Frequently Asked Questions
What is the Vision of Sustainability competition?
What does "sustainability" mean?
Why should Harvard be sustainable?
Will my original artwork be returned to me?
Who will own the rights to my artwork?
What are the tax implications of winning a cash prize?
What is the Vision of Sustainability competition?
It's an art and design competition that asks, "What might an environmentally sustainable Harvard campus of the future look like?"
What does "sustainability" mean?
An often-cited definition states that sustainable development "meets the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs" (WCED, 1987). The development in question can be new, as in the case of the future Harvard campus in Allston, or continued, as in the ongoing renovations and other work being done on the existing campuses in Boston and Cambridge. The themes that run through most definitions of sustainability are community, environment, economics and equity among generations of people. In the Harvard context, we can approach sustainability by finding ways to implement the Sustainability Principles adopted by President Lawrence H. Summers last year. These include:
- demonstrating institutional practices that promote sustainability, including measures to increase efficiency and use of renewable resources, and to decrease production of waste and hazardous materials, both in Harvard’s own operations and in those of its suppliers
- promoting health, productivity and safety of the University community through design and maintenance of the built environment
- enhancing the health of campus ecosystems and increasing the diversity of native species
- developing planning tools to enable comparative analysis of sustainability implications and to support long-term economic, environmental and socially responsible decision-making
- encouraging environmental inquiry and institutional learning throughout the University community
- establishing indicators for sustainability that will enable monitoring reporting and continuous improvement
Anyone in the Harvard community, including students, staff, faculty and alumni. The spouses, domestic partners and children of current Harvard students or employees may also enter.
5PM, Monday, April 3rd, 2006
$10,000 in cash prizes, including a $2000 grand prize in the adult competition and $1000 in the junior competition. For a complete listing of the prizes, click here. But there's much more involved than just cash. Human activity is taking a significant toll on local, regional and global environments. Climate change, species extinction and pollution threaten the future stability of our world. If future generations of humans are to have the quality of life we have today, we need to find ways to consume fewer resources and do less damage to the environment. The Vision of Sustainability Art & Design Competition seeks ideas for how to achieve this in the Harvard context. For more information about climate change, biodiversity, pollution and sustainability, please visit the Resources page.
Why should Harvard be sustainable?
Institutions of higher education like Harvard University have the intellectual, economic and physical resources needed to lead the way to a sustainable future. They also have an enormous environmental impact through the resources they consume and waste they produce. Society has granted a special charter to colleges and universities—academic freedom, tax-free status and government resources—“in exchange for the dissemination of knowledge and values to ensure the health and well-being of society" (Cortese, 1999). Because the consequences of unsustainable human activities will have significant negative consequences for people in our local community and around the world, it is within the mission of academic institutions to strive for sustainability. As microcosms of the world-at-large, campus communities make ideal settings for sustainable new approaches and practices, and the associated economic and educational benefits make these efforts advantageous for administrators and students alike.
As one of the most prominent and influential institutions of higher education, Harvard University is stepping up to take a leadership role in addressing its own environmental impact, setting an example for the education sector in the United States and the world.The set of Sustainability Principles approved by President Lawrence H. Summers last year was an important first step. Now we must look for implementation opportunities. As Harvard looks forward to the development of an entire new campus in Allston, the time could not be better to ask the wider Harvard community to bring forward new ideas, new energy and a new vision for a sustainable campus.
The winners of this competition will have their work exhibited around campus during the coming academic year to build awareness for a campus-wide conference on sustainability in April 2006.
Will my original artwork be returned to me?
If you do not win a prize, you will have your artwork returned to you provided you do one of the following:
- include a self-addressed, stamped envelope with your submission along with any desired protective material to ensure safe postage
- come to the Harvard Green Campus Office May 1 and 5 to pick up your submission.
If you win a prize, your artwork will not be returned to you. It will be kept by the Harvard Green Campus Initiative for exhibition purposes.
Who will own the rights to my artwork?
Please read the ownership statement located on the "About the Competition" page.
What are the tax implications of winning a cash prize?
As with other types of cash prizes, the money awarded in the Vision of Sustainability Art and Design Competition will have tax implications. To the best of our knowledge, they are as follows, but please be advised these guidelines may change according to tax laws and university policy:
- For students, employees and other winners who are U.S. Citizens or Permanent Residents, the University will not withhold tax from the prize; however, the income will be reported on IRS Form 1099 MISC if the individual has received other non-employee compensation from the University totaling $600 or more.
- For students, employees and other winners who are not U.S. Citizens or Permanent Residents, the University is required to withhold and report 30% 1042-S tax from the prizes. There is not a minimum withholding amount (e.g., a $5 cash prize would have 30% withholding).
References
World Commission on Environment and Development. Our Common Future. Oxford University Press, 1987.
Anthony Cortese, “Education for Sustainability: The Need for a New Human Perspective,” Second Nature, 1999.