Glasgow University Students Representative Council

Who is responsible for the elections?

The Rectorial Election is a student election managed by the University. The process for inviting nominations and conducting elections is the responsibility of the University.

What is the role of the SRC?

The SRC has no formal role in the Rectorial Election. As we represent students and it’s in our students’ interests to elect a Rector of quality, we assist the University in publicising the elections and trying to maximise turnout. Generally, the SRC’s role in the election is to encourage students to nominate, campaign and vote.

Who is the University Rector?

The Rector is the third student representative on Court, which is the governing body of the University. The other student representatives are the SRC President and an SRC Court Assessor elected from within our Council.

The Rector is nominated and elected by students. Any individual who is not a student or staff member may be nominated for the position of Rector – all they need to do to stand for the position is give their written consent and ten signatures from current students.

What is the process for electing the Rector?

All current students are eligible to vote in the Rectorial election, which takes place online at gla.ac.uk/vote on the 20th and 21st of March 2017. It’s a single transferable vote (STV), so students rank any and all candidates for whom they wish to vote in order of preference.

Candidates for Rector are invited to submit manifestos, which will be displayed on the SRC website. There will also be Hustings – an opportunity for students to hear from candidates for Rector and to ask them questions. If a candidate cannot attend Hustings, they may send a representative on their behalf.

How important is it for the student body and the University to have a Rector?

The Rector provides an additional, and potentially influential, voice to represent the views and needs of students at the highest levels of the University. The Rector often works closely with the SRC. The Rector may comment on and campaign for and against issues close to students – for instance, fees, or the campus redevelopment.

What are the University’s values and why is it important that whomever is elected must abide by these values?

We have a very diverse population of students, which is reflected in University and student governance.

The Equality Act 2010 is UK Government legislation which protects people from discrimination on the grounds of age, disability, gender reassignment, marriage and civil partnership, pregnancy and maternity, race, religion or belief, sex and sexual orientation. The University upholds this legislation through its Equality and Diversity Policy, with which all staff and students must comply.

Our Principal, Anton Muscatelli, is also the overall Equality Champion for the University. The University has a number of Equality Champions for specific protected characteristics: age, disability, gender, race, religion and belief, sexual orientation and gender reassignment.

The student body also elects 9 SRC Welfare & Equal Opportunities Officers who represent protected characteristics and underrepresented groups.

As public bodies, the SRC and the University have legal and moral duties to ensure that individuals on campus are neither discriminated against nor encouraged to be discriminated against.

The Rector is a student representative and as such should represent the student body that elected them.

We strongly encourage all students to use their voice in the Rectorial elections: by exercising their right to vote; by reading candidates’ manifestos and coming to an informed decision; and by campaigning for candidates they’re passionate about.

For more information on the role of the Rector and the 2017 elections:
Rector Election 2017
The Rector
UofG Rector information
Role of the University Rector in Scotland