Frequently Asked Questions
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Contact
Q: How do I submit a letter to the editor?
A: Harvard Magazine welcomes letters on its contents. Please send via e-mail to [email protected]. You may also send your letter via U.S. mail to "Letters," Harvard Magazine, 7 Ware Street, Cambridge MA 02138, or via fax to 617-495-0324. Letters may be edited to fit the available space.
Q: How do I submit a class note?
A: Use our class notes webform or send your note to [email protected]. You can also write to "The Classes," Harvard Magazine, 7 Ware Street, Cambridge MA 02138, or via fax to 617-495-0324. (Please note: We welcome wedding and birth announcements, but do not report engagements or pregnancies.)
If you want your class note to appear only in the print edition and not on the website, please specify that in your submission. Announcements that appear on the website can be viewed only by registered users with a Harvard Magazine account.
Print-edition deadlines are November 1 for the January-February issue, January 1 for March-April, March 1 for May-June, May 1 for July-August, July 1 for September-October, and September 1 for November-December.
Q: Who is eligible to submit a class note?
A: Harvard Magazine publishes news sent in by alumni and alumnae of Harvard and Radcliffe Colleges and their class secretaries, and news from alumni and alumnae of the Graduate School of Arts and Sciences. We also publish information from press releases about these alums that are sent to our office.
Q: How do I submit an obituary?
A: You can use our obituary webform or send an e-mail to [email protected]. You can also use U.S. mail ("Obituaries," Harvard Magazine, 7 Ware Street, Cambridge MA 02138), or fax 617-495-0324. Please specify "print only" if you do not wish the obituary to appear on the magazine website.
Obituaries in Harvard Magazine are free of charge and written by the obituaries editor, Deborah Smullyan '72. The information you provide will be used as a basis for the obituary, but not reprinted verbatim. Please include contact information in case we need clarification or further information. Our obituaries customarily include the following: (1) date and place of death; (2) a brief summary of career; (3) interests, passions, hobbies, publications, honors, military service, or other distinctions the alum would have liked to see mentioned; (4) the names of surviving spouse or partner, if any (including maiden name); and of children, parents, siblings, and grandparents.
The magazine prints obituaries principally for alumni/ae of Harvard and Radcliffe Colleges, and for alumni/ae of the Graduate School of Arts and Sciences whose family or friends request a notice. Alumni of the professional schools alone (law, medicine, education, design, etc.) receive an edition of Harvard Magazine that does not include obituaries, so unless there is a specific reason for publishing an obituary for a professional school alum, families of those alumni will do better to submit obituaries to the alumni publications of the appropriate professional schools.
Q: How can I submit information about my new book to Harvard Magazine?
A: Please send information to [email protected]. Review copies should be sent to the attention of John Rosenberg, Harvard Magazine, 7 Ware Street, Cambridge MA 02138. Please note the author's Harvard affiliation and class year if possible.
During an average two-month period, the magazine receives several dozen to several score books by alumni/ae and faculty members from throughout Harvard. From those, we select, typically, eight to twelve titles, aiming for those that might be overlooked, that might have some particular Harvard content or angle, and that will, collectively, make an interesting mix of subjects, perspectives, etc. We then write up the columns or page that readers see. Thus we sort from what we have, try to serve readers, and prepare our coverage. The volume of material makes it impossible for us to guarantee coverage, and in fact we get to only a small minority of eligible titles. Those books we cannot cover that are written by graduates of the College or the Graduate School of Arts and Sciences are mentioned in our class notes; those by faculty or alumni/ae of other schools need to be submitted to those schools' separate alumni publications.
Q: Can I write for Harvard Magazine?
A: Harvard Magazine is an alumni publication for the graduates, faculty, and staff of Harvard University. Its contents are about the extended Harvard community—research, teaching, and the lives of community members. Accordingly, story ideas not strongly related to Harvard are unlikely to be right for the magazine. In addition to a small staff of writers and editors, who produce a significant proportion of the contents, we hire freelance writers for most sections, and assign illustrations and photography for each issue.
To understand the magazine's mission and approach to serving its readers, the best guide is always the contents of recent issues, which are available online at this website. Note that as a bimonthly publication, we work with very long lead times: for feature articles, six months before the cover date is a typical minimum lead time, and much longer is not unusual; shorter pieces (Right Now and Montage articles) typically proceed more quickly. But submissions aimed at inclusion in an issue dated a month later are always too late, as the magazine is already in advanced stages of production by then.
If you have a proposal for an article, please submit a query by email to [email protected], or mail it to John Rosenberg, Editor, Harvard Magazine, 7 Ware Street, Cambridge MA 02138. Telephone calls invariably require more detailed follow-up, so the editors strongly encourage beginning with a detailed written query.
Such queries should explain the proposed subject and why it is of interest; outline the proposed treatment (who will be interviewed or what materials will be covered, at what likely length for the finished article, for what section if relevant, on what timeline, etc.); and, for writers not previously known to the editors, should be accompanied by samples of published work comparable in approach and scale to the idea being proposed. The magazine does not encourage simultaneous submissions elsewhere. The query mechanism is essential, because as a bimonthly magazine working much in advance of publication, we may already be working on the subject you wish to propose—so submitting a query is designed to protect you from the disappointment of submitting a finished article only to discover that it duplicates a piece already under way.
The magazine's contents are principally journalistic. Faculty opinion pieces, published in "Forum," are exclusively assigned internally. Although the magazine occasionally uses personal essays or humor, such pieces are necessarily subject to evaluation of the executed piece and cannot be assigned on a guaranteed basis. Because of limited space and the constraints of readers' interest, the magazine does not generally have room to publish personal recollections about an individual's college experience, and does not seek remembrances about deceased individuals beyond those published in the obituary notices.
The art director can review submissions of work by photographers and illustrators; direct portfolios by [email protected].
Q: How do I contact a member of the Harvard Magazine staff?
A: See a full list of magazine staff members, with e-mail addresses, here.
Q: How do I contact someone who was mentioned in Harvard Magazine?
A: The University closely protects the privacy of its students, and does not make their e-mail addresses available to those without a valid Harvard ID number. However, the public listings in the University directory do contain e-mail and phone number for many faculty members. If you can't find the faculty member you're looking for, a Web search of the person's name along with the word "Harvard" often turns up his or her Harvard faculty webpage.
If you are looking for a Harvard graduate, the Harvard Alumni Association website allows alumni to send messages to other alumni. And if all else fails, try getting in touch with the author of the article; see our staff list for contact information.
Subscriptions
Q: How do I subscribe to Harvard Magazine or renew my subscription?
A: Use our subscription webform or contact [email protected].
Q: How do I give a gift subscription to Harvard Magazine?
A: Use our gift subscription webform or contact [email protected].
Q: How can I stop receiving duplicate copies of Harvard Magazine?
A: Please contact [email protected].
Q: How can I cancel my subscription or drop my name from Harvard Magazine's mailing list?
A: Please submit your request to [email protected].
Q: How do I change my address?
A: If you are an alumnus or alumna of Harvard University, send an e-mail to [email protected].
If you have a paid subscription to Harvard Magazine, please send your new address to [email protected].
If you are a current or retired Harvard University faculty or staff member, contact the University benefits office at 617-496-4001 or [email protected].
Q: My copy of the magazine doesn't have class notes or obituaries. How can I receive these sections?
A: Alumni and alumnae of the Harvard professional schools who wish to receive Harvard Magazine's class notes and obituaries sections should contact [email protected], who will verify their University affiliation(s) and then process their requests.
Q: My copy of the magazine does not contain the regional section, Harvard2. How can I receive that section?
A: To save the magazine paper and postage costs, the regional section, Harvard2 is mailed only to readers living in New England. All articles in the section, however, are readily accessible on the magazine's website.
Advertising
Q: Are your rates gross or net?
A: All print and digital rates posted are net.
Q: Do you offer trade, nonprofit or HSBA discounts, or added value?
A: Harvard Magazine does offer a variety of discounts to our print advertisers. Please feel free to contact us to learn more.
Q: Is there a way to reach only those readers living in New England?
A: Yes! Harvard Magazine's Harvard2 section is specifically designed to reach only our New England audience. We offer a separate rate card for this section.
Q: Does my ad reach the same audience in print and online?
A: Harvard Magazine's print product is the only way to reach all Harvard alumni in one place. Our digital products are available for anyone to read and enjoy.
Q: How can I place a classified ad?
A: Find the answers to some of the most frequently asked questions about classified advertising here—or click here to place your classified ad or call 617-496-6686.
Q: Do you have an editorial calendar?
A: Harvard Magazine covers news, research, and the alumni of Harvard who are making a difference in the world. Because new developments occur constantly, we do not have a concrete editorial calendar. We can, however, give you a general idea of what we might cover in our New England section, Harvard2, given the season. And we can provide you with more detailed information about a particular bi-monthly issue a month or two before it goes to press; please contact [email protected] to learn more.
Q: When is the next deadline?
A: Deadlines to reserve print advertising run 45 days in advance of the next bi-monthly issue (i.e. the space reservation deadline for the September-October issue is July 15). Click to downoad a media kit with a planning calendar.
Classified Advertising
Find the answers to some of the most frequently asked questions about classified advertising here.
Archives
Q: How can I purchase a back issue?
A: Please contact [email protected].
Q: Which issues of Harvard Magazine are available online?
A: Our website has the full text of every issue back to May-June 1996 (although some Class Notes and obituaries may be missing). You can download PDF files of pages from issues from November-December 2001 through November-December 2019. (Due to accessibility concerns, Harvard Magazine stopped publishing PDFs after December 2019. The PDFs are not accessible to screen readers - software programs that allow blind or visually impaired users to read the text that is displayed on the computer screen with a speech synthesizer or braille display. Thank you for understanding–and for supporting us as we work on a solution that will make our content accessible to all.)
Q: What if I need something from an older issue?
A: To locate articles from issues predating May-June 1996, e-mail [email protected] or write to Archives Search, Harvard Magazine, 7 Ware Street, Cambridge MA 02138.
Q: If I'm unable to find what I'm looking for, is anybody available to help?
A: Phone Harvard Magazine at 617-495-5746, then press #4 and #1, to leave a message on the editorial department voice mail, which is checked each business day. A staff member will try to assist you within five business days (sooner, if possible).
Q: Can I reprint an article, or portion of an article, that appeared in Harvard Magazine?
A: In most cases, the magazine or the author hold copyright to article text, and the text (or portions thereof) cannot be reprinted without permission. Please send all inquiries about reproduction to [email protected], telling us how many copies you need and how you will use them. (There is usually no fee for one-time educational use.) If the article is to be included in a book, please give print run, price, and publisher. If you have additional questions, call 617-495-5746.
Q: Can I reprint a photograph or other image that appeared in Harvard Magazine?
A: No, reproduction of images is not allowed. All rights for artwork that appear in the magazine and online belong to the artist. Harvard Magazine can provide you with contact information for the photographers and illustrators who contribute to the magazine; please call 617-495-5746.
Fundraising
Q: How is Harvard Magazine funded?
A: Harvard Magazine raises two-thirds of its operating revenue from reader contributions and advertising; the remaining one-third is a subsidy from the University.
Q: How is the money spent?
A: The contributions from readers pay for author and artist fees, and for editing, designing, and preparing the contents of each issue for publication in print and online.
Q: What is editorial independence? What is Harvard Magazine's relationship with Harvard University?
A: The magazine was founded independently by alumni more than a century ago, and is published today by a separately incorporated nonprofit affiliate of Harvard University. We have excellent access to University news and news sources, but are written, edited, and produced—like any independent news medium—with reader's interests foremost in mind.
Q: Why does Harvard Magazine need money if Harvard University is so wealthy?
A: Harvard Magazine's current arrangement with the University to fund the magazine primarily from non-University sources maximizes editorial independence. This allows for publication of a high-quality periodical and minimizes financial claims on the University, which is always mindful of its core educational purpose as a research and teaching institution, and does and should apply its resources to the classroom, the lab, the libraries, etc.
Q: How can I make a donation?
A: Please contact Allison Kern at [email protected] or by phone at 617-496-9780. We look forward to hearing from you!
Emails
Q: I already receive email from Harvard Magazine, so you must have my email address. Why should I sign up here?
A: Although alumni automatically receive communications from Harvard Magazine once a month (unless they have opted out via post.harvard.edu), we do not have access to the e-mail address you may have on file with the Harvard Alumni Association. Harvard is protective of your privacy—as it should be—so once a month, the Office of Alumni Affairs sends out the Editor's Highlights newsletter on our behalf. If you would like to receive more frequent news from Harvard Magazine, please sign up with us directly. We also take privacy protection very seriously and will never share your email address.
Q: How do I unsubscribe from Harvard emails?
A: If you no longer wish to receive correspondence of this kind from Harvard, please follow the unsubscribe link at the end of every email.
If you require further assistance, please contact [email protected].
My Account
Q: What is a Harvard Magazine account?
A: A Harvard Magazine account is required to access some areas of this website. Once established, your account may be used to view class notes and obituaries online and to sign up for—and manage—e-mail newsletter subscriptions.
Q: Is my Harvard Magazine account the same as my Harvard Alumni ID?
A: No, your Harvard Magazine account is not the same as your Harvard Alumni ID. Harvard Magazine is an independent affiliate of the University and the user accounts for this website are maintained separately. Contact [email protected] directly for technical assistance.
Q: What are the benefits of creating a Harvard Magazine account?
A: The benefits of a Harvard Magazine account include:
- Class Notes and Obituaries Access - Harvard Magazine publishes class notes and obituaries for graduates of Harvard and Radcliffe Colleges as well as the Graduate School of Arts and Sciences. Use your Harvard Magazine account to read these notes online. Please note: For privacy reasons, class notes and obituaries are accessible only to Harvard alumni. First register your Harvard Magazine Account—then verify your alumni status (when prompted).
- E-mail Newsletters - If you create a Harvard Magazine account you agree to be contacted by e-mail occasionally. For example, you may receive an e-mail notification when a new issue of Harvard Magazine has been published. Please note: You may update your e-mail preferences at any time, or contact Harvard Magazine for technical assistance at [email protected].
Directions
Q: Where are the Harvard Magazine offices located?
A: Our offices are located at 7 Ware Street, Cambridge. For parking information, an interactive map, and directions for both public transportation and car, please visit our directions page.
Policies
Fact-checking
Each text printed in Harvard Magazine (all of which are subsequently published online) is rigorously edited for language and style, and fact-checked, by the senior editor; and read by the other members of the editorial team, who also pose queries, make suggestions, and question matters of fact. Any changes or revisions made by the author are then reviewed again, to be certain they satisfy the editorial and fact-checking criteria and suggestions. After these reviews and revisions, the final typeset text is reviewed again, by an outside editor who is retained on contract. All online-only texts are reviewed by at least one member of the editorial team other than the author and subjected to the same disciplines: editing for language and style, queried about facts, and subject to revision by the originating author and a further final review by another editor. These processes apply to staff-written and contracted, freelanced texts.
Ethics
Members of the Harvard Magazine editorial staff are full-time journalist professionals whose professional obligation is to the organization and its readers. They are precluded from covering subjects where they may have any conflict of interest and must discuss any potential outside assignments or engagements with the editor before receiving permission to proceed. They understand and are committed to journalistic standards of objectivity, fairness, and completeness in their reporting. In any case where a question is raised about an article’s accuracy or completeness, they are obliged to make necessary corrections brought to the magazine’s attention, and to discuss any further matters with the editor, who may, in turn, discuss such matters with the person or persons who raises the issues. Opinion pieces, whether by staff members or outside contributors, are identified by appropriate headings (7 Ware Street for the editor’s published comments, Forum for faculty-written op-ed essays, Opinion for online commentaries, etc.).
Corrections
The magazine publishes notices of errata or omissions in each issue for which errata or omissions are discovered. In the case of online articles, corrections are made promptly; in matters that extend beyond the routine (nonsubstantive misspellings, a dropped word or punctuation mark), any corrections or changes are noted in boldface type in the text, with notice of the day and date on which such corrections or changes are made. The editor and members of the editorial staff are available to engage with anyone about possible errors or omissions in any Harvard Magazine contents.