Meal violations were obviously common, although the College remained unsure of the exact magnitude of the problem. To College Treasurer Kurt Hertzfeld, the ID policy would allow the College to minimize all service expenditures and thereby maximize the amount of money put into the academic budget. The results from the policy showed that in a "normal" week when IDs were checked, the number of meals served decreased at breakfast by 28, at lunch by 462 and at dinner by 742, according to The Student. Eighty percent of these were attributed to the elimination of those who "had no business eating at Amherst."
The Student reported that the 1971-72 budget called for $905,317 for operating expenses and $470,000 to cover total food costs. This theoretically left Valentine with, on average, 46 cents for food for each meal it served. The number of entitled meals skipped by students, however, especially given the limited number of breakfasters, allowed for food costs of 80 to 90 cents for the average dinner. A $650 board fee allowed students to receive what Hertzfeld felt was "good quality food." He stressed, however, that the further losses incurred at Valentine would "come out of [student's] hide[s] one way or the other," referring to the financial loss the College would suffer elsewhere.
However, in spite of the seemingly successful results, the policy was revoked less than a week after its initiation due to the disappointment of students who wished for Valentine to remain as flexible and hassle-free as possible. Despite the situation, students still considered Amherst's Dining Services to be one of the best in the Valley.
-Lauren Schmale