Appointed university administration elects member to executive board with multiple votes

* Photo: Boğaziçi University academics

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Releasing a written statement about the Senate meeting of Boğaziçi University held yesterday (June 23), the academics of the university have announced that the appointed administration cast multiple votes and disregarded the will of the elected senators.

At yesterday's meeting, Haluk Özener, the appointed director of the Boğaziçi University Kandilli Observatory and Earthquake Research Institute, has been elected to the University Executive Board (UEB) as the appointed administration of Boğaziçi University cast multiple votes.

NOTE: With his Presidential decision dated January 2, 2021, President and ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP) Chair Recep Tayyip Erdoğan appointed Prof. Melih Bulu as a rector to Boğaziçi University from outside its community and without an election by the university's constituiencies. With another Presidential decision published in the Official Gazette shortly afterwards, the Faculty of Law and the Faculty of Communication have been established at the univerity.

According to the statement of the academics denouncing the election, the senate meeting began at 2 p.m., and before moving to the first agenda item on the election of a representative to the UEB, the appointed administration announced that they would be using multiple votes.

The elected senators of the university tried to prevent the attempt for approximately two hours. When the elected senators objected to the use of multiple votes, the appointed administration of the university reportedly declared that they would not reconsider their decision.

Everyone except for Kandilli Observatory and Earthquake Research Institute's appointed director Haluk Özener withdrew from the candidacy due to these irregularities. Özener's deputy director attended the meeting in his place and cast votes for both Haluk Özener and himself.

'In practice, he voted for himself'

Within this context, the Boğaziçi University academics have released a written statement and raised concerns that at the Senate meeting yesterday, "the control of the senate was seized by the appointed administration using illegitimate methods used to obtain a majority."

"With individual members of the appointed administration casting multiple votes, the will of our elected senators,who hold seats in the senate as representatives of our university's academics and teaching staff, was held in complete disregard," they have protested the situation.

Referring to the votes cast by the deputy director of Özener, the academics have said, "Attending the meeting in place of Haluk Özener was his deputy director of the Kandilli Observatory and Earthquake Research Institute, meaning that in practice, Haluk Özener voted for himself."

Nine of our senators stated that they would not participate in the election under such circumstances and did not cast a vote. As a result of this secret ballot, which did not follow usual voting procedures, Haluk Özener, the appointed director of the Kandilli Observatory and Earthquake Research Institute, was illegitimately elected as a member of the University Executive Board with members of the appointed administration casting multiple votes.

Multiple votes for other agenda items as well

The academics of Boğaziçi University have also noted that "despite the objections of the elected senators, multiple votes were again used for other agenda items, such as electing representatives of the Technology Transfer Office, and the English Proficiency Exam."

During the meeting, which lasted over six hours, our elected representatives objected to another agenda item on the appointment and promotion criteria for the new Faculty of Law that was established overnight. Our elected senators stated that there were ongoing lawsuits against the newly opened faculties, that reports would need to first be prepared in order for this issue to be included on the agenda, and that this issue could only be brought in front of the senate after discussion by the university's departments and units.

According to the statement of the academics, this demand by the senators was rejected, and, in response to this, the appointed administration stated that they could appoint teaching staff based on the minimum criteria specified by the Council of Higher Education (YÖK), saying, "If no decision is taken here, we will appoint faculty members however we choose. "

At this point, some of the senators reportedly left the meeting, stating that "their university's criteria for teaching staff are extremely clear and cannot be compromised, and that this would negatively affect the quality of education and research at the university."

The meeting concluded with the decision to hold another senate meeting next week with the same agenda item.

'Seizure of the country's future'

Against this backdrop, the academics have emphasized that "this seizure of control of the senate of Bogaziçi University, which is a public university, represents not only a violation of academic freedom and autonomy, but the seizure of the future of the country as well."

"We once again call on all members of the public who believe in the ideal of a free and autonomous university to support our protest, and to stand with us in protecting Bogaziçi University and the future of the youth of our country," they have concluded the statement. (MEÖ/AÖ/SD)