This item was published during the term of a previous administration that ended in April 2007
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Members appointed to SQA
14/02/2005
Three new members are to be appointed to the Scottish
Qualifications Authority (SQA) board, it was announced
today. An existing board member is also being
reappointed.
The new members are:
John Mitchell -
a secondary school teacher who has held a number of
posts in schools in the Strathclyde area since 1968. He is
currently headteacher of Kilsyth Academy and is due to
retire during 2005. Mr Mitchell is also currently a board
member of Learning and Teaching Scotland.
Professor Alex MacLennan - currently Principal and Chief
Executive of Ayr College. He worked as a research chemist
before joining Paisley College as a lecturer in organic
chemistry in 1985. At Paisley University he rose to
Assistant Principal in 2002 with particular responsibility
for external affairs and lifelong learning, and in 2004
joined Ayr College as its Principal.
Professor John Simmons - Vice-Principal of Heriot-Watt
University where he has been Professor of Mechanical
Engineering since 1992. He is the Chair of the Academic
Standards Committee of the Institution of Mechanical
Engineers and a member of its Qualifications and Membership
Board. He is a member of the SQA's Engineering Advisory
Group and of its HN Review Group (Engineering).
Judith Gillespie has been reappointed for a second term.
Mrs Gilliespie has been heavily involved in the Scottish
Parent Teacher Council since the late 1980s and now its
development manager. She has represented the parental
perspective on a range of policy bodies including the
Higher Still Development Group, the National Qualifications
Steering Group and the Curriculum review Group. She
regularly writes for the educational press and was first
appointed to the SQA Board in 2001.
The new appointments are for four years and run from
February 14, 2005 to February 13, 2009. Mrs Gillespie has
been reappointed for a second four-year term from January
1, 2005 to December 31, 2008. The posts are part-time and
attract a remuneration of £4,119 for a time commitment of
23 days per year.
The SQA is an executive non-departmental public body
established under the Education (Scotland) Act 1996, as
amended by the Scottish Qualifications Authority Act 2002.
It is responsible for the development, accreditation,
assessment and certification of qualifications other than
degrees in Scotland.
This Ministerial public appointment was made in
accordance with the Code of Practice issued by the Office
of the Commissioner for Public Appointments in
Scotland.
All appointments are made on merit and political
activity plays no part in the selection process. However,
in accordance with the original Nolan recommendations,
there is a requirement for appointees' political activity
(if there is any to be declared) to be made public.
John Mitchell has distributed election material on
behalf of the Scottish Labour Party. None of the other
appointees have played any political role in the last five
years.