Prestige over Representation: Is Hillary Clinton’s Time as QUB Chancellor Over?

By Luella Coley

When former United States Secretary of State Hillary Clinton was inaugurated as Queen’s University Belfast’s first female chancellor in September 2021, [1] the appointment was framed as historic – epitomising the role of chancellor as one of global prestige. This delayed ceremony followed her appointment, to serve for a period of 5 years, in January 2020, [2] and featured Clinton describing Northern Ireland as “a symbol of democracy’s power to transcend divisions and deliver peace.” 

Despite her long-standing connection to Northern Ireland, the former Democratic presidential nominee was met with a mixed reception upon her first visit to QUB in the capacity of chancellor. Much of this opposition centres not around the passive and ceremonial nature of the role of chancellor, but on whether the incumbent should reflect the political and ethical values of the community they represent.

In September 2021, the anti-Imperialism activist group Lasair Dhearg called on its supporters to ‘say no to war criminals’ and protest Clinton’s inauguration on the grounds of her ‘pro-war policies and actions’ [3]. Throughout her role as Chancellor, student activists have cited her Zionism as a reason to find Clinton unfit for the role, a topic that has become increasingly relevant with the ongoing war in Gaza.

QUB’s chancellor once again came under significant opposition by staff and students following her Op-Ed for The Atlantic in November 2023 – ‘Hamas Must Go’ [4] – which sparked outrage in the form of an open letter from some 260 staff, students, and alumni. [5]  Among the letter’s signatories was Professor John Barry of the School of History, Anthropology, Philosophy and Politics, who discussed the matter of representation with BBC News NI in March 2024. He criticised the chancellor for ‘not representing the will of staff and students’, but (at that time) contested that, ‘she could stay as chancellor’ if she would ‘apologise and join with us in calling for a ceasefire’. [5]

Notably, though, Mrs Clinton was not the first US Democrat to accept the role of Chancellor, with George Mitchell serving between 1999 and 2009 to commemorate his role in the Northern Ireland Peace process. News broke on February 2nd of this year that Queen’s University Belfast has cut ties with the former US Senator and 8th Chancellor of the University due to reports of ‘new information contained in the Epstein files’, including ‘references to Senator Mitchell.’ [6]

Now, it is not simply the role of Chancellor at Queen’s University that critics could highlight as a link between Hillary Clinton and George Mitchell, nor is it their politics; Mrs Clinton and her husband, former US-President Bill Clinton, are set to testify in a House investigation into the late sex-offender Jeffrey Epstein. [7] This comes after the pair’s long fought battle against Republican Chair of the House Oversight Committee, James R. Comer, who sought to find them in contempt of Congress after refusal to testify. [8] The investigation concerns the handling and disclosure of documents, rather than allegations of criminal conduct, with Mr Comer himself telling reporters in January 2026, “No one’s accusing Bill Clinton of anything, any wrongdoing. We just have questions.” [8] Simply put, there is no suggestion of criminal wrongdoing by either Hillary or Bill Clinton, and their inclusion in the files does not constitute an allegation – the question raised by critics, however, is one of reputation.

Professor John Barry was approached to provide an update following his comments on the chancellor in 2024. When asked to reflect on the ideas of representation discussed in the past, Prof Barry, speaking in an independent and personal capacity, referenced the naming of both Hillary and Bill Clinton in the Epstein files and stated that “if the university is to cut ties from [George] Mitchell for reputational damage purposes [he does not] see why the same could not be the case with Hillary Clinton”. He further noted that the William J Clinton Leadership Institute should be renamed for the same reason. 

Furthermore, the Queen’s University Belfast Palestine Assembly (QUBPA) released a statement on Tuesday, 3rd February, criticising QUB for ‘continuing to legitimise’ persons QUBPA describe as ‘Zionist imperialists and Epstein associates’ and once again calls on the university to remove Hillary Clinton from her position as chancellor. [9]

Does this reflect a growing perception among critics that the controversy surrounding Hillary Clinton’s tenure has become irreversible, having been compounded by association, in public discourse, with Jeffrey Epstein? If Queen’s University Belfast is willing to sever ties with a former chancellor over reputational risk, the question now facing the University is whether the same standard will be applied consistently – even when prestige is at stake.

References:

[1] BBC News, “Hillary Clinton Inaugurated as New Queen’s University Chancellor,” BBC News, September 24, 2021, https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-northern-ireland-58669865

[2] Robbie Meredith, “Hillary Clinton Appointed Chancellor of Queen’s University, Belfast,” BBC News, January 2, 2020, https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-northern-ireland-50970400.

[3] Lasair Dhearg, “Hillary Clinton: Belfast Says No to War Criminals!,” Lasair Dhearg, September 22, 2021, https://www.lasairdhearg.com/hillary-clinton-belfast-says-no-to-war-criminals/

[4] Hillary Rodham Clinton, “The Atlantic,” The Atlantic (theatlantic, November 14, 2023), https://www.theatlantic.com/ideas/archive/2023/11/hamas-israel-ceasefire-humanitarian-pause-gaza/675992/

[5] Niall Glynn, “Hillary Clinton: Queen’s University Letter Criticises Chancellor over Gaza,” BBC News, March 22, 2024, https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-northern-ireland-68631628

[6] Seanín Graham and Mary Carolan, “Queen’s University Belfast Cuts Ties with George Mitchell, Denaming Research Centre,” The Irish Times, February 2, 2026, https://www.irishtimes.com/ireland/education/2026/02/02/george-mitchells-name-removed-from-us-ireland-scholarship-after-epstein-files-release/

[7] Sara Braun and Lauren Gambino, “Bill and Hillary Clinton Agree to Testify in House Epstein Investigation,” the Guardian (The Guardian, February 3, 2026), https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2026/feb/02/bill-clinton-interview-rejected-epstein

[8] Annie Karni, “Facing Contempt Threat, Clintons Refuse to Testify in Epstein Inquiry,” The New York Times, January 13, 2026, https://www.nytimes.com/2026/01/13/us/politics/bill-hillary-clinton-testimony-epstein-inquiry-contempt.html

[9] @qubpalestineassembly, “QUBPA Statement on Queen’s Epstein Associates,” Instagram, February 3, 2026, https://www.instagram.com/p/DUTahq1gphT/?img_index=3&igsh=c3pzd29uNmN3ZHc3