Muir Russell

{{Infobox officeholder

|honorific-prefix = Sir

|name = Muir Russell

|honorific-suffix = {{postnominals|country=GBR|size=100%|KCB|DL|FRSE}}

|image = Permanent Secretary Muir Russell.jpg

|imagesize =

|smallimage =

|caption =

|order =

|office = Principal and Vice-Chancellor of the University of Glasgow

|term_start = 1 October 2003

|term_end = 1 October 2009

|predecessor = Professor Sir Graeme Davies

|successor = Professor Anton Muscatelli

|office2 = Permanent Secretary to the
Scottish Executive

|term_start2 = May 1998

|term_end2 = July 2003

|firstminister2 = Donald Dewar
Henry McLeish
Jack McConnell

|predecessor2 = Sir Russell Hillhouse

|successor2 = Sir John Elvidge

|office3 = Chair of the Judicial Appointments Board for Scotland

|term_start3 = 2008

|term_end3 = 2010

|firstminister3 = Alex Salmond

|predecessor3 = Neil McIntosh

|successor3 = Dr Michael Ewart

|birth_date = {{Birth date and age|1949|1|9|df=yes}}

|birth_place = Glasgow, Scotland

|birth_name = Alastair Muir Russell

|death_date =

|death_place =

|restingplace =

|spouse = Eileen Mackay

|residence =

|alma_mater = University of Glasgow

|occupation =

|profession = Civil servant

}}

Sir Alastair Muir Russell{{Cite web|url=https://universitystory.gla.ac.uk/biography/?id=WH1193&type=P|title=University of Glasgow :: Story :: Biography of Sir Muir Russell|work=University of Glasgow}} {{postnominals|country=GBR|KCB|DL|FRSE}} (born 9 January 1949) is a Scottish retired civil servant and former Principal and Vice-Chancellor of the University of Glasgow, and Chairman of the Judicial Appointments Board for Scotland.

Early life

Russell was born on 9 January 1949 in Glasgow and educated at the High School of Glasgow, which was then the city's grammar school, and at the University of Glasgow, where he took a First in Natural Philosophy.

Career

=Civil Service=

He joined the Scottish Office in 1970 and became Secretary of the Scottish Development Agency on its establishment in Glasgow in 1975. He was Principal Private Secretary to the Secretary of State for Scotland from 1981 to 1983 and was seconded to the Cabinet Office in 1990. He was appointed Permanent Secretary at The Scottish Office in May 1998, and to the Scottish Executive since its establishment in 1999.

=University of Glasgow=

He took office as Principal of the University of Glasgow on 1 October 2003, but attracted much criticism for his handling of the 2006 lecturers' strike, as well as attempts to close the University's Crichton Campus in Dumfries and for receiving pay rises which were much greater than the rate of inflation.{{cite news | url=https://www.heraldscotland.com/default_content/12453408.pound-23-000-pay-rise-university-principal/ | title=£23,000 pay rise for university principal | date=22 December 2007 | work=The Herald | accessdate=2021-10-04 }} He retired in October 2009, and was succeeded by Professor Anton Muscatelli, former Vice-Principal of the University and former Principal of Heriot-Watt University, Edinburgh. On 7 October 2008, Scottish Justice Secretary Kenny MacAskill announced Sir Muir would succeed Sir Neil McIntosh as Chairman of the Judicial Appointments Board for Scotland for a three year appointment.{{cite web | url=http://www.journalonline.co.uk/News/1005771.aspx | title=Russell to head Judicial Appointments Board | date=7 October 2008 | work=The Journal Online | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081010025107/http://www.journalonline.co.uk/News/1005771.aspx | archive-date=2008-10-10 }} His was re-appointed for another three years from 2011–2014.{{cite web | url=http://www.scotland.gov.uk/News/Releases/2011/03/22092007 | title=Judicial Appointments Board for Scotland | date=22 March 2011 | work=Scottish Government | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110610035607/http://www.scotland.gov.uk/News/Releases/2011/03/22092007 | archive-date=2011-06-10 }}

=Climatic Research Unit investigation=

In December 2009 he was appointed to head an independent investigation{{Cite web|url=http://www.uea.ac.uk/mac/comm/media/press/2009/dec/CRUreview|title=UEA announces Independent Review}}{{Cite web|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/science/nature/8393449.stm|title=Chair for climate e-mail review|date=3 December 2009|work=BBC News }} into allegations concerning the Climatic Research Unit email controversy. The inquiry reported on 7 July 2010, largely clearing the UEA of the allegations. The "rigour and honesty" of the scientists at the Climatic Research Unit were found not to be in doubt. However, the panel also concluded the scientists were insufficiently open about their work and unhelpful and defensive in response to freedom of information requests.{{cite news |last=Adam |first=David |date=7 July 2010 |title='Climategate' review clears scientists of dishonesty over data |url=https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2010/jul/07/climategate-review-clears-scientists-dishonesty |newspaper=The Guardian}} Notable scholars and experts, including John Beddington and Myles Allen, welcomed the findings of the inquiry and stated that the climate scientists had been cleared of the allegations of misconduct,{{cite web |url = http://www.sciencemediacentre.org/experts-react-to-publication-of-the-muir-russell-report-into-uea-emails-2-2/ |title= experts react to publication of the Muir Russell report into UEA emails |website = Science Media Centre |date = 7 July 2010}} while Patrick Michaels disagreed.{{cite news |last=Michaels |first=Pat |authorlink=Patrick Michaels |date=12 July 2010 |title=The Climategate Whitewash Continues |url=https://online.wsj.com/news/articles/SB10001424052748704075604575356611173414140 |newspaper=The Wall Street Journal}}

Personal life

Russell is married to Eileen Mackay, also a former Scottish Office civil servant who left the civil service and became, amongst other interests, a director of the Royal Bank of Scotland.{{Cite web|url=http://www.heraldscotland.com/news/12267579.Man_the_money_apos_s_on/|title = Man the money's on}} He was elected a fellow of the Royal Society of Edinburgh in 2000 and holds honorary degrees from the University of Glasgow, University of Edinburgh and the University of Strathclyde. He was appointed a Knight Commander of the Order of the Bath (KCB) in the 2001 Birthday Honours.{{Cite web|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/scotland/1390497.stm|title=Scots honoured in Queen's birthday list|date=16 June 2001|work=BBC News }}United Kingdom {{London Gazette| issue=56237 |date=16 June 2001|pages=2 |supp=1}}