Shumsky and Rollert's original proposal called for Faculty ID cards to entitle professors to three meals a week. According to Shumsky, the possible expense of such a plan "raised some eyebrows" among administrators concerned with whether such a plan would be cost-effective.

But after considering the proposal, Lewis and the House masters decided to go even further than they were asked, granting Faculty unlimited meals in the Houses as long as they are accompanied by a student.

Lewis said he envisions students and Faculty members continuing classroom discussions over lunch without worry of cost.

"I am very excited about this undertaking and hope that both Faculty and students will take advantage of it regularly," Lewis wrote in an e-mail message.

According to Ted A. Mayer, director of Harvard University Dining Services (HUDS), the program will begin as soon as HUDS is able to enter all the relevant data into its computer system, which should be some time this week.

Because the administration does not yet know how often professors and students will take advantage of the policy, Lewis said it is impossible to estimate how expensive the program may be.

Lewis said the program will be run this semester on an experimental basis. Administrators plan to review the program this summer to determine if it needs to be modified or discarded.