Rector of the University of Glasgow

The (Lord) Rector of the University of Glasgow is one of the most senior posts within the institution, elected every three years by students. The theoretical role of the rector is to represent students to the senior management of the university and raise issues which concern them. In order to achieve this, the rector is the statutory chair of the Court, the governing body of the university.

The tower of the University of Glasgow above Kelvingrove Park

The position's place in the university was enshrined by statute in 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 (being St Andrews, Glasgow, Aberdeen and Edinburgh). Students of the University of Dundee also elect a rector.

The previous rector, Aamer Anwar, a lawyer based in Glasgow, chose not to seek reelection,[1] and elections to choose his successor were postponed due to the COVID-19 pandemic.[2] The elections were ultimately held in April 2021, with Lady Rae being elected to succeed Anwar as Rector.[3]

Former rectors

Students have not always voted for working rectors; anti-apartheid activists Winnie Mandela (1987–1990) and Albert Lutuli (1962–1965) were elected on the understanding that they would be unable to undertake the position's responsibilities, while Mordechai Vanunu (2005–2008) was unable to fulfil his duties as he was not allowed to leave Israel and Edward Snowden (2014–2017) was not expected to fulfill his duties due to an ongoing self-imposed exile in Russia. However, other recent Rectors have been elected on the presumption they will be working rectors, e.g. Ross Kemp (1999–2000), who resigned from the post after the Students' Representative Council voted to request his resignation, such was the extent of student dissatisfaction with his performance. At the Rectorial election in February 2004, no nominations for the post of rector had been received. Upon the end of Greg Hemphill's term, the university was left without a rector for the first time in the position's history. The University Senate set another election date for December, when Mordechai Vanunu was elected. The post was left vacant for a second time at the end of Aamer Anwar's term in March 2020, with the scheduled Rectorial election postponed until March 2021 due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Nations

Until 1977, for Rectorial election purposes, the university was divided into four 'nations' based on the students' birthplace, originally called Clidisdaliae, Thevidaliae, Albaniae and Rosay, and later as Glottiana, Loudoniana, Transforthana and Rothseiana. Three of the 'nations' consisted of defined areas in Scotland, with Loudoniana consisting of students from all other places.[4]

List of rectors
17th-century University of Glasgow rectors
YearsNameNationalityBiography
1648–1650Robert Ramsay ScotlandClergyman
1690–1691David Boyle ScotlandLord Clerk Register
1691–1718Sir John Maxwell of Nether Park ScotlandCommissioner for Renfrewshire in the Scottish Parliament
18th-century University of Glasgow rectors
YearsNameNationalityBiography
1691–1718Sir John Maxwell of Nether Park ScotlandCommissioner for Renfrewshire in the Scottish Parliament
1718–1720Mungo Graham of Gorthie ScotlandCommr. justiciary for Highlands
1720–1723Robert Dundas, of Arniston, the elder ScotlandLord President of the Court of Session
1723–1725James Hamilton of Aikenhead Scotland
1725–1726Sir Hugh Montgomerie of Hartfield Scotland
1726–1729George Ross ScotlandMaster of Ross, 13th Lord Ross
1729–1731Francis Dunlop of Dunlop Scotland
1731–1733John Orr of Barrowfield Scotland
1733–1738Colin Campbell of Blythswood Scotland
1738–1740George Bogle of Daldowie, ScotlandGlasgow Tobacco Lord
1740–1742John Graham of Dugalston Scotland
1742–1743John Orr of Barrowfield Scotland
1743–1746George Bogle of Daldowie Scotland
1746–1748Sir John Maxwell of Pollock Scotland
1748–1750George Bogle of Daldowie Scotland
1750–1753Sir John Maxwell of Pollock Scotland
1753–1755William Mure of Caldwell Scotland
1755–1757John Boyle ScotlandThe 3rd Earl of Glasgow
1757–1759Patrick Boyle, Lord Shewalton Scotland
1759–1761James Milliken of Milliken Scotland
1761–1763The 15th Earl of Erroll ScotlandGrand Master Mason of the Grand Lodge of Scotland
1763–1764Thomas Miller ScotlandLord Glenlee, Lord Advocate
1764–1767William Mure of Caldwell Scotland
1767–1768Dunbar Douglas ScotlandThe 4th Earl of Selkirk
1768–1770Sir Adam Ferguson of Kilkerran Scotland
1770–1772Robert Ord Scotland
1772–1773Lord Frederick Campbell ScotlandParliamentarian, Lord Clerk Register
1773–1775Charles Schaw Cathcart, Scotland9th Lord Cathcart, General (British Army), Ambassador to Russia
1775–1777Sir James William Montgomery ScotlandLord Advocate, Chief Baron of Exchequer
1777–1779Andrew Stewart of Torrance Scotland
1779–1781The 7th Earl of Lauderdale ScotlandRepresentative peer
1781–1783Henry Dundas ScotlandLord Advocate
1783–1785Edmund Burke IrelandPhilosopher
1785–1787Robert Graham of Gartmore ScotlandParliamentarian, former student
1787–1789Prof. Adam Smith ScotlandProfessor of Moral Philosophy, author of The Wealth of Nations, former student
1789–1791Walter Campbell of Shawfield Scotland
1791–1793Thomas Kennedy of Dunure Scotland
1793–1795William Mure of Caldwell Scotland
1795–1797William McDowell of Garthland Scotland
1797–1799George Oswald of Auchencruive Scotland
1799–1801Lord Succoth ScotlandLord Justice General
19th-century University of Glasgow rectors
YearsNameNationalityBiography
1799–1801Lord Succoth ScotlandLord Justice General
1801–1803Lord Craig Scotland
1803–1805Robert Dundas of Arniston ScotlandLord Advocate, Chief Baron of Exchequer
1805–1807Henry Glassford of Dugalston Scotland
1807–1809Archibald Colquhoun of Killermont ScotlandLord Advocate
1809–1811Archibald Campbell of Blythswood Scotland
1811–1813Lord Archibald Hamilton Scotlandparliamentarian
1813–1815General The 1st Baron Lynedoch ScotlandPreviously styled, up until May 1814, as General Sir Thomas Graham
1815–1817Lord Boyle ScotlandLord Justice Clerk
1817–1819The 4th Earl of Glasgow ScotlandProminent Scottish peer
1819–1820Kirkman Finlay ScotlandLord Provost of Glasgow
1820–1822Francis Jeffrey ScotlandSenator of the College of Justice, former student
1822–1824Sir James Mackintosh ScotlandJurist
1824–1826Henry Brougham ScotlandLord Chancellor 1830–1834
1826–1829Thomas Campbell ScotlandPoet, former student
1829–1831The 3rd Marquess of Lansdowne England

Chancellor of the Exchequer

1831–1834Henry Thomas Cockburn ScotlandSenator of the College of Justice
1834–1836Lord Stanley Englanda later Prime Minister of the United Kingdom
1836–1838Sir Robert Peel England2nd Bt., the former Prime Minister of the United Kingdom
1838–1840Sir James Graham Scotland2nd Bt., Home Secretary
1840–1842The 2nd Marquess of Breadalbane Scotlandparliamentarian, former Grand Master Mason of the Grand Lodge of Scotland
1842–1844Fox Maule Scotlandparliamentarian and a later Grand Master of the Grand Lodge of Scotland
1844–1846Andrew Rutherfurd ScotlandLord Advocate
1846–1847Lord John Russell EnglandPrime Minister of the United Kingdom
1847–1848William Mure of Caldwell Scotlandclassical scholar, parliamentarian
1848–1850Thomas Babington Macaulay EnglandParliamentarian
1850–1852Sir Archibald Alison, 1st Bt. ScotlandInstitutional legal writer
1852–1854The 13th Earl of Eglinton Scotlanda former (and a later) Lord Lieutenant of Ireland
1854–1856The 8th Duke of Argyll Scotlandparliamentarian
1856–1859Sir Edward Bulwer-Lytton Englandwriter and politician
1859–1862The 8th Earl of Elgin ScotlandViceroy of India 1862–1863
1862–1865The 3rd Viscount Palmerston EnglandPrime Minister of the United Kingdom
1865–1868Lord Glencorse ScotlandLord President of the Court of Session
1868–1871The 15th Earl of Derby Englanda former (and a later) Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs
1871–1877Benjamin Disraeli (1st Earl of Beaconsfield from 1876) EnglandPrime Minister of the United Kingdom
1877–1880William Ewart Gladstone EnglandPrime Minister of the United Kingdom
1880–1883John Bright EnglandQuaker, activist
1883–1884Henry Fawcett Englandeconomist and parliamentarian
1884–1887Edmund Law Lushington EnglandProfessor of Greek
1887–1890The 1st Earl of Lytton Englandformer Viceroy of India
1890–1893A.J. Balfour Scotlandformer Chief Secretary for Ireland and a later Prime Minister of the United Kingdom
1893–1896Sir John Eldon Gorst EnglandSolicitor-General for England and Wales
1896–1899Joseph Chamberlain Englandstatesman, father of Sir Austen Chamberlain (Rector 1925–1928)
1899–1902The 5th Earl of Rosebery Scotlandformer Prime Minister of the United Kingdom
20th-century University of Glasgow rectors
1899–1902The 5th Earl of Rosebery Scotlandformer Prime Minister of the United Kingdom
1902–1905George Wyndham EnglandChief Secretary for Ireland
1905–1908H.H. Asquith EnglandPrime Minister of the United Kingdom
1908–1911The 1st Earl Curzon of Kedleston Englandformer Viceroy of India, Foreign Secretary
1911–1914Augustine Birrell EnglandChief Secretary for Ireland and poet
1914–1919Raymond Poincaré FrancePresident of the French Republic and a former (and later) Prime Minister of France
1919–1922Bonar Law ScotlandPrime Minister of the United Kingdom, former student
1922–1925The 1st Earl of Birkenhead EnglandLord Chancellor
1925–1928Sir Austen Chamberlain Englandparliamentarian and statesman
1928–1931Stanley Baldwin EnglandPrime Minister of the United Kingdom
1931–1934Compton Mackenzie Scotlandnovelist
1934–1937Sir Iain Colquhoun Scotland7th Bt.
1937–1938Dick Sheppard Englandpacifist
1938–1945Sir Archibald Sinclair Scotland4th Bt., Leader of the British Liberal Party
1945–1947Sir John Boyd-Orr Scotlandphysician, nutritionist and Nobel laureate (former student)
1947–1950Walter Elliot Scotlandpolitician (former student)
1950–1953John MacCormick Scotlandlawyer and famed nationalist (former student)
1953–1956Tom Honeyman Scotlandphysician, director of Kelvingrove Art Gallery (former student)
1956–1959Rab Butler Englandbecame Home Secretary while rector and a former Chancellor of the Exchequer (and a later Foreign Secretary)
1959–1962Quintin Hogg EnglandThe 2nd Viscount Hailsham, Lord President of the Council (and a later Lord Chancellor)
1962–1965Albert Lutuli South AfricaPresident of the African National Congress and Nobel Peace Prize laureate (Absentee)
1965–1968The 1st Baron Reith Scotlandformerly the first Director-General of the BBC
1968–1971George MacLeod ScotlandThe Baron MacLeod of Fuinary; Founder of the radical Christian organisation, the Iona Community; Past Moderator of the Church of Scotland
1971–1974Jimmy Reid ScotlandTrade union activist, his inaugural speech on social alienation was famous for its reference to the rat race
1974–1977Arthur Montford Scotlandsports journalist
1977–1980John L. Bell ScotlandElected while a student at the university
1980–1984Reginald Bosanquet EnglandTV newsreader
1984–1987Michael Kelly ScotlandLord Provost of Glasgow
1987–1990Winnie Madikizela-Mandela South AfricaSouth African activist and politician
1990–1993Pat Kane Scotlandmusician, alumnus.
1993–1996Johnny Ball EnglandTV presenter
1996–1999Richard Wilson Scotlandactor
1999–2000Ross Kemp Englandactor
21st-century University of Glasgow rectors
2001–2004Greg Hemphill Scotlandactor and alumnus
2004–2005Position vacant
2005–2008Mordechai Vanunu IsraelIsraeli nuclear technician and whistle-blower (Absentee)
2008–2014Charles Kennedy Scotlandformer Leader of the Liberal Democrats and alumnus.
2014–2017Edward Snowden[5] United Statescomputer professional/intelligence whistleblower (Absentee)
2017–2020Aamer Anwar ScotlandLawyer, human rights campaigner and alumnus
2019–2020Position vacantThe 2020 election was postponed for a year due to the COVID-19 pandemic
2021–presentRita Rae, Lady Rae ScotlandFormer Senator of the College of Justice

References
  1. "University of Glasgow rector Aamer Anwar not seeking re-election in 2020 election"
  2. UofG Rector Elections 2020 (Archived from the original on 5 February 2021. Retrieved 17 February 2021.)
  3. "Lady Rae in running to become Glasgow University's next rector". Scottish Legal News. Retrieved 21 April 2021.
  4. Historical perspective for Glasgow
  5. Edward Snowden elected as rector of Glasgow University
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