Students’ choice Snowden takes up post as Glasgow University rector
NSA whistleblower Edward Snowden has been inaugurated as the Rector of the University of Glasgow after a sweeping win at a student vote. Over the next three years, Snowden will officially represent the university’s students – presumably via the internet.
Glasgow University’s splendid Bute Hall was packed Wednesday
morning as the students hailed their new rector – the former NSA
contractor and CIA employee Snowden.
Snowden, who lives in Russia under conditions of temporary asylum
and is wanted on espionage charges in the US for leaking troves
of classified documents on mass American surveillance, addressed
the students via a live video chat, accepting his position.
“I would say it is a great honor to be part of this today...
we are learning the public feel something different,”
Snowden said, as quoted by Twitter channel of the university’s
Students’ Representative Council (GUSRC).
Stressing that “human rights are not granted by governments
but are inherent to our nature,” the whistleblower urged the
audience to not merely believe in those principles, but also
“to speak out.”
The procession now leaves the Bute Hall, following the installation of Edward Snowden #gurectorpic.twitter.com/zhReP1cJMx
— GlasgowUniversitySRC (@gusrc) April 23, 2014
For the 30-year-old IT specialist and former security analyst,
“speaking out” is not merely words as he repeatedly stressed he
risked his life and freedom for starting a national dialogue on
an intrusive government surveillance in the US.
In a strong showing of support for Snowden’s cause, over 3,300
students voted for him receiving the “influential” post
in February. The nearest other candidate, the Episcopalian rector
of St Mary’s Cathedral in Glasgow, Kevin Holdsworth, got 1,563
votes, while “The Flying Scotsman,” world racing cyclist champion
Graeme Obree, got 1,412 votes.
All upstanding as that concludes this morning's proceedings.#gurectorpic.twitter.com/1ISm6ODcT4
— GlasgowUniEvents (@GlasgowUniEvent) April 23, 2014
This puts the whistleblower in a long list of the university’s
rectors, who “often reflected the political feelings” of
the students, GUSRC’s president, Jess McGrellis, said in a speech
Wednesday.
A statement from the student group which nominated Snowden said:
“We have a proud and virtuous tradition of making significant
statements through our rectors and today we have once more
championed this idea by proving to the world that we are not
apathetic to important issues such as democratic rights. Our
opposition to pervasive and immoral state intrusion has gone down
in the records. What is more, we showed Edward Snowden and other
brave whistleblowers that we stand in solidarity with them,
regardless of where they are.”
The group vowed to continue campaigning “for the NSA and GCHQ
to cease their assault on our fundamental right to privacy”
and for Snowden’s recognition “as the courageous
whistleblower he is, rather than a traitor.”
Answering concerns of some of the students that Snowden will not
be able to be a “working” or active rector as he is not
leaving Russia, McGrellis said “Mr Snowden is looking to work
with the SRC and students to make sure issues at University are
not forgotten.” She also encouraged students “to get in
touch with both our new rector and the SRC to ensure all student
issues are raised.”
Famous figures who previously occupied the post of Glasgow
University rector include Scottish philosopher and economist Adam
Smith, French President Raymond Poincaré, several British prime
ministers, prominent politicians, actors and journalists. In
1987-90, Winnie Madikizela-Mandela, wife of the late
anti-apartheid hero Nelson Mandela, was the university’s Rector,
while another South African politician, Nobel Peace Prize winner
Albert Lutuli, was voted into the post in 1962. While some of
those receiving the post actively participated in the
university’s life, others were unable to do so, treating it
rather as an honorary title.
Curiously, Snowden has not been the first whistleblower to become
the rector of the university, as in 2004 it was given to former
Israeli nuclear technician Mordechai Vanunu, who exposed Israel’s
nuclear weapons program to the UK media and was subsequently
abducted by Mossad in Italy, spending nearly two decades in jail
thereafter.
According to the official GUSRC website, “the main role of
the rector is to represent the university’s students… The rector
has a number of key duties representing students. He/she is
expected to attend meetings of court, the governing body of the
university, to work closely with the SRC, and to bring student
concerns to the attention of the university’s managers.”