Rector of the University of St Andrews
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.
Overview
The rector is elected every three years by the matriculated students of the university. 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 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. 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 the rector's assessor, who is a full voting member of the University Court, and also serves as a member of the students' representative council.
The current rector, Stella Maris, was removed from the university court in July 2024 following an inquiry carried out by a KC. In 2025 she was reinstated after winning her appeal. In January 2026 she was removed a second time for "repeatedly rejecting her obligations of collective responsibility and refusing to observe court’s... basic rules of governance".