Boğaziçi University: 100 students stripped of scholarships, loans for protesting rector

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The Student Loans and Dormitories Institution (KYK) has canceled loans and scholarships of at least 100 students for protesting Boğaziçi University's appointed rector. The students have been asked to start paying back their loans as of July 2023.

Students and academics have been protesting Prof. Melih Bulu since his appointment by the president on January 2, demanding his resignation and elections for a new rector.

The KYK decision was based on article 30 of the Scholarship-Loan Regulation, which stipulates the termination of loans and scholarships of students who have been suspended from school for at least one semester.

Perit, a student, was battered by private security guards when he tried to enter the campus on June 1. Ömer (not his real name) was detained during the protests against the rector on January 4.

Notifications to families

Ömer, a first-year history student at Boğaziçi, lost his scholarship from the Turkish Historical Society four months after being detained during the protests in Ankara on January 6.

"When I was at the dorm in İstanbul, a document stating that my scholarship was terminated as per a decision by the Governor's Office was sent to my family's home in Ankara," he said. "The reason was my interrogation at the Ankara Security Branch."

Perit, a second-year student and the Department of History, said that the notification concerning the termination of his loan was sent to his family's home although his registered residential address was different.

"They probably wanted my family to put pressure on me because I attended the protests," he said.

"A stronger bond"

The notification sent to his family did not explain where, when and how he committed an offense, he stressed. He was detained on February 1 on Boğaziçi University's South Campus and his case is continuing and he hasn't been convicted, added Perit.

Perit said he had financial difficulties every month even when he was getting a student loan and now he has to work while studying.

"Such interferences remind me how those we are struggling against can act unlawfully and how cowardly they are to seize the money of people who are in their 20s and make me have a stronger bond with the resistance," he said.

Ömer said, "When my scholarship was terminated, I was staying in the dorm in İstanbul ... I was generally very badly affected. I felt I couldn't live. I even thought I wouldn't be able to continue my education. I became stressed.

"I found myself in a situation where I had to choose between my education and money. I had to choose between my job and homework, the deadlines of which were the same, and I had to choose the money.

"Now I'm in a very difficult situation in that class. If I can't pass it, my scholarship will be legally terminated."

Despite financial difficulties, Ömer said, the feeling of solidarity strengthens him. "I feel that I'm in a new phase of my life. I don't appreciate it but this incident didn't hurt me as much as they wanted or cared about. I'll continue to actively participate in the resistance."

Presumption of innocence

Abdullah Tıkıç from the Lawyers' Solidarity group said the termination of scholarships and loans violated the Law on the Council of Higher Education.

"The action taken by the administration is based on the expression 'involved in incidents of anarchy,' which was removed from the regulation in 2008. So, penalties were given based on an article that isn't currently included in the regulation," the lawyer explained.

A definitive conviction is required to cancel loans and scholarships and the presumpmtion of innnocence is violated with the decisions, he added. (MEÖ/DŞ/VK)