Brian Baumgartner, the actor best known as Kevin Malone, the deadpan accountant in the US version of The Office, is standing to become rector of the University of St Andrews.
The 53-year-old is one of six candidates in an election decided by the university’s students, with voting due to take place next Thursday and Friday.
What a rector does
The rector is elected by students to speak for them, including on the university court. Baumgartner’s campaign pitch promises to “represent you on court” and to elevate students’ voices to be heard by the university.
The role has a long tradition of going to comedians and performers. Former St Andrews rectors include John Cleese, Tim Brooke-Taylor, Nicholas Parsons and Alan Coren.
Why St Andrews?
Baumgartner is a keen golfer who co-hosts the golf podcast We Need a Fourth, according to his Wikipedia biography, and St Andrews is often called the spiritual home of the game. But his campaign says the attraction goes beyond the fairways. “This summer, Brian visited St Andrews and fell in love with the town’s culture and history, not just the golf,” it reads.
Who he is up against
The other candidates are:
- Dr Arthur Bernhoff, an expert in international security
- Mark Brunner, chief revenue officer at a technology firm and the father of a St Andrews graduate
- Dr Q Mannivannan, a Scottish Greens MSP
- Dr Conor Philip, a foundation-year doctor
- Edison Yau, a student doctor
The election follows a turbulent period for the post. The current rector, Stella Maris, has been removed and reinstated twice in disputes linked to her description of Israel’s actions in Gaza as “genocidal” and to the collective-responsibility rules that apply to members of the university’s governing team.
If he wins, Baumgartner would trade Dunder Mifflin for a seat on the court of one of the UK’s oldest universities.
Further reading
- Brian Baumgartner — Wikipedia
- Rector of the University of St Andrews — Wikipedia
- University of St Andrews — Wikipedia
Image: Brian Baumgartner at Southern Methodist University Homecoming 2015 by Leedownen, BY-SA 4.0 via Wikimedia Commons
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