The Rector Factor

In an attempt to help you make an informed decision, we went to interview the two candidates for the Rectorial Election.

The Rector presides at the University court and chairs the governing body, so it’s kind of a big deal.

Candidate 1: Steve Morrison

Steve came to Edinburgh in the 60s to study politics and after graduating he went into television and film.

He founded All3Media (Britain’s largest independent TV production group) and has an honorary doctorate from the uni in social science.

He was also the first person to think of having a student rector, a post which he didn’t win but was held by Gordon Brown a few years later:

“The students council asked the then rector, who was called Malcom Muggeridge and was a famous right wing columnist, if he would convey to the court their request for free contraception in the student health centre.

“So I went along the bridge to the national library and I looked up the original act that founded the University and in it it said that lecturers could not stand for rector – but there was no mention of students.”

If you’re thinking of doing the same now, not only are you way too late (voting opens on Tuesday) but you’re also barred these days – clearly those high up thought it’d be better if we weren’t in charge.

But don’t worry, Steve wasn’t all seriousness and politics as a student – he and his mates also held a silent wedding in the library:

“We were a little bit devilish – in the 60s there was a wave of student demonstration in Berlin and it was infectious.

“We got very bored in the library once because we were dominated in the library so we decided to hold a silent wedding – the only rule was you wouldn’t speak, not that you couldn’t get married! We did it like a silent movie.

“Everyone was very bemused. If we could have afforded it we would’ve handed out champagne.”

And now he wants to make your experience as a student better through schemes like a “personal pathway”, one to one tutoring, and mentoring in your final year.

 

Obviously these sound attractive but are they viable?

“Yes. I’ve been going around the University and meeting a lot of people, and we’re pushing at a half open door. We just need to push a bit harder.”

He’s also really keen on what he calls the “Edinburgh interdependence”.

“In the first year I think your induction should be as wide as possible. At the end of the first year we can continue combining all the good things and at the end of two years there’s no portcullis coming down – you should be able to continue combined courses right up to the end.”

“At the end of the third year, you would go to the careers and alumni department and they connect you with an alumni. All the time you are here all the elements of the university should be at your disposal.”

But don’t worry, if you’re here to specialise, that’s fine too.

“I’m not talking about superficial connections – if some students want to focus on a pure subject, that’s fine.”

If Steve’s policies don’t thrill you, then at least be confident that he’s actually very decent.

His favourite spot at uni was they bakery where his student newspaper team got free doughnuts at 6am, which is fair enough – you can see how that beats even Teviot Nachos

And if you’re looking to find out where he camped out as a student in order to judge his character (fair enough – we all know the New Town type), then you’re looking at an everyman: “I’ve done them all. Bruntsfield, Marchmont, Bristo Place.”

If he wins he’s planning a quiet celebration with his family and friends, and apparently Library cat’s his biggest supporter so if you crash the party maybe you’ll finally get that hug you’ve always dreamed of.

Candidate 2: Peter McColl

Peter has been our rector for the last three years after an uncontested election in 2012.

He studied Geography here, and is now the editor of Bright Green, a politics blog.

Despite many of you not knowing who he was or what he did, Peter’s actually made some pretty good changes to the uni over his last three years. He said:

“Persuading the university to build lots of new accommodation on Holyrood road, Deaconess House and the Pleasance was really important because the university was promising first year accommodation to all students but it couldn’t provide them with this, so they were housing them in Musselburgh, or in common rooms in Pollock.

“I think fixing international student fees across the course of a degree has been a big win. Students were being hit with rises of up to £2000 within the course of their degree and that was really hitting them.

“There have been a whole range of other wins like persuading the university to guarantee assignments will be returned within two weeks.

“There is a whole lot more to do. I think there is an exciting opportunity in the next election in that it looks like there’s going to be a hung parliament and out of that I think we can persuade some of the parties that they should abolish tuition fees and deliver on free education.”

Peter also wants to take a stand against your dodgy landlord:

“I think there’s a real problem in private sector accommodation where rents are going up year on year, so I think we need a rent cap. I think we need to crack down.”

But there’s still only a three per cent chance you’ll get your deposit back at the end of the year even though you left it cleaner than when you moved in.

Peter’s sport of choice is rugby and he loves Big Cheese and has attended on multiple occasions (he said he might even be there on Saturday, so fingers crossed).

His favourite spot on campus is Old College Quad which the rest of us – smug lawyers excluded – seldom get to see, which is probably why as a student it was George Square gardens.

And if you’re love a daredevil, look no further: “I got arrested for climbing up scaffolding on the tower of St Peter’s Church on Lutton Place, which has great views.”

His student pad was on Nicholson Square so he’s firmly in no man’s land in the Marchmont/New Town battle. A people pleaser.

The stain on his record is that he’s never had a VK – but give him the chance to celebrate at Potterow and maybe you’ll get to share one with him.

Voting for the rectorial election takes place between 9am on 10 February and 7pm 11 February through MyEd.