Rector of the University of Edinburgh

Gordon Brown, elected Rector while a student, later served as Prime Minister of the United Kingdom

The Lord Rector of the University of Edinburgh is elected every three years by the students and staff at the University of Edinburgh. Seldom referred to as Lord Rector, the incumbent is more commonly known just as the Rector. The current Rector is Steve Morrison.

Role

The Rector chairs the University's highest governing body, the University Court; in addition the Rector chairs meetings of the General Council in the absence of the Chancellor. In more recent years the role has included a function akin to that of an ombudsperson for the university community. In their position, the Rector can exert considerable influence in Court and in the body politic of the University. He/she can be well-informed about student and staff issues and concerns, can champion their causes, and can make sure that these issues are fully aired in Court.[1][2]

History

The position of Rector, along with the positions of Chancellor and Vice-Chancellor, was only created in 1858. Prior to this, the University was governed by the Lord Provost, Magistrates, and town council of Edinburgh. The rector's place in the university was codified by statute of the Westminster Parliament, the Universities (Scotland) Act 1889, which provided for the election of a Rector at all universities then in existence in Scotland. To this day only the ancient universities of Edinburgh, Glasgow, Aberdeen and St Andrews plus the newer Dundee, elect a Rector; the 20th century universities do not.

In 1935 students went to great lengths to invite Russian revolutionary Leon Trotsky to become Rector, Trotsky turned down the offer stating: "The elections to the rectorate are conducted on a non-political basis and your letter itself is signed by representatives of every political tendency. But I myself occupy too definite a political position. … [I could not] appear on any public tribune not under the Bolshevik banner."[3]

Successful candidates are typically well-known figures with some connection to the city. Gordon Brown was unusual in being elected at the age of 21 while still a student, several years before he became politically prominent.

The 2009 election was won by political journalist Iain Macwhirter. Macwhirter defeated Labour peer and MSP Lord Foulkes to become the University's 50th Rector, earning 4,822 votes, or 69% of the total vote.[4] Respect politician George Galloway withdrew his candidacy on 6 February 2009.[5][6]

Current Rector

On 11 February 2015 the university announced Steve Morrison as the new Rector. Morrison beat the incumbent, Peter McColl, with 61.9% of the vote. Morrison is a TV producer and former chairman of Granada Television.[7][8]

List of Rectors

Rectors of the university were as follows:[9]

References

  1. ↑ "The Rector". University of Edinburgh. Retrieved 14 October 2012.
  2. ↑ "How the Rector’s Role has Changed". University of Edinburgh. Retrieved 14 October 2012.
  3. ↑ "Letter from Leon Trotsky to the students of Edinburgh University, 7 June 1935". Edinburgh University Library, Special Collections. Retrieved 15 July 2012.
  4. ↑ Iain Macwhirter chosen as Edinburgh’s 50th Rector | News | News and events
  5. ↑ Macleod, Fiona (13 January 2009). "Clash of the political titans in battle to be new university rector". The Scotsman. Edinburgh, UK.
  6. ↑ Swanson, Ian (13 January 2009). "Firebrand Galloway joins fight to be university's next Rector". The Scotsman. Edinburgh, UK.
  7. ↑ Bugajski, Matt; Dewitt, Ethan (11 February 2015). "Steve Morrison wins rectorial election with 61.9% of vote". The Student. Retrieved 5 November 2016.
  8. ↑ "Steve Morrison's candidate statement - Rectorial Election 2015". Retrieved 11 February 2015.
  9. ↑ "The Rector of the University". University of Edinburgh. Retrieved 17 August 2008.
  10. ↑ Paul Addison (30 September 2004). "Churchill, Sir Winston Leonard Spencer (1874–1965)". Oxford Dictionary of National Biography. Oxford University Press. Retrieved 10 September 2007.

Bibliography

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