Green Party MSP Maggie Chapman is putting her name forward to be the next rector of Dundee University, The Courier can reveal.
The politician wants to “shine a light” on the management at the institution which is struggling with a £30 million budget deficit.
Staff are on strike over a threat to jobs some fear might force as many as 500 people out of work.
The university was handed access to a lifeline £15 million loan fund on Tuesday in the Scottish budget but still has to find a concrete plan for a sustainable future.
Ms Chapman, 45, previously rector of Aberdeen University, says students and staff had asked her to stand.
“The last thing the university wants is someone as rector who will just say yes to management,” she said.
“Dundee desperately needs a light shone on governance. Trust has broken down. We can build that up again.”
The rector is elected for a three-year term to serve student interests, including at the University Court, which is the governing body.
Ms Chapman, born in Zimbabwe, lectured at Napier in Edinburgh for around 10 years and is currently a North East regional MSP, covering Dundee.
She has proven controversial in Holyrood following comments about Israel and on gender self-identification.
At the Green Party conference last year she said proscribed terror group Hamas was “democratically elected” when asked if they were terrorists.
Ms Chapman’s interests in Dundee University led her to attend “town hall” meetings where she heard staff raise concerns about their jobs.
She joined the picket line when the strike started on Monday.
“The financial crisis dominates in Dundee,” she continued.
“But I also want to turn the focus back to student support. They need services reinstated.”
The Courier revealed that a “campus pantry” was among services in the firing line to help close the deficit. It has since been reintroduced on a smaller scale.
Nominations for rector must be in by March 10 with support from 50 students.
If more than one nomination is entered, an election will be held.
Past rectors include TV presenter Lorraine Kelly, Dundonian actor Brian Cox, Stephen Fry, Courier columnist and broadcaster Jim Spence and most recently Keith Harris, who was Stevie Wonder’s former manager.
The university was asked for comment.
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