UCSF Faculty-Alumni House

Part of UCSF’s storied history, the Faculty-Alumni House (FAH) is also a versatile, affordable venue for your important gatherings.

Updated March 24, 2023

UCSF adheres to the San Francisco Department of Public Health COVID-19 health requirements, and, in some instances, our requirements are more stringent given our unique role as an academic, medical, and research enterprise. Any event plan is conditional based on current public health orders and conditions.

Event guidance is based on U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s (CDC) Community Level Classification for campus event settings, and UCSF’s enterprise transmission risk levels. The following event guidance applies to all UCSF-sponsored events at locations both on-site and off-site:

Events with Fewer Than 100 People*

Masking indoors optional
Digital Screener recommended
Food and beverage outdoors recommended
Food and beverage allowed indoors with social distancing recommended

*Non-sponsored UCSF events are expected to adhere to local jurisdictions' public health orders.

All UCSF meeting and event guidance is being reviewed weekly for any changes to policy. This page will be updated with any changes as soon as it’s appropriate. Thank you for supporting these policies and continuing to serve as leaders in health and health care.

It is expected that departments and department event planners ensure that their meetings and events follow all policies and guidance. This applies to all indoor and outdoor meetings at UCSF facilities and UCSF-sponsored off-site events. An event safety plan checklist can be found here: Event Safety Plan Checklist

To learn more, please visit https://coronavirus.ucsf.edu/events.

Built in 1926 as a fraternity for dental students, the Faculty-Alumni House is the campus hub for alumni and is available for rental for weddings, parties, meetings, and other events.

The Faculty-Alumni House boasts a warm, homey atmosphere that makes it ideal for intimate gatherings. It is equipped with basic audio-visual equipment for music and PowerPoint presentations. And, while priority is given to official University of California events and campus guests, we accept reservations up to one year in advance for other parties.

Reservations are accepted on a first-come, first-served basis, no more than one year in advance. Reservations will be confirmed 30 days prior to the event.

Preliminary reservations (holds) and inquiries may be made through the Faculty-Alumni House at [email protected] or (415) 476-4723.

All reservations are tentative until a written confirmation letter is received by the requester and a university recharge number, speed type, or check for the full rental fee is received by the Faculty-Alumni House.

Reservation requests are to be on file at least 10 working days prior to the event and – if alcohol is to be served – must include a separate alcohol request form.

Cancellation of a reservation must be received at least 10 working days prior to the event. If not, the minimum rental fee will be charged to the user.

User Responsibilities & Maintenance

The Faculty-Alumni House capacity is 80 guests for stand-up receptions and 49 guests for sit-down events. Users are responsible for ensuring that capacity is not exceeded and leaving rooms clean and orderly at the close of an event. Additional charges may be assessed for cleaning, damages, overtime, or missing items.

You may rearrange the furniture with advance notice and the permission of the house manager. Users must send a clear written explanation of setup and/or a diagram to the house manager.
The piano must remain in the living room at all times.
Because the house is located in a residential area, noise levels must be kept to a minimum. Amplified sound (other than a speaker's microphone and/or the Faculty-Alumni House sound system) cannot be accommodated.
The fireplace cannot be used.
All food, beverages, dish towels, serving equipment, floral arrangements, etc. are to be removed at the conclusion of the event. Any items left for pickup at a later date or time are the responsibility of the user. The Faculty-Alumni House is not responsible for storing or securing any such items.
No animals are permitted in the house, with the exception of those used to assist disabled individuals.
Neither smoking nor confetti is allowed inside the Faculty-Alumni House or courtyard.

We appreciate your assistance in maintaining the Faculty-Alumni House’s appearance. Any failure to uphold the responsibilities described above may result in forfeiture of eligibility for future use of the facility.

Preliminary reservations (holds) and inquiries may be made through the Faculty-Alumni House at [email protected] or (415) 476-4723.

Please fill out the Faculty-Alumni House rental form after you've confirmed availability via phone or email.

$692 for a rental period of 1 hour to 4 hours, per day
$1078 for a rental period of 4 hours to 8 hours, per day (Add $50/hour for every hour over 8 hours)

Please note that charges are based on the total amount of time the room is reserved (i.e., from access time to post-event cleanup). If required time needed goes past 4 hours, the 4+ hours rental rate becomes applicable.

Rental rates include furniture setup and breakdown.

Additional staffing fees will also be added for weekend events and events that begin before 8 a.m. or extend after 5 p.m.:
$50 for weeknight staff
$100 for weekend staff

$125 for up to 4 hours rental, per day
$175 for 4 or more hours rental, per day

Please note that charges are based on the total amount of time the room is reserved (i.e., from access time to post-event clean-up). If required time needed goes past 4 hours, the 4+ hours rental rate becomes applicable.

Rental rates include furniture setup and breakdown.

Wine and beer may be served at the Faculty/Alumni House functions to individuals age 21 and over.

The alcohol request form MUST be filled out at least 10 days prior to any event where alcohol will be served. You will receive a confirmation email when your request is approved.

The house offers a number of different audio-visual systems, furniture, and appliances.

A public address system is available for use with approval by the house manager.

A podium with microphone or a corded microphone are available for use in the living room, dining room, or foyer (see floor plan for locations of microphone outlets). If the podium is to be used in the foyer, there must be room for public passage on the stairway.
An audio system, which includes a hook-up to an MP3 or older iPhone or iPad player with headphone jack, is available for receptions with approval by the house manager. Speakers are located in the living room, foyer, and dining room.
All music is subject to a volume limit in order to respect upstair offices and neighboring buildings.
Up to four flip charts/easels are available at $5 an easel per day.
A Polycom speaker phone is available for conference calls at $50 per day. Note: the Polycom cannot be connected to house speaker system.
The FAH is equipped with an A/V hybrid system, which includes a monitor/screen with speakers and a built-in mic. Laptops can be easily connected to the monitor with either HDMI or USB-C connectors. Rental is available at $50 per day.

Faculty-Alumni House staff is not responsible for technical/computer support. If you need technical assistance, contact Classroom Services at (415) 476-4310 prior to event date for scheduling.

The dining room is equipped with:

4 - 2.5 x 5 ft. tables
4 - 6 ft. round plywood table tops (will seat 10; user supplies linens)
8 - 2.5 x 6 ft. folding tables
3 - 5 ft. round tables (will seat 8; user supplies linens)
50 folding chairs
60 chairs without armrests

The living room is equipped with:

2 sofas (each will seat 3)
2 loveseats (each seat 2)
4 upholstered chairs
2 coffee tables
1 baby grand piano (must remain in living room)

The kitchen is equipped with:

2 industrial sinks with disposals
1 microwave oven
1 refrigerator with small freezer

Groups larger than 15 are required to use a professional caterer who will supply adequate staff for setup, service, and cleanup. Events without staff and/or that are found to be "drop-offs" may be assessed an additional $75 charge.

Exception: With permission of the house manager, small groups can supply their own food as long as there is adequate staff for cleanup. Users are responsible for all food cleanup. All tables with food or beverage are required to use a tablecloth.

All caterers must be approved by the House Manager prior to being booked for events. All caterers must be licensed and provide proof of insurance prior to using the building, per Office of Risk Management requirements. Currently, all caterers listed on the America To Go list in Bear Buy are approved for use at the Faculty Alumni House. Please be sure all caterers bring tablecloths for food tables.

It is the user's responsibility to inform caterers to bring all kitchen utensils, dish towels, linen, serving platters, and utensils (unless noted as provided with kitchen use). It is strongly recommended that the user be present when the caterer arrives to give final instructions and confirm room set-up arrangements. It is also strongly recommended that a copy of this policy information be provided to the caterer in advance of the event. Please note that any use of the dining room tables will necessitate the use of linens that must be placed over the tables for protection.

Arrangements for delivery and pick-up of rental equipment may be made with the prior approval of the House Manager.

Caterers are to bag all trash and leave it in the kitchen for later pick-up. Trash bags are NOT to be left outside of the House. No grease is to be disposed of via kitchen sinks or garbage disposals.

Preliminary reservations (holds) and inquiries may be made through the Faculty-Alumni House at [email protected] or (415) 476-4723.

All reservations are tentative until a written confirmation letter is received by the requester and a university budget number or a check for the full rental fee is received by the Faculty-Alumni House.

Reservation requests are to be on file at least 10 working days prior to the event.

Cancellation of reservations must be received at least 10 working days prior to the event. If not, the minimum rental fee will be charged to the user.

Capacity at FAH is 125 guests for stand-up receptions.

Sit-down meals and auditorium-style seating can only accommodate 54 to 60 people. The main floor and courtyard of FAH are wheelchair-accessible.

The Faculty-Alumni House hours are Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 10 p.m., and by special arrangement on Saturdays and Sundays.

There is no access to the House before 7:30 am; if access is required at 7:30 a.m., an additional fee of $50 will be added to the rental recharge. The House remains open one hour after the stated ending of the event (but no later than 10 p.m.) to allow for cleanup.

December is a very busy rental month for the Faculty-Alumni House due to the number of groups seeking space to hold their holiday parties. To provide equitable access to everyone, the Faculty-Alumni House has developed a detailed selection policy.

Please submit your December rental requests to the Faculty-Alumni House manager with your top-three preferred dates and times. December scheduling will be completed in September, with priority given by request date.

Confirmation of any December scheduling will usually be sent the first two weeks of September.

First, verify availability of your requested date with the Faculty-Alumni House by calling (415) 476-4723.

Then fill out the Faculty-Alumni House rental form and email the completed form to [email protected] or fax it to (415) 476-9570.

Official UCSF events and UCSF student groups get first priority for renting the Faculty-Alumni House, but it is available to non-UCSF groups as well.

Contact the house manager at (415) 476-4723 to discuss available dates and place a hold.
Review FAH User Responsibilities and Food & Beverage Requirements.
Complete FAH rental form.
Complete the OrgSync form found on the individual RCO web page. This will need to be completed and approved by the Faculty-Alumni House manager and an Office of Student Life representative.
Submit paperwork to the Office of Student Life for funding if necessary.
Receive written confirmation from house manager at least 30 days prior to event date.

The house is available to non-UCSF sponsored groups and individuals for their personal use (e.g., weddings, birthday parties, meetings).

Reservations may be made up to six months in advance. Please call (415) 476-4723 for current rates.

A certificate of general liability insurance must accompany the reservation for all non-university functions. The certificate must demonstrate:

$1 million minimum coverage per occurrence for bodily injury/property damage
$1 million minimum coverage for fire/legal liability.

Special one-time liability insurance may be purchased through one’s homeowners insurance or from UCSF Risk Management and Insurance Services (415) 476-3661.

The cost of liability insurance is contingent upon the size of the group and whether beer and wine are served. Please contact the Faculty-Alumni House with any questions at (415) 476-4723 or [email protected].