The University-wide committee that was formed in May 2001 to examine issues relating to the economic welfare and opportunities of lower-paid employees at Harvard, both those employed directly by the University and those employed by companies that provide on-campus services to the University continues to seek the views of the Harvard community.
The Harvard Committee on Employment and Contracting Policies (HCECP) is broad-based committee composed of 10 faculty, 5 staff members (3 unionized employees and two administrative and professional staff), and 4 student members (2 undergraduates and 2 graduate/professional students-including HBS Organizational Behavior Ph.D. student Christopher Wheat). It has a report deadline of December 19, 2001.
Along with hearing testimony, the committee has devoted considerable efforts to gathering the views and perspectives of all members of the University community. There is the committee’s Web site
www.hcecp.harvard.edu where one can send comments to committee members. On October 22 the committee conducted a public forum (a complete video of the forum is available at the committee’s Web site). Significantly, the committee has posted a 30-page preliminary background data report to its Web site for all to comment upon.
The committee has just developed a Web-based message board in order that students, faculty, staff, and alumni can provide advice and suggestions to the committee and read and respond to messages posted by fellow members of the Harvard community. All are invited to join the community dialogue in this most important and complex issue.
