| Post: | Rector |
| Body: | the University of St Andrews |
| Incumbent: | Stella Maris |
| Incumbentsince: | 2023 |
| Member Of: | University Court |
| Appointer: | Elected by all the matriculated students of the University |
| Termlength: | 3 years |
| Constituting Instrument: | Universities (Scotland) Act 1858 |
| Formation: | 1858 (in modern form) |
| First: | Sir Ralph Anstruther, 4th Bt. |
The Lord Rector of the University of St Andrews is an elected position, usually also the president of the University Court of the University of St Andrews; the University Court is the supreme governing body of the university.
The Rector is elected every three years by the matriculated students of the university.[1] [2] The current office of Rector, sometimes termed Lord Rector, was instituted by the Universities (Scotland) Act 1858, passed by the Parliament of the United Kingdom. The Universities (Scotland) Acts regulate the governance of the ancient universities of Scotland, and require the election of a Rector for the universities of Aberdeen, Edinburgh, Glasgow, and St Andrews.[3] The newer University of Dundee also elects a Rector due to its historical ties to St Andrews, whereas other modern universities do not.
Since 1970 the Rector has appointed a student as Rector's Assessor, who is a full voting member of the University Court, and also serves as a member of the students' representative council. As of September 2023 the position of Rector's Assessor has been vacant.[4] [5]
In December 2023, the university hired King's Counsel Morag Ross (or Morag Ross KC) to conduct an independent investigation into the role and actions[6] [7] [8] of Stella Maris after she sent a campus-wide email on 21 November 2023 to 10,000 students[9] [10] [11] [12] controversially accusing Israel of "genocidal attacks" – one month after the Hamas-led October 7 massacres that killed 1,200+ – and "imposing apartheid" on Palestinians.[13] [14] The email, alongside the ensuing heated exchange between Maris and opposing users on her official Instagram, drew mixed reactions from members of the community.[15]
The university's Jewish Society (JSoc) released a statement on 26 November 2023 voicing concern over the content of Maris' email, highlighting that it was "significantly different" from the draft with which the JSoc was shared and that it cited questionable materials from the "Electronic Intifada", which "has consistently given voice to antisemitic journalists, including those who deny the Holocaust and call for the death of Jews, as well as doxxing and harassing several British Jewish students"[16]
The university leadership voiced concern over the possibility that her email would "bring division and hatred [and reinforce a] narrative that drives violent antisemitism around the world...might encourage the expression of antisemitism by others". Morag Ross KC's independent investigation concluded[17] that there was "no such intention" but rather "a conceivable outcome", and that Maris had shown "poor judgement", though "the circumstances here are not sufficiently clear or obvious to show that there is, overall, a breach of the relevant obligations". Nevertheless, it did find some of Maris's Instagram activities to be "inflammatory...contrary to thebest interests of the University...in breach of herobligations as a member of Court and as a charity trustee...to act with courtesy and respect".[18] [19]
The independent investigation also found to Maris have "ignored advice" from the university authorities before sending her email, when the university's Vice Principal (Governance) warned her that her email's draft was "virulently anti-Israel" in tone.[20], with some of her actions having "caused division and distress" alongside "reputational damage" to the university.
On 1 August 2024, the University Court announced that "after extensive efforts over a protracted period to seek a resolution with her proved unsuccessful", it had "no choice" but to dismiss Maris from the court and consequently as a trustee of the university, because she had refused to accept the findings of the independent investigation and had refused the university's efforts, over three months, to hold a useful dialogue with her and to take part in outside mediation so that differences could be resolved", while allowing her to remain as the Rector for the remainder of her tenure. In response, Maris claimed that the university had shown a "lack of respect" for the role of rector,[21] and had "victimised" her as a "young, neurodiverse black woman".[22], while accusing Morag Ross KC of being "biased",[23] vowing to appeal against the decision.[18] [24] She has instructed a London-based PR firm, specialised in legal sector communications, building and protecting reputations, to help her.[25] [26]