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Information About

University Of St Andrews




  latin Name Universitas Sancti Andreae
  motto AIEN ARISTEUEIN ( Greek : Ever To Be The Best)
  established 1413
  faculty 649
  chancellor The Rt Hon Sir Menzies Campbell CBE QC MP
  vice Chancellor Dr Brian Lang
  head Label Lord Rector
  head Simon Pepper OBE
  students 7,073
  undergrad 6,042
  postgrad 1,031
  city St Andrews
  state Fife
  country Scotland
  affiliations 1994 Group
  website wwwst-andrewsacuk


The University of St Andrews is the oldest University in Scotland and third oldest in the English-speaking World , being founded between 1410 and 1413 . It's situated in the Royal Burgh of St Andrews , in Fife , on the east coast of Scotland. The university attracts students from over 100 countries. Independent School intake is high, but the university has an active widening participation policy. The modern library and many departments are in the town centre. The town's population of 16,000 is increased considerably by the 7,000 Students .


HISTORY

See Also: History of St Andrews University



The University was founded in 1410 when a Charter of incorporation was bestowed upon the Augustinian Priory of St Andrews Cathedral . A Papal Bull was issued in 1413 by the Avignon Pope Benedict XIII . The University grew in size quite rapidly; St Salvator's College was established in 1450 , St Leonard's College in 1511 , and St Mary's College in 1537 . Some of the college buildings in use today date from this period as does St Salvator's Chapel . At this time much of the teaching was of a Religious nature and was conducted by Cleric s associated with the Cathedral .

From the 17th to 19th centuries, the university underwent many changes. The distinctive red gowns, which are still in use today, were adopted in 1672 and towards the end of the seventeenth century, a move to Perth was considered and eventually rejected. In 1747 , St Salvator's and St Leonards's were merged to form the United College Of St Salvator And St Leonard .

During the 19th Century , student numbers were very low and the university having to close was a very real possibility. In the 1870s , there were fewer than 150 students, and perhaps partly in response to this, the university was in 1897 strengthened by the foundation of University College in Dundee , which became a centre of medical and scientific excellence. This affiliation ended in 1967 when the college, which had been renamed Queen's College, became a separate and independent institution as the University Of Dundee ; the loss of teaching facilities for clinical medicine caused the University's Bute Medical School to form a new attachment with the University Of Manchester . Today the university is growing in international reputation, attracting more students than ever before, and is moving towards sound financial health.


GOVERNANCE AND ADMINISTRATION

See Also: Governance of St Andrews University



In common with the other , University Court and Academic Senate (''Senatus Academicus'').


General Council

See Also: General Council of St Andrews University



The General Council is a standing advisory body of all the Graduates , Academics and former academics of the University. It meets twice a year and appoints a Business Committee to transact business between those meetings. The most important jobs it performs is in appointing two Assessor s to the University Court and electing the University Chancellor .


University Court


The University Court is the body responsible for administrative and financial matters, and is in effect the Governing Body of the University. It is chaired by the Rector , who is elected by all the Matriculated students of the University. Members are appointed by the General Council, Academic Senate and Fife Council . The President of the Students' Representative Council and Director of Representation are elected onto the Court by the matriculated students of the University. Several Lay members are co-opted.


Academic Senate


The Academic Senate (in latin ''Senatus Academicus'') is the supreme academic body for the University and its members are all the Professor s of the University, along with certain senior Reader s, a number of Senior Lecturer s and Lecturer s, and two students. It is responsible for authorising degree programmes and issuing all degrees to graduates. Another function of the Senate is the discipline of students (both current and former.) Under the Sponsio Academica , the Senate has the power to strip a graduate of his or her degree should they bring the University into disrepute. The President of the Senate is the University Principal .


Faculties


The University is divided into four academic , Divinity , Medicine , and Science . Each is governed by a Faculty Council and administered by a Dean . Students apply to become members of a particular faculty, as opposed to any particular school or department.


Office of the Principal


The Principal is the Chief Executive of the University and is assisted in that role by several key officers.

The current make-up of the Office of the Principal is:


ALUMNI



Arts and Media



Education and Academia




Politics and Public Affairs



Religion, Church, and Theology



Royalty



Sciences



Miscellaneous




LINKS WITH THE UNITED STATES


The University has a strong link with the United States , with significant numbers of students from that country (approximately 15% of University in 2005.) Benjamin Franklin , Bill Bryson , golfer Bobby Jones and, most recently, Bob Dylan have all been awarded honorary degrees. Also, three of the signatories of the 1776 American Declaration Of Independence received degrees from St Andrews. Additonally, Emory University runs an exchange program with St Andrews called the Bobby Jones Scholars program, which allows for recent graduates of both universities to study at the other school. It is also claimed that the Dollar sign was invented at the University, and it is certain that the Decimal Point was.


STUDENT ORGANIZATIONS


Students' Association




The University of St Andrews Students' Association was formed by a merger of the Students' Representative Council (SRC) and the Students' Union . The Union was founded in 1864, making it the oldest in Scotland. The SRC is a statutory body established by the Universities (Scotland) Act 1896 .


Media


  • Newspapers

  • ---The ''Saint'', published fortnightly, is the oldest of the student publications (although it has been published under a number of titles, of which The ''Saint'' is the most recent) and has the highest circulation. The ''Saint'' is entirely independent and self-sufficient (funded by sales and advertising), which leaves it with a very low budget. However, this did not stop it from being named 'Best Student Newspaper in Scotland' by the ''Herald'' in 2002 and 2003 , and it was runner-up 'Best Student Newspaper in the UK' and 'Best Small Budget Student Publication' in the '' Guardian '' Student Media Awards 2001. In the whole of the United Kingdom, only Oxford's Cherwell and Cambridge's Varsity are similarly independent. An online version of the newspaper {Link without Title} ceased to be updated in April 2004.

  • ---The ''Mitre'' - a Conservative newpaper established in 2003 as reaction to what its writers perceived as the occasional intellectual shortcomings of the ''Saint''.

  • ---The ''Chihuahua'', an alternative monthly magazine in a tabloid newspaper format, known for its humour and its attempts to provoke the easily offended.

  • ---In 2005 , there was also an irregularly-published satirical magazine called the "Horn of Plenty". Recently established is the "Colonnade", a literary magazine.

  • ---In 2006 , on 17 April , the "Vine" magazine was re-launched. The magazine, which aims to generate discussion and thought throughout the student population of the town was sold out and its planned follow up will be issue 8, to go on sale on 1 May 2006 .


  • Radio

  • ---On the 28th of February 2005 , a number of St Andrews students launched the university's first FM station broadcasting over 3 Km on the 87.7 MHz frequency. The station was granted a Restricted Service Licence , which allows for six hours of broadcast a day. The station had another successful run for two weeks from November 21st 2005 . The station also broadcasts live 24 hours a day on the internet {Link without Title} . The radio station is currently in the process of becoming a sub-committee of the Students' Association under the name of the Broadcasting Committee.



Online Communities


There are two official sites for the students of the university: http://www.st-andrews.ac.uk which is the Universty's site, and http://www.yourunion.net which is the official site for the Students' Union. The Sinner was a side project by a computer science student at St Andrews intended to provide informal information about the university through articles written by its members, and message boards for the different sub-communities (mainly halls and student societies.)


  • Facebook

  • St Andrews is one of the many British universities and colleges to have a community on the FaceBook, and listed 5635 students as of 25th November 2005.



Societies

See Also: List of Societies at St Andrews University



Students at the University form various voluntary socities for Academic , social, political, religious and other reasons.


SEE ALSO




REFERENCES


  • R.G. Cant ''The University of St. Andrews, A Short History'' (Oliver and Boyd Ltd. 1946)



EXTERNAL LINKS