," McKean said. "We've got everyone out here with one exception-the people upstairs. The administration stands alone against a living wage."

The day began with a surprise visit to the occupied building by President-elect Lawrence H. Summers, accompanied by Rudenstine and Dean of the Faculty of Arts and Sciences Jeremy R. Knowles.

The three spent the morning on the second floor of Mass. Hall going over a tenure appointment.

"Tenure appointments are always made in the Perkins Room, and President Rudenstine decided that that tradition would continue despite the circumstances," University spokesperson Joe Wrinn said.

The administrators did not meet or talk with protesters while inside the building.

-Staff writer Garrett M. Graff can be reached at ggraff@fas.harvard.edu

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