Food and Beverage Policy

Modified August 1, 2017

Educational Technology Services (ETS) recognizes that organizers of some meetings serve food and drink to attendees because these meetings occur during open hours in attendees’ schedules, when they otherwise might eat a meal. Permitting food and drink in classrooms can facilitate academic and related activities for the University community. However, providing food and beverages in classrooms increases the custodial burden for Facilities Management and may leave rooms in a condition unsuitable for the next user. Therefore, when food and non-alcoholic beverages will be provided in general assignment classrooms scheduled by ETS, organizers must adhere to the following guidelines or risk losing access.


  1. The party reserving the room must notify ETS at the time of scheduling the event that food or drink will be served. This requirement applies even if the food or drink will be served outside the classroom if attendees are likely to carry food or drink into the classroom (see list of inside/outside setups below).
  2. The party reserving the room must contact Facilities Services to deliver tables and/or a runner for food/drink set ups when necessary, see sidebar for specific room requirements
  3. Since the academic Senate adopted a new start/end time policy for general use classrooms beginning fall quarter 2013, caterers may enter classrooms between the top of the hour and ten minutes after the hour for setup/breakdown or for Facilities Management to empty trash;
  4. Heating devices are not allowed;
  5. Foods, served with sauce, that are likely to cause damage if spilled are not allowed;
  6. Beverages must be served in containers that have lids;
  7. Caterers must observe University policies regarding compostable/recyclable materials;
  8. Caterers must provide trays under liquid dispensers to catch drips, or in some instances, rubber mats may be required; 
  9. The party reserving the room must ensure that trash and recycling items are placed in the proper receptacles, that spills are cleaned up, and that the room is left in a condition suitable for the next user;
  10. The party reserving the room agrees, as a condition of using the room, to provide the department’s billing information (chartstring) to ensure payment for any charges for extra cleaning that may be necessary after the event;
  11. For events on weekends, when regular custodial services are not provided, the party reserving the room must arrange with Facilities Management for cleaning after the event;
  12. Food must be incidental for the event. Classrooms are not appropriate spaces for events whose primary purpose is to serve food. Social events and receptions should be held in other venues such as the Alumni House or the conference centers in Millberry Union or the Mission Bay Conference Center;
  13. If a party has failed to comply with this policy in the past, Educational Technology Services may impose restrictions on the party’s use of classrooms in the future;
  14. ETS will determine whether a requester’s plan to serve food is consistent with this policy;
  15. Food is not permitted for events for nonprofit organizations that are not sponsored by a UCSF department, because ETS has no vehicle for collecting payment from outside entities.
  16. Set-up and/or consumption of alcoholic beverages are not permitted in general use classrooms and conference rooms scheduled and managed by ETS.
  17. Food and beverages are not allowed in the Byers Auditorium. Food and beverages must be consumed in the atrium areas outside of the room.