This year's drop into the debit column by the University Dining Halls may force an increase in board rates next term, Administrative Vice-President Edward R, Reynolds '15, said yesterday.

Reynolds said he would like to avoid "if at all possible" upping the board rates during the middle of the year, but that increased costs may make it necessary. "We felt very badly about moving it up 50 cents in 1951 and we'd feel badly about it now, but if the present trend in costs continue we'll have to," he added.

The Dining Hall Department, which made a clear profit of $36,906.22 in 1951-52, had a deficit during 1952-53 of $1,825.22. Starting at the beginning of the year with a credit balance of $3,506.15, this left the department a slim balance of $1,680 at the end of the year.

Increased Labor Costs

Commenting on the $41,731.28 difference between the profits of the two years, William A. Heaman, Dining Halls Manager, yesterday attributed it to an increase in labor costs over the past year combined with the 50 cent per week cut in weekly board rates made last February. The present rate is $14 per week.

Reynolds and Heaman agreed that the November departmental report will determine whether the rates should go up. "The September and October figures are not very conclusive," Reynolds said, "but the November report will either show a continuation of the increased costs or not." This report will be ready sometime about the middle of December and any rate change will be made by the start of the new term.

During 1950-51, when the dining halls suffered a $70,000 deficit, the rates were raised from $14 to $14.50. Reynolds has refused to name the size of the increase which would be made this time, but it probably would be 50 cents again.