![]() | A major contributor to this article appears to have a close connection with its subject.(January 2024) |
Sally Mapstone | |
---|---|
![]() | |
Principal and Vice-Chancellor of the University of St Andrews | |
Assumed office 29 November 2016 | |
Chancellor | The Lord Campbell of Pittenweem |
Preceded by | Dame Louise Richardson |
Personal details | |
Born | May 1957 (age 66) Hillingdon,Middlesex,England |
Spouse | Martin Griffiths |
Residence(s) | University House,St Andrews |
Alma mater | Wadham College,Oxford St Cross College,Oxford |
Profession | Academic |
Salary | £342,000 (2021–22) [1] [ needs update ] |
Website | www |
Academic background | |
Thesis | The advice to princes tradition in Scottish literature,1450-1500 (1986) |
Dame Sally Mapstone DBE FRSE (born 1957) is a British academic who has been Principal and Vice-Chancellor of the University of St Andrews since 2016. [2]
Sally Mapstone was born in 1957 in Hillingdon,Middlesex,England, [3] and grew up in West London. She read English language and literature at Wadham College,Oxford between 1975 and 1978,graduating with a first-class honours Bachelor of Arts (BA) degree. [4]
After graduating from Wadham in 1978,she became an editor with Weidenfeld and Nicolson publishers in London, [4] and was Mother of the Chapel of the National Union of Journalists at Weidenfeld.[ citation needed ] She then returned to the University of Oxford to undertake a Doctor of Philosophy (DPhil) degree at St Cross College. [3] Her doctoral thesis was titled 'The advice to princes tradition in Scottish literature,1450-1500'. [5] [6] She was awarded her DPhil in 1986. [3]
In 1984,Mapstone was appointed lecturer in Medieval English language and literature at Worcester College,Oxford,and Randall MacIver Junior Research Fellow at St Hilda's College,Oxford. [7] At St Hilda's,she was lecturer in Medieval English language and literature,fellow and tutor in Medieval English language and literature,and Joanna Morse Memorial Fellow.
In 2006,she became reader in Older Scots literature at the University and was made professor of Older Scots literature in 2013. In the 2006-2007 academic year,she served as junior proctor of the University,and was appointed Pro-Vice-Chancellor (Personnel and Equality) at Oxford in 2009. [8] In 2011,she became Pro-Vice-Chancellor (Education) [9] with responsibility for Oxford's strategy and policies for teaching,learning,student support,and admissions.
On 1 September 2016,Mapstone took up her position as the 11th Principal and Vice-Chancellor of the University of St Andrews,and was formally installed in post on 29 November 2016. [10] In 2020,she accepted an invitation to extend her contract by five years to 2026. [11]
Mapstone was deputy chair of the University of Oxford Council and its General Purposes Committee,and served as a member and chair on a broad range of Oxford committees and boards. From 2011 to 2013,she chaired the group responsible for revising the university’s Strategic Plan 2013 to 2018.
She took a strong interest in diversity issues at Oxford,and launched the university’s mentoring scheme for senior women,Ad Feminam,in 2012. In 2016,she was the organiser of a major series of lectures by 'Women of Achievement'. [12]
She also served as the only British representative on the steering group for the pro-vice rectors for teaching and learning of the League of European Research Universities (LERU),and was lead author on an advice paper,Online Learning at Research-Intensive Universities, [13] published by LERU in 2014.
Mapstone has taken forward the university’s plans for the acquisition of the Madras College site,a former high school site on South Street in St Andrews,overseen a review of the university’s processes for promotion,launched a new university nursery,and sponsored and launched a new mentoring scheme for senior academic women,the Elizabeth Garrett Mentoring Programme. She also led the university through its response to the Covid-19 pandemic.[ citation needed ]
In June 2020,Mapstone discussed the Black Lives Matter movement in a weekly update to students. She wrote:“You are all part of one of the world’s great universities and are amongst the best and brightest minds of our times. You have resources and choices,intellect and opportunity,and the levers of change are closer to your hands than they are for millions of others. For the most part,you can breathe.”[ citation needed ]
The comment “For the most part,you can breathe”was criticised by some students and praised by others [14] in the wake of the murder of George Floyd. [15] An open letter to the Principal in response to her comments,and addressing wider diversity concerns at the university,was signed by more than 2000 students. [16] [17]
On 12 June 2020,Mapstone offered a public apology on behalf of the university for its past failures in supporting BAME students and staff, [18] the first Scottish Principal to do so.
On 21 November 2021,she wrote in an email to students about how she hoped that “trans rights will continue to be the subject of positive personal,academic and political discourse in society”. This was criticised by many students who said that trans rights should not be debated. [19] A motion in the Students' Representative Council for the University of St Andrews' Students' Association has since been passed “to condemn the recent rise in transphobic incidents and extend support to our trans and non-binary community”. [20]
In 2022,Mapstone worked with Saints LGBT+ to record a video welcome for new students at St Andrews in which she reaffirmed the University’s support for trans students.[ citation needed ]
In the video,she says:“At St Andrews it is our goal to make the university a safe and supportive one in which you can become the very best version of yourself academically,but also personally. That means realising who you are,being empowered to make the choices that are right for yourself,and having the confidence to be who you wish. At St Andrews we will make every effort to support you from day one.”
![]() | This section of a biography of a living person does not include any references or sources .(December 2023) |
During Mapstone's tenure,the university has attained a historic first place ranking in The Times and Sunday Times Good University Guide for 2022,the first time in the history of this and any other domestic league table that an institution other than the universities of Oxford and Cambridge has ranked first.
The University of St Andrews has also come first for student satisfaction with the academic experience in the National Student Survey for each year of her principalship. However since 2016 the university ranking in both QS and Times higher world ranking tables has deteriorated .
Since taking office at St Andrews,Mapstone has led on developing a new strategic plan for 2018-2023,which launched in the autumn of 2018. The plan was refreshed and relaunched in November 2022 as the University Strategy 2022 to 2027.
Mapstone also fulfils several leadership roles outside the University of St Andrews. She was elected Vice-Convener of Universities Scotland (US) in 2020 for a two-year term,and then Convener for a two-year term that commenced in August 2022.
She currently serves as:
In August 2023,Dame Sally took over the Presidency of Universities UK (UUK).
Mapstone's research is primarily on Older Scots literature of the 14th to 17th centuries (including literature in Latin) and on book history. A number of her publications concern the identification of previously unrecognised textual witnesses to Older Scots texts. She has also published on Chaucer and Malory,and on Shakespeare,as well as on later Scottish writers.
She is past president and honorary president of the Scottish Text Society,a member of the advisory board of Studies in Scottish Literature,a member of the editorial board of Scottish Studies Review (to 2009),and an honorary fellow of the Project for the History of the Book in Scotland at the University of Edinburgh. She was elected a fellow of the English Association in 2013. As Principal of the university,she sits on the judging panel for the St Andrews Prize for the Environment. [23]
In May 2017,she became the first UK university leader to be honoured by the Foreign Policy Association,which presented her with a medal to recognise her leadership in international higher education,and made her an honorary fellow. She also received a silver medal from the University of Helsinki,whose international advisory board she chaired from 2015 to 2021.[ citation needed ]
In 2017,she was made an emeritus fellow of St Hilda's College,Oxford,and an honorary fellow of Wadham College,Oxford,and St Cross College,Oxford. [24] In June 2018,she was appointed the first woman president of the Saltire Society [25] and,in February 2019,she was elected a fellow of the Royal Society of Edinburgh. [26]
Mapstone was awarded an honorary degree by the University of Aberdeen in 2019 for her contribution to the field of Older Scots literature and for her record of leadership in higher education and widening access. [27]
Mapstone was made a Dame Commander of the British Empire (DBE) in June 2022 for services to higher education. [28]
A rector is a senior official in an educational institution,and can refer to an official in either a university or a secondary school. Outside the English-speaking world,the rector is often the most senior official in a university,while in the United States,the equivalent is often referred to as the president,and in the United Kingdom and Commonwealth of Nations,the equivalent is the vice-chancellor. The term and office of a rector can be referred to as a rectorate. The title is used widely in universities in Europe and is very common in Latin American countries. It is also used in Brunei,Macau,Turkey,Russia,Pakistan,the Philippines,Indonesia,Israel and the Middle East. In the ancient universities of Scotland the office is sometimes referred to as Lord Rector,is the third most senior official,and is usually responsible for chairing the University Court.
Helena Ann Kennedy,Baroness Kennedy of The Shaws,,is a Scottish barrister,broadcaster,and Labour member of the House of Lords. She was Principal of Mansfield College,Oxford,from 2011 to 2018.
Governance of the University of St Andrews is laid down in a series of Acts of Parliament enacted between 1858 and 1966,and the Higher Education Governance (Scotland) Act 2016.
Sir Kenneth Charles Calman,HonFAcadMEd is a Scottish doctor and academic who formerly worked as a surgeon,oncologist and cancer researcher and held the position of Chief Medical Officer of Scotland,and then England. He was Warden and Vice-Chancellor of Durham University from 1998 to 2006 before becoming Chancellor of the University of Glasgow. He held the position of Chair of the National Cancer Research Institute from 2008 until 2011. From 2008 to 2009,he was convener of the Calman Commission on Scottish devolution.
The history of the University of St Andrews began with its foundation in 1410 when a charter of incorporation was bestowed upon the Augustinian priory of St Andrews Cathedral. 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 clerics associated with the cathedral.
Academic dress at the University of St Andrews involves students wearing distinctive academic gowns whilst studying at the University of St Andrews. Undergraduate gowns in Scotland were once common at all the ancient universities of Scotland,with each having its own distinctive style. St Andrews undergraduates wear either a scarlet gown if they are part of the United College and studying in the Faculties of Arts,Medicine and Science,or a black gown if they are part of St Mary's College and studying in the Faculty of Divinity.
College Girls is a Channel 4 documentary series,first transmitted in the United Kingdom from 8 September 2002. The documentary followed the lives of six students who studied at St Hilda's College,Oxford,the last remaining single-sex college at the University of Oxford,between 1998 and 2001.
Dame Fiona Caldicott,was a British psychiatrist and psychotherapist who also served as Principal of Somerville College,Oxford She was the National Data Guardian for Health and Social Care in England until her death.
Dame Louise Mary Richardson is an Irish political scientist whose specialist field is the study of terrorism. In January 2023,she became president of the philanthropic foundation,Carnegie Corporation of New York. In January 2016,she became the vice-chancellor of the University of Oxford,having formerly been the principal and vice-chancellor of the University of St Andrews,and as the executive dean of the Radcliffe Institute for Advanced Study at Harvard University. Her leadership at the University of Oxford played an important role in the successful development of a vaccine to combat COVID-19.
The ancient university governance structure in Scotland is the organisational system imposed by a series of Acts of Parliament called the Universities (Scotland) Acts 1858 to 1966. The Acts applied to what were termed the 'older universities':the University of St Andrews,the University of Glasgow,the University of Aberdeen and the University of Edinburgh. Together these four universities are commonly referred to as the ancient universities of Scotland. Whilst the Acts do not directly apply to the University of Dundee,the same governance structure was ordained for use by that institution in its royal charter.
Fudge doughnuts are a delicacy in Scotland. They are made in chocolate and caramel frosted varieties and have a confectionery custard filling.
Sir Gordon William Duff,is a British medical scientist and academic. He was principal of St Hilda's College,Oxford,from 2014 to 2021. He was Lord Florey Professor of Molecular Medicine at the University of Sheffield from 1991 to 2014.
The Principal of the University of St Andrews is the chief executive and chief academic of the University. The Principal is responsible for the overall running of the university,presiding over the main academic body of the university,known as the Senatus Academicus. The Senate has the responsibility for superintending and regulating teaching in the University,including the regulations for the conferring of degrees,and the Senate also administers the property and revenues of the University The Principal is appointed by the University Court. The current office of Principal dates to 1858 with the passage of the Universities (Scotland) Act 1858.
Sir Ian David Diamond is a British statistician,academic,and administrator,who served as Principal and Vice-Chancellor of the University of Aberdeen until 2018. He became the UK's National Statistician in October 2019.
The Scottish Text Society (STS) is a text publication society founded in 1882 to promote the study of Scottish literature. The Society publishes scholarly editions of important texts from the country's literary history,and has played a significant role in the revival of interest in the literature and languages of Scotland.
Emily Lyle is a Scottish ballad scholar and senior research fellow in the School of Celtic and Scottish Studies at the University of Edinburgh.
Sally M. Foster is a Scottish archaeologist and senior lecturer at the University of Stirling. She specialises in the archaeology of Scotland,particularly the Picts and their neighbours in the early medieval period.
Karen Elisabeth O'Brien is a British academic administrator and scholar of English literature,specialising in the Enlightenment and eighteenth-century literature. Since 2022,she has been Vice-Chancellor and Warden of Durham University,having previously been Professor of English Literature and Head of the Humanities Division,University of Oxford,and a Fellow of University College,Oxford.
Kathleen Chesney was a British scholar of medieval French literature. She was vice-principal of St Hilda's College,Oxford,from 1941 to 1951,and principal of Westfield College from 1951 until she retired in 1962. Westfield College was an all-women college of the University of London,and under her leadership it expanded with the re-introduction of teaching of science at the college. Having been elected a fellow of St Hilda's College in 1924,she continued her links with the University of Oxford as an honorary fellow from 1951 until her death.