Rector of Glasgow University

The position of Lord Rector of Glasgow University is elected every three years by the students at the University of Glasgow. Seldomly referred to as Lord Rector, they are more commonly known just as the Rector, the position's place in the university was enshrined by statute of the Westminster Parliament when they passed the Universities (Scotland) Act 1889 which provided for the election of a Rector at all of the universities in existence at the time in Scotland. To this day it is only the four ancient universities of Glasgow, Edinburgh, Aberdeen and St Andrews as well as Dundee who elect a rector, whereas the other universities do not.

Related Topics:
University of Glasgow - Westminster Parliament - Universities (Scotland) Act 1889 - Scotland - Ancient universities - Edinburgh - Aberdeen - St Andrews - Dundee

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The role of the Rector is to work on behalf of the students, raising issues of concern on their behalf. They are also entitled to chair the University Court, the University's management body. In the past the position was largely seen as honorific, with students not expecting the person in office to be that active, however in recent years there have been expectations that the person shall be active. Indeed, Ross Kemp resigned after the Glasgow University Students' Representative Council (SRC) voted to request that he did so, such was the extent of student dissatisfaction with his performance.

Related Topics:
Ross Kemp - Glasgow University Students' Representative Council

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It is not always the case though that students vote for a working rector in modern times. For example, Winnie Mandela was elected largely on the understanding that she would be unable to undertake the position's responsibilities. Indeed, the most recently elected Rector, Mordechai Vanunu has thus far been unable to undertake his responsibilities as Israel refuse to let him leave the country to do so, thus he could reasonably fall into the category as someone elected as a statement of solidarity rather than as a working rector. That said, many of the students involved in the campaign to elect him have since called for his release to allow him to undertake activities relating to the role.

Related Topics:
Winnie Mandela - Mordechai Vanunu - Israel

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Another interesting feature of Vanunu's election is that he was elected in the second scheduled election for Rector in 2004. He was elected in December, whilst the position should have actually been filled in February, 2004, but there were no nominations for the post forthcoming. This caused the university (elections are organised by the University Senate) to set another date for December where he was successfully elected by the students of Glasgow.

Related Topics:
2004 - December - February

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The Rector works closely with the SRC, with their office being located in the same building as that organisation.

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official src definition of the Rector's position, word doc

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