Chancellor of the University of St Andrews

The Chancellor of the University of St Andrews is the titular head of the University of St Andrews. His duties include conferring degrees, promoting the University’s image throughout the world, and furthering the University's interests within and outwith Scotland.[1] The Chancellor does have the power to refuse an "improvement in the internal arrangements of the University", however, there is no evidence of any Chancellor using this effective veto over the University Court.[2]:12(2)

Chancellor of the of University of St Andrews
Incumbent
The Lord Campbell of Pittenweem CH CBE PC QC
since 9 January 2006 (9 January 2006)
Member ofGeneral Council
AppointerElected by the members of the General Council
Term lengthLife tenure
Constituting instrumentUniversities (Scotland) Act 1858
First holderHenry Wardlaw, Bishop of St Andrews
DeputyVice-Chancellor
Salarysinecure
WebsiteChancellor of the University of St Andrews

The Office of the Chancellor has existed since the foundation of the University in the 15th century, and no comprehensive definition of its powers has been made in any modern statute. The remit and powers of the Chancellor were described by Royal Commission on the Universities and Colleges of Scotland, which described the Chancellor of St Andrews thus:

"The Chancellor is the Head of the University... He is consulted, however, on all public matters relative to its welfare, and he is also Conservator of its privileges. By the foundation charters the power of conferring degrees is vested in him: but this he may exercise either personally when present or by his depute when absent, with the advice of the doctors and masters of the University".

— Order XLIX, Commission for Visiting the Universities and Colleges of Scotland[3]

Section 2 of the Universities (Scotland) Act 1858 provides that the Chancellor is to be elected by the General Council, to hold office for life, although Sir Kenneth Dover retired in 2005.[2]:Section 2[4] With the exception of Dover, every Chancellor of the university has been either an archbishop or a peer. The Chancellor is the President of the General Council which meets twice each year, in recent years once in St Andrews and once elsewhere in the United Kingdom.[5][6]

The Chancellor appoints an Assessor to be a member of the University's governing body, the University Court.[1]

List of Chancellors of the University of St Andrews
Bishop Henry Wardlaw, the first chancellor of St Andrews

See also

References
  1. "Chancellor | University of St Andrews". www.st-andrews.ac.uk. Retrieved 30 April 2017.
  2. "Universities (Scotland) Act 1858", legislation.gov.uk, The National Archives, 1858 c. 83
  3. Scotland, Great Britain Commission for Visiting the Universities and Colleges of (1 January 1837). Evidence Taken and Received by the Commissioners - Presented to Both Houses of Parliament by Command of His Majesty: University of St. Andrews. W. Clowes and Sons. Retrieved 30 April 2017.
  4. "2010 | Sir Kenneth Dover | University of St Andrews". www.st-andrews.ac.uk. University of St Andrews. 8 March 2010. Archived from the original on 26 September 2015. Retrieved 30 April 2017.
  5. "General Council | University of St Andrews". www.st-andrews.ac.uk. University of St Andrews. Retrieved 30 April 2017.
  6. "Meetings | General Council | University of St Andrews". www.st-andrews.ac.uk. University of St Andrews. Retrieved 30 April 2017.
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