All right, so it was more like partially empty stomachs-or stomachs slightly less full than they had been the year before.
The autumn of 1973 marked a series of adjustments for Valentine Hall resulting from budget crunches and rising food prices. To alleviate these problems, the College issued a "no-seconds" policy on meat, to the chagrin of many hungry students.
This rule was sternly enforced through the lemon-yellow meal cards hole-punched at every meal. The procedure replaced the previously limitless access to Valentine food based on the simple flash of an Amherst ID.
Valentine's financial difficulties were compounded by the lack of storage space in the kitchen, which prevented the director from buying bargain food in advance. The meal card, one practical solution to the financial pressure, saved the college an estimated $35,000.
Student response to these changes was hardly welcoming. The Student reported that one football player grumbled, "How the hell do they expect me to practice with two strips of bacon in my stomach? I mean how long will it be before they start substituting saw dust inside one of these mystery croquettes hidden under gravy, if they haven't done so already?"
Other students criticized what they saw as poor spending decisions made by the College, such as renovations in Valentine. One student protested, "I know that they are pressed with high costs, but they certainly could have spent their money more wisely. Who the hell needs new paint in West or carpeting? I would rather have another piece of meat twice a week!"