Spring Break
Former minister of Scotland forms part of UA School of Law
Profile
Jonathan Crabtree
Issue date: 11/26/07 Section: News
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He might be the best-kept secret at the UA. Sure, he dresses the part: grey tweed sport coat, crisp blue shirt and navy slacks - even his slightly curly, albeit receding, grey hair had an intimidating air of academia. But Henry McLeish isn't your average professor - or politician, for that matter.
Henry has been a visiting Hartman Hotz professor of law and the liberal arts at the UA for the last four years; before that he was the first minister of Scotland.
Sitting in Arsaga's coffee shop, McLeish talked about the importance of students asking questions and challenging beliefs, and one thing was clear: he really meant what he was saying. No Slick Willy here.
His bright grey eyes shown with an eagerness to pass on knowledge, and he nearly whispered as he spoke, not because he was trying to hide something, but because he was, indeed as I had been told, "just Henry;" a down-to-earth, low-key thinker well-versed in all things political.
"Essentially he's the Scottish equivalent of the prime minister, he's just not allowed to be called prime minister, because the prime minister lives in Westminster, so we had to come up with a name in Scotland for what the leader of the parliament would be," said Fiona Davidson, fellow Scot and an associate professor of geosciences at the UA.
The title of first minister was important for Scotland because the last time Scotland had a parliament was in 1707, before it merged with England to become the British parliament.
"So after 292 years of no parliament, we've had one for ten years now, and its been doing great," McLeish said.
"He is the only member of the faculties of both Fulbright and the School of Law," said Stephen Shepherd, the William Enfield Professor of law at the UA. "As far as I know, he's the only head of government on the law school faculty." McLeish teaches a course called current issues in the EU and a law course called international law and the EU.
"It's been a huge advantage for the last few years, because of who he is. He brings a perspective that you can't get any other way," Davidson said. "He brings things to the class that we don't have the ability to."
Henry has been a visiting Hartman Hotz professor of law and the liberal arts at the UA for the last four years; before that he was the first minister of Scotland.
Sitting in Arsaga's coffee shop, McLeish talked about the importance of students asking questions and challenging beliefs, and one thing was clear: he really meant what he was saying. No Slick Willy here.
His bright grey eyes shown with an eagerness to pass on knowledge, and he nearly whispered as he spoke, not because he was trying to hide something, but because he was, indeed as I had been told, "just Henry;" a down-to-earth, low-key thinker well-versed in all things political.
"Essentially he's the Scottish equivalent of the prime minister, he's just not allowed to be called prime minister, because the prime minister lives in Westminster, so we had to come up with a name in Scotland for what the leader of the parliament would be," said Fiona Davidson, fellow Scot and an associate professor of geosciences at the UA.
The title of first minister was important for Scotland because the last time Scotland had a parliament was in 1707, before it merged with England to become the British parliament.
"So after 292 years of no parliament, we've had one for ten years now, and its been doing great," McLeish said.
"He is the only member of the faculties of both Fulbright and the School of Law," said Stephen Shepherd, the William Enfield Professor of law at the UA. "As far as I know, he's the only head of government on the law school faculty." McLeish teaches a course called current issues in the EU and a law course called international law and the EU.
"It's been a huge advantage for the last few years, because of who he is. He brings a perspective that you can't get any other way," Davidson said. "He brings things to the class that we don't have the ability to."
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