Shawmut Design and Construction sign causes public outcry.

“Please respect the Harvard students. They’re better than you.”

So joked Harvard University post-doctoral candidate Rebecca Nappa yesterday, perfectly capturing the unspoken message —though not the words — of a sign posted at a Harvard construction site that’s caused a mini-brouhaha among future leaders of the free world. Actually, make that future leaders of the entire planet, and beyond.

Shawmut Design and Construction posted a sign that, basically, warned construction workers to behave themselves while allowed to step on Harvard’s hallowed ground.

“Show Respect for Harvard ... a world famous campus,” the sign read, Harvard’s Crimson reported. “Please display the highest level of respect for the students, faculty, and their campus ...”

No swearing. No “inappropriate comments” — such as remarking crudely on any future leaders of the free world in skimpy dresses. No drinking, no drugs, no loud noise, no parking on campus and, heaven help us, no sneaking into any campus buildings.

It other words, you construction workers toiling in yesterday’s broiling, blistering sun? Remember this: you’re the serfs. The Harvard crowd? They’re Masters of the Universe.

Or, to steal Occupy Wall Street’s language: The workers are 99 percenters. The Harvard kids: 1-percenters. The gulf between them: from here to the moon and back.

Apparently, this sign proved too blatant, too embarrassing and too guilt-inducing even for Harvard students, who complained. And the sign is now gone.

A sign encouraging construction workers to “Show Respect for Harvard” has been taken down following student protest. The sign was posted by Shawmut Design and Construction at the construction site on the Science Center plaza and contained both Shawmut and Harvard logos.

“When a concern was raised last week, Shawmut quickly removed the sign and will not be reposting it,” wrote Faculty of Arts and Sciences spokesman Jeff Neal in an email to the Crimson.

Neal also noted that the sign “has been used by Shawmut at construction projects at Harvard and other academic campuses for years without complaint.”
The text of the sign informed workers that they are “working within an operational environment on a world famous campus,” and asked them to “please display the highest level of respect for the students, faculty, and their campus at all times.”

The sign noted that this meant no swearing, “inappropriate comments,” smoking, as well as “zero(!) tolerance for drugs and/or alcohol.” Workers were also expected to keep noise as low as possible, not park on campus, and were instructed to not enter any other campus buildings.
http://www.bostonherald.com/news/columnists/view/20220621crass_act_at_harvard/srvc=home&position=2

http://www.thecrimson.com/article/2012/6/20/construction-sign-removed-respect/