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Faculty and Student Tea Time Hints

Instructions and Hints for Hosting Tea Time

Step 1: Pick a Date and Theme

  • Check the Hosting Schedule
  • Pick a date (always a Friday) that is not yet assigned a host.
    • If there are no dates available, or even if there are, you can offer to help someone with their Tea Time; this is a good idea for first-time hosts. The Hosting Schedule has links to each host's web page, which makes it easy to contact someone.
  • Try to think of a theme or menu (e.g., Mexican, salads, etc.), and email the Tea Time Tsar your plan.
    • Keep in mind that people have different dietary tastes and/or restrictions. Many people in the department are vegetarians, and others may be religiously prohibited from eating meat on Fridays.
    • When in doubt, think vegetables, low-fat, low-calorie, and low-spiciness. (You can always bring along extra spices, sauces, and tubs of butter).

    Step 2: Shop and/or Cook

  • Do your shopping (or cooking) early, but not too early. Some foods can keep in your fridge for a few days, but others are best served fresh or warm. Plan ahead. You need the food ready to eat at 4:00 on Friday.
  • Make sure you buy or cook enough food for everybody. Expect around 30-50 people (20-30 in the summer) to show up, most of them hungry.
  • REIMBURSEMENT: The CS department will reimburse you for up to $100 ($75 in the summer). Amounts more than $100 ($75) should be preapproved (talk to Wendy or Kim) to guarantee reimbursement. Take all receipts to the front desk in Rice 527, and allow around two weeks for the reimbusement check.

    • Step 3: Get the Room Ready

  • Tea Time is at 4:00. Start getting ready early, like around 3:30.
  • Tea Time is held in the 4th floor atrium of Rice Hall.
  • Tea Time supplies are stored in the 4th floor kitchen

    • Step 4: Clean Up

  • Get a couple of people to help you. And then help them when they host. Yes, just like Kindergarten.
  • Clean up all trash and crush cans and plastic bottles so that they can be easily recycled.
  • Wipe down any surfaces used and make sure you get rid of any stickiness.
  • Clean up any trays, utensils, etc. that you may have used and return them to their proper location
  • Leave any extra non-refrigeratable leftovers on the counter in the kitchen; they should get eaten pretty quickly.


    • Links of Interest
    Tea Time
    Tea Time Sign Up