North East MSP Maggie Chapman will join an illustrious list of names who have been elected as rector of Dundee University.
Dundee actor Brian Cox, TV host Lorraine Kelly, comedian Stephen Fry and broadcaster Jim Spence are among those who held the post.
To get the job, Ms Chapman saw off another high-profile name – Gladiators star and Dundee gym owner Sheli McCoy.
But the prize brings yet more challenges for the winner.
Ms Chapman, a North East Green party MSP, will officially become rector later this year at a time of great difficulty for Dundee University.
The institution is battling a £35 million deficit and could make up to 700 employees redundant.
Ms Chapman reckons the serious crisis may be why students backed a politician ahead of a TV star.
“Celebrity obviously has a role in our society, but university governance is a serious business,” she says.
“It maybe reflects the context of higher education at the moment.
“There’s clearly a lot of serious questions to be asked and answered.”
Under-fire university chiefs can expect the new rector to ask tough questions.
‘Breakdown of trust’
Ms Chapman wants decision-making at the institution to be more transparent.
“There’s been a total breakdown of trust,” she told The Courier’s weekly politics podcast, The Stooshie.
“I want to use my role to shine a light on university governance, to open up decision-making processes within the university to make sure the voices of students and staff are heard.
“I will be a strong advocate for students, but that can’t be where the role stops.
“I want to be on campus regularly, I want to be speaking to students and staff, ensuring I use whatever avenues I can to bring them into decision-making.”
And she says proposals to axe 632 full-time roles – which could amount to even more staff, perhaps around 700 – are untenable.
“That’s just not sustainable,” she said.
She warned compulsory redundancies should not be part of any university recovery plan.
“It’s time that the university takes another look,” she added. “It is just not feasible to say the only option is to make 632 posts redundant.”
An independent probe into the financial scandal has been launched by the Scottish Funding Council.
“The investigation must find answers,” she said.
“It cannot leave any stone unturned.”
In March, university bosses warned the institution could have run out of cash by June without lifeline support.
That’s sparked furthers fears over whether it will survive.
Ms Chapman warns the university cannot be allowed to fail.
“Dundee University has to survive,” she says.
“I don’t think there’s an option for it not to. I believe it can.”
Conversation