Me: How about this one? [hand her student ID]
Her: [laughs] Nice! Let's scan that and see if it works...and it does! It would have expired tomorrow.
Me: Oh! I had no idea.
Her: Tomorrow's the 2nd, right? Yeah, after that, you couldn't use the gym anymore.
Me: I thought you still could -
Her: You can buy a membership at the gym with this permanent card.
Me: Ah. I see!
Her: I think it says "access to membership," not "access to the fitness center," plus all the other stuff.
I trusted her, and she was right - that's exactly what it said on the mailer I received. The "other stuff" that comes with the permanent card is: access to the Career Center and the library, as well as discounts on Islander tickets. This is all in addition to the discount on clothing at the bookstore that came with the temporary card. I appreciated her detailed knowledge. I've occasionally had trying experiences with Hofstra's administrative staff, and I've heard some horror stories. I read an apt saying somewhere - "Hofstra red is an urban myth, but Hofstra red tape is very real."
Since it was due to expire anyway, HofstraCard Services kept my undergraduate ID. So now I don't have any Hofstra student ID cards. By contrast, I have two non-functional ones from Cornell, and they explicitly state that I'm supposed to return them upon leaving the university. But at this point, why bother? Since I left, Cornell completely redesigned the face of its ID cards, so simple inspection would reveal it to be worthless (as opposed to having to scan it). And besides, it's a fun little thing to have. Especially to look at my hair from 1999 - an amount of hair that I do not have now, and am likely not to have again.
EDIT: The fitness center membership in question costs $300 for the period 9/1/11 to 5/31/12. I'll pass at present, and if I do remain on Long Island, I'm unlikely to partake in the future.