Recently graduated student Hope Conway-Gebbie has been disqualified from her nomination for Rector of the University, as she is currently employed by the University of Edinburgh as a social media assistant.
She was originally nominated by undergraduate HCA representative Sam Marks.
The criteria of the nomination states that no current student or employee of the university can be nominated for the Rector position.
This comes along with other regulations regarding candidacy and nomination. As of 2024 at least 60 signatures are needed from staff and students (members of the electorate) in order to be considered for nomination.
Once accepted by the Scrutinising committee, the candidate cannot spend more than £450 on the election campaign and are required to produce an expenditure report showing this.
The main role undertaken by the Rector is that of presiding over the University court, which includes chairing meetings in the absence of the chancellor at general council meetings.
Their work also involves working closely with Edinburgh University’s Student Association (EUSA). They hold term for 3 years before there is another election.
Sam Marks has stated that he believed she would be a great candidate due to her “know-how of the University governance structure and support for progressive issues.”
Conway-Gebbie received more than the number of signatures needed for nomination, from both staff and students.
Marks noted that this shows how she would have been a strong nominee due to the ability of bringing student and staff interests up to the highest level of the University’s governance.
Marks also stated he was “incredibly disappointed” at Conway-Gebbie’s disqualification.
Hope’s nomination for the Rector of the university would be the second student to ever hold it. The position at the University of Edinburgh has been held by former Prime Minister Gordon Brown when he was 21 and still a student.
The current Rector is Debora Kayembe and she has sat at the university court since 2021. During her career she has advocated for the marginalised and has founded her own charity: Full Options, which works for the promotion of human rights.
“Old College, University of Edinburgh, Old Town, Edinburgh, Scotland” by Billy Wilson Photography is licensed under CC BY-NC 2.0.