UpdateSnowden wins a job at Scotland’s Glasgow University in symbolic move
Former NSA contractor elected as rector, beating out a priest and star athlete, in vote for school's student representative
US intelligence whistle-blower Edward Snowden has been elected to the post of student rector at Glasgow University in Scotland, a school known for choosing civil rights figures to represent its student body.
Snowden, living in temporary asylum in Russia after disclosing US government secrets on surveillance programs and other activities, faces criminal charges in the United States after fleeing last year first to Hong Kong and then Russia.
The former National Security Agency contractor was nominated for the post by a group of students at the university – one of Britain’s oldest – after receiving Snowden’s approval through his lawyer.
University officials said the computer analyst beat three other candidates in an online vote that attracted a record turnout to win the three-year role of rector at the university, which dates back to 1451. Snowden defeated former champion cyclist Graeme Obree, author Alan Bissett and a local vicar.
The rector, holding a largely symbolic role, is meant to represent student issues to university officials but it has previously served a political designation, having been held by Winnie Mandela in 1987 and Israeli nuclear power whistle-blower Mordechai Vanunu in 2005.
The current holder of the post is former Liberal Democrat party leader Charles Kennedy.
Glasgow students had earlier said they contacted Snowden through his lawyers and he agreed to stand for the job.