Rector of the University of St Andrews facts for kids
The Lord Rector of the University of St Andrews is an important elected role. This person is usually the president of the University Court. The University Court is the main group that runs the university.
Quick facts for kids Rector of the University of St Andrews |
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Incumbent
Stella Maris since 2023 |
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| Member of | University Court |
| Appointer | Elected by all the matriculated students of the University |
| Term length | 3 years |
| Constituting instrument | Universities (Scotland) Act 1858 |
| Formation | 1858 (in modern form) |
| First holder | Sir Ralph Anstruther, 4th Bt. |
Contents
What is the Rector's Role?
The Rector is chosen every three years. All students who are officially enrolled at the university get to vote. The job of Rector, sometimes called Lord Rector, was created in 1858. This happened because of a law passed by the Parliament of the United Kingdom.
This law helps manage the old universities in Scotland. It says that universities like Aberdeen, Edinburgh, Glasgow, and St Andrews must elect a Rector. The University of Dundee also elects a Rector. This is because it used to be part of St Andrews. Other newer universities do not have this role.
Since 1970, the Rector has chosen a student to be the Rector's Assessor. This student can vote in the University Court meetings. They also work with the students' representative council. As of September 2023, the Rector's Assessor position was empty.
Rector Stella Maris's Time in Office
In December 2023, the university asked a lawyer named Morag Ross to look into Rector Stella Maris's actions. This happened after she sent an email to 10,000 students on November 21, 2023. In her email, she talked about a conflict and shared her views. She also spoke out against hatred towards different groups. She ended by saying her words were for peace.
Her email and online discussions caused different reactions. On November 26, 2023, the University's Jewish Society shared their worries. They felt her words were harmful and not based on facts. They also said her email was different from an earlier draft. They were concerned that the email used information from a publication that had been accused of being unfair.
On the other hand, many students supported Maris. An open letter signed by over 1,100 students thanked her. They praised her "courageous stance" and her call for peace. Another letter in May 2024 asked the university to stop supporting groups involved in the conflict. This letter was signed by over 1,000 staff and students.
The university leaders were worried that Maris's email could cause arguments and hatred. The investigation by Morag Ross found that Maris did not mean to cause harm. However, it said her actions showed "poor judgment." The report also said she might have damaged the university's reputation. It noted she did not follow advice from university officials before sending the email. Still, the report said it was not clear if she broke any rules. It also said firing her would be too harsh.
On August 1, 2024, the University Court announced they had to remove Maris from the court. This meant she was no longer a trustee of the university. They said they tried to work with her for a long time but could not find a solution. They claimed she refused to accept the investigation's findings. They also said she did not want to talk or use outside help to solve their differences. Maris said these claims were not true. She said the university was unfair and did not respect her role.
On August 13, 2024, she appealed the decision to the University Chancellor. Many groups and people supported her. This included over 500 professors from different countries. Other human rights supporters also spoke out. They asked for her to be put back in her role.
On April 29, 2025, the University Chancellor, Menzies Campbell, decided in Maris's favor. This means Maris was fully put back in her role as Rector. She will stay in the position until her term ends in October 2026. Some people have questioned if the university's investigation was fair. University leaders met with government officials during the process. This made some people at St Andrews worry about "outside voices" influencing the decision.
List of Rectors
| # | Name | Years served |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Sir Ralph Anstruther, 4th Bt. | 1859–1862 |
| 2 | William Stirling-Maxwell, MP | 1862–1865 |
| 3 | John Stuart Mill | 1865–1868 |
| 4 | J.A. Froude | 1868–1871 |
| 5 | Charles Neaves, Lord Neaves | 1872–1874 |
| 6 | Dr. Arthur Penrhyn Stanley | 1874–1877 |
| 7 | Roundell Palmer, 1st Earl of Selborne | 1877–1880 |
| 8 | Sir Theodore Martin | 1880–1883 |
| 9 | Donald Mackay, 11th Lord Reay | 1884–1886 |
| 10 | A.J. Balfour | 1886–1889 |
| 11 | Frederick Hamilton-Temple-Blackwood, 1st Marquess of Dufferin and Ava | 1889–1892 |
| 12 | Lord Patrick Crichton-Stuart, The 3rd Marquess of Bute | 1892–1898 |
| 13 | James Stuart, MP | 1898–1901 |
| 14 | Andrew Carnegie | 1901–1907 |
| 15 | John Lubbock, 1st Baron Avebury | 1907–1910 |
| 16 | Archibald Primrose, 5th Earl of Rosebery | 1910–1913 |
| 17 | John Hamilton-Gordon, 1st Marquess of Aberdeen and Temair | 1913–1916 |
| 18 | Field Marshal Douglas Haig, 1st Earl Haig | 1916–1919 |
| 19 | Sir James M. Barrie | 1919–1922 |
| 20 | Rudyard Kipling | 1922–1925 |
| 21 | Fridtjof Nansen | 1925–1928 |
| 22 | Sir Wilfred Grenfell | 1928–1931 |
| 23 | Field Marshal Jan Smuts | 1931–1934 |
| 24 | Guglielmo Marconi, 1st Marquess of Marconi | 1934–1937 |
| 25 | Lord MacGregor Mitchell | 1937–1938 |
| 26 | Sir David Munro | 1938–1946 |
| 27 | Sir George Cunningham | 1946–1949 |
| 28 | David Cecil, 6th Marquess of Exeter | 1949–1952 |
| 29 | David Lindsay, 28th Earl of Crawford | 1952–1955 |
| 30 | David Maxwell Fyfe, 1st Earl of Kilmuir | 1955–1958 |
| 31 | Robert Boothby, Baron Boothby | 1958–1961 |
| 32 | C. P. Snow | 1961–1964 |
| 33 | Sir John Rothenstein | 1964–1967 |
| 34 | Sir Learie Nicholas Constantine (Baron Constantine from 1969) | 1967–1970 |
| 35 | John Cleese | 1970–1973 |
| 36 | Alan Coren | 1973–1976 |
| 37 | Frank Muir | 1976–1979 |
| 38 | Tim Brooke-Taylor | 1979–1982 |
| 39 | Katharine Whitehorn | 1982–1985 |
| 40 | Stanley Adams | 1985–1988 |
| 41 | Nicholas Parsons | 1988–1991 |
| 42 | Nicky Campbell | 1991–1993 |
| 43 | Donald Findlay | 1993–1999 |
| 44 | Andrew Neil | 1999–2002 |
| 45 | Sir Clement Freud | 2002–2005 |
| 46 | Simon Pepper | 2005–2008 |
| 47 | Kevin Dunion | 2008–2011 |
| 48 | Alistair Moffat | 2011–2014 |
| 49 | Catherine Stihler | 2014–2017 |
| 50 | Srđa Popović | 2017–2020 |
| 51 | Leyla Hussein | 2020–2023 |
| 52 | Stella Maris | 2023–Present |
More Information
- Ancient university governance in Scotland
- Governance of the University of St Andrews
- Chancellor of the University of St Andrews
- Principal of the University of St Andrews
