Boğaziçi University: Preliminary agreement foresees demolition

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The Rectorate of Boğaziçi University and the Ministry of Environment and Urbanization have reached a "preliminary agreement" that foresees the demolition of Uçaksavar lodging buildings in İstanbul's Etiler and the reconstruction of more buildings in the same area within 6 months.

Minister of Environment and Urbanization Murat Kurum and İstanbul Governor Ali Yerlikaya visited the lodgings three days ago (March 27).

A day after the visit, which was also attended by appointed rector Prof. Melih Bulu, the Rectorate sent an email to academics, informing them that "the Rectorate and the Ministry have reached a preliminary agreement in principle to demolish the lodgings under an earthquake risk and to build a higher number of and more modern lodgings with indoor parking."

The email of the Rectorate has added that the new lodging buildings' capacity will also be enough to accommodate Dr. Lecturers of Boğaziçi University who want to live in the Uçaksavar lodgings.

According to the email of the Rectorate, "in the event that this project is put into operation, the Governor's Office of İstanbul has pledged that the university personnel currently living in the lodgings will be provided with a sufficient number of guesthouses and the Ministry of Environment has promised that their moving expenses will be met."

The Rectorate has also noted that with the aim of ensuring more efficient education and research activities, it is making efforts to provide all faculty members who want to live there with an adequate number of lodgings in a location near the university and within two years at the latest.

Was it 'discussed for years'?

The email sent to the academics has also indicated, "Improving our lodging facilities, thereby improving the living conditions of the faculty members is one of our priorities that we have been discussing for years."

Speaking to bianet, Boğaziçi University sources say that when Prof. Gülay Barbarosoğlu was the rector, there were also thoughts about building new lodgings in the Uçaksavar area, but they decided not to do it. According to what the sources say, the university administration of the time concluded that the project did not safeguard the university and public good.

No statement so far as to land ownership

Speaking to bianet about the issue, the academics of Boğaziçi University have underlined the following points:

While the majority of university lands are allocated lands, the land on which the Uçaksavar lodgings are built belongs to Boğaziçi University. The construction of lodging facilities on this extremely valuable land by the Housing Development Administration of Turkey (TOKİ) means that some part of the university's land will be permanently transferred to the TOKİ. No statement has been made about the land ownership so far.
The university can be granted funds, thereby enabling it to undertake the construction itself. Boğaziçi University has an advanced civil engineering department that can plan and control the construction.
As seen in previous examples, the TOKİ might construct ill-shaped buildings that will not suit the fabric of the area. Such a construction not under the control of the university might be a construction that might damage the fabric of the Bosphorus region.
The university has 173 doctor lecturers. There are talks of building lodgings that can accommodate them all. If the TOKİ will also have buildings there, it will mean the construction of 250-300 apartments. It is possible that the municipality does not allow such a multi-storeyed construction. Was this risk taken into account?
There is a need for lodgings, but there are also above reservations. At Boğaziçi, such decisions are taken by its boards in line with its democratic principles safeguarding the public good and understanding of participatory administration. How was this decision taken?
Taking such an action in a top-down manner without especially asking the academics to be affected is no different from opening new faculties.

(DŞ/SD)

APPOINTED RECTOR IN OFFICE

Boğaziçi University: Preliminary agreement foresees demolition

Dilek Şen

Was it 'discussed for years'?

No statement so far as to land ownership