Rules
Eligibility & Dealine
- Open to current and former UCSC students, staff, and faculty.
- Please submit using your UCSC email. UCSC CAN may request confirmation of UCSC affiliation.
- Submissions deadline: June 12th, 2026
- Photos may be captured earlier, but must be submitted during the submission window.
Themes
- Photos should reflect Climate in Community: Culture & Action at UCSC. Submissions may include (but are not limited to):
- Climate and sustainability in everyday campus life
- Nature, biodiversity, and place-based learning
- Climate culture, community, and environmental justice
- Events, lectures, research, and action connected to UCSC CAN’s mission
Location requirement
- Photos must be captured on UCSC-owned or UCSC-managed property associated with UCSC campuses and sites, including (but not limited to) the main campus, coastal facilities, Lick Observatory, and UCSC Natural Reserves.
- You must provide the specific location for each photo in your submission (e.g., building/trail/reserve/site).
Entry Limit
- Each person may submit up to 5 original photos total.
- Submit one photo per form submission (submit the form up to 5 times).
- More than 5 entries from the same individual (including submissions across multiple emails/names) will not be reviewed beyond the first 5 received.
- UCSC CAN may request the original file (unedited JPG/RAW) and/or additional information to verify authorship and/or location.
Prizes & Judging
- Prizes:
- 1 Grand Prize: $50 gift card
- 10 Finalists: $10 gift card each + featured on UCSC CAN platforms
- Winners selected by a UCSC CAN judging group based on:
- relevance to theme
- creativity/storytelling
- composition/quality
- suitability for UCSC CAN communications
- Winners/finalists will be contacted by email.
Originality & Editing Policy
- Entries must be original photographs taken by you. No stolen, purchased, or otherwise third-party images.
- Basic edits (crop, exposure, color correction) allowed. No AI generation or adding/removing major elements.
Photo Rights & Credit
- You retain copyright to your photos.
- By entering, you grant UCSC CAN a non-exclusive, royalty-free license to use, reproduce, display, and adapt your image for UCSC CAN communications (website, social media, and promotional materials).
- UCSC CAN will provide credit when reasonably possible.
Privacy & Consent
- If your photo includes identifiable individuals, you confirm you have permission to submit the image for UCSC CAN use.
