Rector of the University of Glasgow

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The position of Lord Rector of the University of Glasgow is elected every three years by the students at the University of Glasgow. Seldom 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 it 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 only the four ancient universities: Glasgow: Edinburgh, Aberdeen and St Andrews elect a rector, as does Dundee.

The role of the Rector is to work on behalf of the students and raise issues that concern them. The Rector is also entitled to chair the University Court, the governing body of the university. In the past the position was largely seen as honorific, but in recent years, expectations have grown that the Rector play an active role in the university. Indeed, Ross Kemp resigned after the Glasgow University Students' Representative Council (SRC) voted to request his resignation, such was the extent of student dissatisfaction with his performance.

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 refuses 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.

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.

The Rector often works closely with the SRC.

[edit] List of Rectors

[edit] See also

[edit] External links

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