The Present Government of Universities

All of this was far away and long ago. You may think it is outlandish and quaint, but some very ancient ideas are troubling us today. The Student University of Bologna influenced several French universities and its traditions went from there to Scotland. To this day, the rector of a Scottish university is chosen by the students and he is, at least in theory, the chairman of the supreme governing body of a Scottish university. In practice, the masters (that is to say the staff and the administration) have long taken over control of the Scottish universities, as they have of all the original student universities. Scottish students have a great deal of freedon but their Rector cannot compare with the old student rectors of Bologna. His duties are honorary, he is always a distinguished man of mature years. After the students have elected him, the rector always appoints as his deputy a man who has been chosen by the university administration and who presides over committees on his behalf, but were the rector to exploit the ancient privileges of his office, the students' own nominee would be in control of the Scottish universities. The constitution of Queen's University in Ontario was inspired by the traditions of Scotland. Even in Canada there is at least one university in which the students might have power.