Glasgow University Students' Representative Council
Encyclopedia
Glasgow University Students' Representative Council was founded on 9th March 1886 and recognised as the legal representative body for students of the University of Glasgow
by the Universities (Scotland) Act 1889. The SRC is responsible for representing students' interests to the management of the University and to local and national government, and for health and welfare issues. Under the Universities (Scotland) Acts, all students of the University automatically become members of the SRC, however they are entitled to opt out of this. Unlike at other Scottish
universities, the SRC plays a limited role in the social lives of students, those being the purview of the Glasgow University Union
(GUU) and the Queen Margaret Union
(QMU), although it does organise RAG (Raising And Giving) Week and SHaG (Sexual Health at Glasgow) Week, as well as funding some one hundred clubs and societies
. Since 1968, all of the SRC's offices have been located in the John McIntyre Building on University Avenue.
Sabbatical Officer
s
Academic Convenors
Welfare Officers
General Representatives
University Departments are responsible for organising the election of individual class representatives, who are supported in their duties by the Vice-President (Learning & Development) and their Faculty's Academic Convenor. The Academic Convenors sit on various committees within their Faculty and are ex officio members of the Senate
. The four sabbatical officers are also accorded membership of the Senate, while the President and a Court Assessor (elected by the Council) are entitled to sit on the University Court
. The Council also elects representatives to various university committees, including the Health, Safety & Environment Committee, the Library
Committee and the Academic Dress Committee.
The SRC is also home to the Rector of the University, elected by the students to represent them. This is achieved primarily through the Rector's role as chair of the University Court. The current Rector is Charles Kennedy
.
Glasgow University SRC is represented at a national level by the Coalition of Higher Education Students in Scotland
(CHESS), the National Postgraduate Committee
(NPC), and the Aldwych Group
.
Until 2004 the SRC ran a shop selling stationery, newspapers, snacks and University merchandise. It was housed in the "HUB" building beside the University library, now refurbished as the Fraser
Building.
from the SRC whilst benefiting from its support. Many of those involved in the SRC's Student Media have won awards for their work and gone on to find a career in the media.
These groups are:
The SRC previously referred to the media as "publications" and until 2004 the SRC website glasgowstudent.net was run as a fifth media group. There are other student run media groups at the University, housed within the unions, including the GUUi
and qmunicate.
University of Glasgow
The University of Glasgow is the fourth-oldest university in the English-speaking world and one of Scotland's four ancient universities. Located in Glasgow, the university was founded in 1451 and is presently one of seventeen British higher education institutions ranked amongst the top 100 of the...
by the Universities (Scotland) Act 1889. The SRC is responsible for representing students' interests to the management of the University and to local and national government, and for health and welfare issues. Under the Universities (Scotland) Acts, all students of the University automatically become members of the SRC, however they are entitled to opt out of this. Unlike at other Scottish
Scotland
Scotland is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Occupying the northern third of the island of Great Britain, it shares a border with England to the south and is bounded by the North Sea to the east, the Atlantic Ocean to the north and west, and the North Channel and Irish Sea to the...
universities, the SRC plays a limited role in the social lives of students, those being the purview of the Glasgow University Union
Glasgow University Union
Glasgow University Union is one of the largest and oldest students' unions in the UK, serving students and alumni of the University of Glasgow since 1885....
(GUU) and the Queen Margaret Union
Queen Margaret Union
The Queen Margaret Union is one of two students' unions at the University of Glasgow, Scotland. Founded in 1890, it caters for the social and cultural needs of its members by providing a range of services including, entertainments, catering, shop facilities, bars and games.-History:The Queen...
(QMU), although it does organise RAG (Raising And Giving) Week and SHaG (Sexual Health at Glasgow) Week, as well as funding some one hundred clubs and societies
Student society
A student society or student organization is an organization, operated by students at a university, whose membership normally consists only of students. They are often affiliated with a university's students' union...
. Since 1968, all of the SRC's offices have been located in the John McIntyre Building on University Avenue.
History
The SRC was founded on 9th March 1886 by a body of students whose primary focus was raising funds to build the GUU. Prior to this the only official representation to the university had been carried out through the office of Rector and rectorial clubs such as the Peel Club formed in 1836. The John McIntyre Building, in which the SRC is based, had been built in 1890 to house the then newly-formed GUU. In 1932, the GUU obtained its own building at the foot of University Avenue and the John McIntyre Building became home to the Queen Margaret Union. At this time, the SRC was housed in rooms in Pearce Lodge, the former gatehouse of the University's old site on the High Street which had been reassembled at Gilmorehill, however it moved into the John McIntyre Building when new premises were built for the QM in 1969. The dedication refers to John McIntyre, a physician who donated five thousand pounds (equal to around £300,000 in 2010) for its construction.Notable former officers
- Alasdair AllanAlasdair AllanDr Alasdair Allan is the Scottish Government's Minister for Learning and Skills and Scottish National Party Member of the Scottish Parliament for the Na h-Eileanan an Iar.-Career:...
, Member of the Scottish ParliamentMember of the Scottish ParliamentMember of the Scottish Parliament is the title given to any one of the 129 individuals elected to serve in the Scottish Parliament.-Methods of Election:MSPs are elected in one of two ways:...
(Senior Vice-President, 1991–92) - John Lamberton Bell, minister and hymn-writer, Rector of the University (President, 1974–75)
- Angela ConstanceAngela ConstanceAngela Constance is the Scottish Government Minister for Children and Young People and Scottish National Party Member of the Scottish Parliament for Almond Valley since 2007....
, Member of the Scottish ParliamentMember of the Scottish ParliamentMember of the Scottish Parliament is the title given to any one of the 129 individuals elected to serve in the Scottish Parliament.-Methods of Election:MSPs are elected in one of two ways:...
(President, 1991–92) - Donald DewarDonald DewarDonald Campbell Dewar was a British politician who served as a Labour Party Member of Parliament in Scotland from 1966-1970, and then again from 1978 until his death in 2000. He served in Tony Blair's cabinet as Secretary of State for Scotland from 1997-1999 and was instrumental in the creation...
, First Minister of ScotlandFirst Minister of ScotlandThe First Minister of Scotland is the political leader of Scotland and head of the Scottish Government. The First Minister chairs the Scottish Cabinet and is primarily responsible for the formulation, development and presentation of Scottish Government policy...
(Honorary Secretary, 1959–60) - Sir William Kerr FraserWilliam Kerr FraserSir William Kerr Fraser GCB is a retired British civil servant, who served as Permanent Secretary at the Scottish Office, and as Principal and later Chancellor of the University of Glasgow.-Early life:...
, civil servant, Chancellor of the UniversityChancellor of the University of GlasgowThe Chancellor is the titular head of the University of Glasgow and President of the General Council, by whom he is elected. The office is intended to be held for life. His principal duty is to confer degrees upon those presented to him by the Senate, although this role is usually carried out by...
(President, 1951–52) - Robert Gibson, Lord Gibson, Member of Parliament and Chairman of the Scottish Land CourtScottish Land CourtThe Scottish Land Court is a Scottish court of law based in Edinburgh with subject-matter jurisdiction for disputes between landlords and tenants relating to agricultural tenancies and matters related to crofts and crofters. The Chairman of the Scottish Land Court is ranked as a Senator of the...
(President, 1910–11) - Jamie HepburnJamie HepburnJamie Hepburn is a Scottish politician. He is a Scottish National Party Member of the Scottish Parliament for Cumbernauld and Kilsyth...
, Member of the Scottish ParliamentMember of the Scottish ParliamentMember of the Scottish Parliament is the title given to any one of the 129 individuals elected to serve in the Scottish Parliament.-Methods of Election:MSPs are elected in one of two ways:...
(Senior Vice-President) - Sir Robert HorneRobert Horne, 1st Viscount Horne of SlamannanRobert Stevenson Horne, 1st Viscount Horne of Slamannan GBE, PC, KC was a Scottish businessman, advocate and Unionist politician. He served under David Lloyd George as Minister of Labour between 1919 and 1920, as President of the Board of Trade between 1920 and 1921 and as Chancellor of the...
, Chancellor of the ExchequerChancellor of the ExchequerThe Chancellor of the Exchequer is the title held by the British Cabinet minister who is responsible for all economic and financial matters. Often simply called the Chancellor, the office-holder controls HM Treasury and plays a role akin to the posts of Minister of Finance or Secretary of the...
(President, 1892–93)
Representation
The SRC Council comprises thirty-seven representatives:Sabbatical Officer
Sabbatical officer
A sabbatical officer is a full-time officer elected by the members of a students' union , commonly at a higher education establishment such as a university...
s
- President
- Vice-President (Learning & Development)
- Vice-President (Media & Communications)
- Vice-President (Student Support)
Academic Convenors
- Faculty of Arts Convenor
- Faculty of Education Convenor
- Faculty of Engineering Convenor
- Faculty of Law, Business and Social Sciences Convenor
- Faculty of Medicine Convenor
- Science Faculties' Convenor (represents all three Science Faculties)
- Faculty of Veterinary Medicine Convenor
- Postgraduate Students' Convenor
Welfare Officers
- International StudentsInternational studentAccording to Organization of Economic Cooperation and Development , international students are those who travel to a country different from their own for the purpose of tertiary study. Despite that, the definition of international students varies in each country in accordance to their own national...
' Officer - LGBTLGBTLGBT is an initialism that collectively refers to "lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender" people. In use since the 1990s, the term "LGBT" is an adaptation of the initialism "LGB", which itself started replacing the phrase "gay community" beginning in the mid-to-late 1980s, which many within the...
Students' Officer - Mature Students’ Officer
- Minority EthnicMinority groupA minority is a sociological group within a demographic. The demographic could be based on many factors from ethnicity, gender, wealth, power, etc. The term extends to numerous situations, and civilizations within history, despite the misnomer of minorities associated with a numerical statistic...
Students' Officer - Students’ with Disabilities Officer
- Women’s Interest Officer
- Charities Officer
- Clubs and Societies Officer
- Part Time Students’ Officer
General Representatives
- Five General Representatives
- Two General Postgraduate Representatives
- Two First Year Representatives
University Departments are responsible for organising the election of individual class representatives, who are supported in their duties by the Vice-President (Learning & Development) and their Faculty's Academic Convenor. The Academic Convenors sit on various committees within their Faculty and are ex officio members of the Senate
Academic Senate
An Academic Senate is a governing body in some universities and colleges, and is typically the supreme academic authority for the institution.-Scotland:...
. The four sabbatical officers are also accorded membership of the Senate, while the President and a Court Assessor (elected by the Council) are entitled to sit on the University Court
University Court
A University Court is an administrative body of a university in the United Kingdom. In England's Oxbridge such a Court carries out limited judicial functions; whereas in Scotland it is a University's supreme governing body, analogous to a Board of Directors or a Board of Trustees.-England:In the...
. The Council also elects representatives to various university committees, including the Health, Safety & Environment Committee, the Library
Glasgow University Library
The University of Glasgow Library is one of the oldest and largest University libraries in Europe. It holds more than 2.5 million books and journals, as well as providing access to an extensive range of electronic resources including over 30,000 electronic journals.The current 12-storey building,...
Committee and the Academic Dress Committee.
The SRC is also home to the Rector of the University, elected by the students to represent them. This is achieved primarily through the Rector's role as chair of the University Court. The current Rector is Charles Kennedy
Charles Kennedy
Charles Peter Kennedy is a British Liberal Democrat politician, who led the Liberal Democrats from 9 August 1999 until 7 January 2006 and is currently a Member of Parliament for the Ross, Skye and Lochaber constituency....
.
Glasgow University SRC is represented at a national level by the Coalition of Higher Education Students in Scotland
Coalition of Higher Education Students in Scotland
The Coalition of Higher Education Students in Scotland is a body representative of students in Scotland founded in 2001 by the Students' Associations of Aberdeen, Dundee, Edinburgh and St Andrews Universities, and Glasgow University's Students' Representative Council.CHESS was founded in 1999 out...
(CHESS), the National Postgraduate Committee
National Postgraduate Committee
The National Postgraduate Committee of the United Kingdom represents postgraduates at UK universities. Since 2002 it has held charitable status...
(NPC), and the Aldwych Group
Aldwych Group
The Aldwych Group is the group of students' unions of the members of the Russell Group of Universities in the United Kingdom. It was established in 1994, as a watchdog in response to the creation of the Russell Group....
.
Services
The SRC provides the following non-representative services to students at the University:- Minibus - a free service between the University and halls of residence
- Jobshop - a job vacancies service
- Secondhand Bookshop - students can buy and sell course texts
- Nightline - an anonymous, confidential telephone support and information service
- Photocopying - the cheapest photocopying service available for students at the University
Until 2004 the SRC ran a shop selling stationery, newspapers, snacks and University merchandise. It was housed in the "HUB" building beside the University library, now refurbished as the Fraser
William Kerr Fraser
Sir William Kerr Fraser GCB is a retired British civil servant, who served as Permanent Secretary at the Scottish Office, and as Principal and later Chancellor of the University of Glasgow.-Early life:...
Building.
Media
The SRC also partly funds and houses four Student Media groups. They retain editorial independenceEditorial independence
Editorial independence is the freedom of editors to make decisions without interference from the owners of a publication. Editorial independence is tested, for instance, if a newspaper runs articles that may be unpopular with its advertising clientele....
from the SRC whilst benefiting from its support. Many of those involved in the SRC's Student Media have won awards for their work and gone on to find a career in the media.
These groups are:
- Glasgow University GuardianGlasgow University GuardianGlasgow University Guardian is the student newspaper of the University of Glasgow.Founded in 1956 as the Gilmorehill Guardian, it changed its name in 1960 to the Glasgow University Guardian under editor Neil MacCormick...
- fortnightly newspaper - Glasgow University MagazineGlasgow University MagazineThe first issue of Glasgow University Magazine was published on 5 February 1889, aiming to keep students informed of news and events within the University, and to provide an outlet for student writing and illustrations....
(GUM) - termly magazine - Glasgow University Student TelevisionGlasgow University Student TelevisionGlasgow University Student Television or GUST, is the student television station of the University of Glasgow. Founded around 1964, it is one of the oldest student TV station in the world with the first being ICTV in 1954 . The station is run entirely by students and produces programs covering...
(GUST) - broadcast online and via screens around campus - Subcity Radio - internet radio station
The SRC previously referred to the media as "publications" and until 2004 the SRC website glasgowstudent.net was run as a fifth media group. There are other student run media groups at the University, housed within the unions, including the GUUi
Glasgow University Union
Glasgow University Union is one of the largest and oldest students' unions in the UK, serving students and alumni of the University of Glasgow since 1885....
and qmunicate.