Dr. Aygören refuses to be an advisor to appointed rector Bulu

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Appointed as the new rector of Boğaziçi University by a Presidential decree on January 2, Prof. Melih Bulu appointed Dr. Oğuzhan Aygören, also a Founding Member of the opposition DEVA Party, as his advisor.

Making a statement about the issue on social media, Dr. Aygören has underlined that he cannot accept this duty.

Expressing his "surprise to learn that he had been appointed" as an advisor to Bulu, Aygören has tweeted, "I would like to share with the public that it is impossible for me to accept this appointment."

In a statement earlier yesterday (February 1), İdris Şahin, the Vice Chair of Ali Babacan's DEVA Party, stated that if Aygören accepted this appointment, he would have to part his way with the party.

CLICK - Advisor to Boğaziçi University President resigns

'It is unacceptable'

In his statement, Dr. Oğuzhan Aygören has indicated that he was offered the position of an advisor for entrepreneurship to the rector.

Noting that he consulted with several people upon receiving this offer, Dr. Aygören has indicated, "In the end, I recommended the rector that he should first contact the Senate and the University Executive Board (ÜYK) and then determine the vice rectors accordingly."

According to the statement of Aygören, he previously told the rector that "he did not need a title, he had already been working as the Director of the school's Entrepreneurship Centre and would keep on doing his best to ensure that Boğaziçi have a trailblazing role in entrepreneurship."

"While we were in such a transparent and sincere dialogue, I learned today that I have been surprisingly appointed as the advisor of the rector," he has said. "I would expect him to act with the same transparency. Boğaziçi, with a responsibility for raising the most valuable brains of this country, is a place that does not deserve being turned into an ordinary place."

Concluding his remarks, the academic has said, "The messages that divide and target people, the incidents that took place at and around the university with police pressure today and the intervention of security guards against our students are unacceptable. For all these reasons, I would like to share with the public that it is impossible for me to accept this appointment."

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— Oguzhan Aygoren (@oguzhan) February 1, 2021

New vice rector from Industrial Engineering

* Photo: Twitter - Gürkan Kumbaroğlu

After Melih Bulu was appointed as the new rector by President and ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP) Chair Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, the vice rector of the school has been determined after a month.

As reported by Neşe İdil from Gazete Duvar news website, Prof. Gürkan Kumbaroğlu from the Department of Industrial Engineering has been appointed as the new vice rector of Boğaziçi University.

What happened?

Police stormed the South Campus of Boğaziçi University in İstanbul yesterday evening (February 1) and intervened into the students' protests against the appointment of Prof. Melih Bulu as the new rector of their university by a decree of ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP) Chair and President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan on January 2.

Earlier yesterday, the students gathered in front of the South Campus for the protest. Police hindered this protest while also preventing the students inside the South Campus from joining their friends outside.

With the 51 students detained inside the campus, the number of detained increased to 159. In a statement released by the İstanbul Governor's Office earlier this morning, it has been announced that 98 students have been released from detention. (TP/SD)