NSA whistleblower Edward Snowden has come a long way since fleeing to Russia under political asylum: he's just been named the head of Glasgow University!

Snowden sat down with The Guardian newspaper exclusively shortly after the announcement of his appointment was made, and said he was "humbled" by the appointment. He also called it a "milestone" in the history of academic freedom. "In a world where so many of our developing thoughts and queries and plans must be entrusted to the open internet, mass surveillance is not simply a matter of privacy, but of academic freedom and human liberty," Snowden said.

Unfortunately, though, it looks like this appointment will only be "in spirit," as it's highly unlikely that Snowden will be in the U.K. (who has an extant extradition treaty with the United States) to fulfil any active duties required by rectorship. However, it's good to know that Snowden was nominated by a group of students at Glasgow University; these students claimed to receive approval for his nomination from Snowden's lawyer. Snowden beat out former champion cyclist Graeme Obree, the author Alan Bissett and the Rev. Kelvin Holdsworth for the appointment.

Meanwhile, it looks like the Legend of Snowden continues, as the National Journal is reporting that an Edward Snowden action figure is now available at ThatsMyFace.com for a cool $99. A portion of the proceeds from the sale of these figurines will go to the Freedom of the Press Foundation, a non-profit organization founded in 2012 to fund and support free speech and freedom of the press. The organization is headed by both mainstream and alternative journalists such as Daniel Ellsberg and Xeni Jardin as well as activists, celebrities, and filmmakers. Though the company endorses the figurine, it did not sponsor its creation.

In the interest of full disclosure, Snowden is on the board of directors of the Freedom of the Press Foundation.