METU Administration to Review Construction Plan of State Dormitory

* Photograph: METU Must Be Defended / Twitter

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In response to the reactions against the construction of a state dormitory on forty-decare poplar woods, the Middle East Technical University (METU) administration has decided to review the construction plan.

Following and supporting the resistance of METU students, main opposition Republican People's Party (CHP) Ankara MP and Party Assembly member Gamze Taşcıer has announced that the METU Administrative Committee held a meeting and decided to review the construction plan of the state dormitory planned to be built on poplar woods.

Taşcıer has also stated that "Ankara Metropolitan Mayor Mansur Yavaş's offer still holds." Having posted a tweet about the issue, Yavaş previously said that the municipality could build a dormitory and donate it to METU.

What happened?

On the 55th day of Kavaklık Resistance, which has been put up by METU students against the construction of a state dormitory on forty-decare poplar woods, police intervened in and forced the students and lecturers to leave the area. One person who had been detained earlier on July 8 was released later in the day. Trees started to be cut down after the intervention.

Some MPs came to the METU campus to support the students in morning hours. After negotiations with METU President Verşan Kök, it was announced that the cutting of trees was halted.

The District Municipality of Çankaya confirmed that the construction of the state dormitıory did not have a license and attempted to lock up and seal it; however, the police did not allow. Çankaya Mayor Alper Taşdelen announced that the construction did not have an excavation permit, either. Minutes were taken down by the municipality regarding the issue.

The Chamber of Architects Ankara Branch also appealed to the Supreme Council of Education (YÖK), requesting that the Council launch an investigation against METU President Verşan Kök.

After the METU Presidency announced the reason for the construction as "there was a need for dormitories, but the university could not afford it", METU Alumni Council made a statement and said that they would express solidarity for a new METU dormitory. (AÖ/SD)