Boğaziçi University resistance left three years behind: 'We are standing up for an ideal'
On January 1, 2021, Melih Bulu was appointed as the rector of Boğaziçi University by the decision of President and AKP Chairman Recep Tayyip Erdoğan. The concept of a "trustee rector" became a topic in Turkey after Bulu's appointment, which was made disregarding the university's autonomy.
Boğaziçi University students protested Erdogan's intervention in the university; in demonstrations demanding an autonomous, free, and democratic university, over 600 students were detained.
Due to the impact of protests and criticism from both national and international academic circles, Melih Bulu was removed from his position on July 15, 2021, once again by the decision of President Erdogan.
After Bulu, the rector election process was once again disrupted. Prof. Dr. Mehmet Naci İnci, who previously served as Bulu's deputy and acted as his substitute after being removed was appointed as the rector by Erdogan on August 21, 2021, despite receiving a 95% rejection vote from faculty members.
On January 5, 2021, Boğaziçi University academics wore their academic robes and turned their backs during the handover ceremony at the rectorate building.
The academics continue this action every working day of the week at 12:15, expressing their refusal and persistence with the hashtag #KabulEtmiyoruzVazgeçmiyoruz, which translates to "We do not accept, we do not give up."
What took place ever since
Since May 30, 2021, it is not possible for the press to capture images at Boğaziçi University. The campus is surrounded by high iron railings, and police patrol the area with heavy weapons. Cameras have been installed in every corner of the campuses. The university has, in a way, become a residence for private security and civilian police.
Approximately 200 people, consisting of retired academics and alumni, are prohibited from entering the campuses.
For the past three years, Boğaziçi University Rectorate has not held a collective graduation ceremony to prevent space for student protests.
Apart from the rectorate, the top management levels of the university have also been taken over by externally appointed personnel. Vital decisions in the Senate and University Board are still made by these personnel.
On November 3, 2021, the Sexual Harassment Prevention Coordination Office (CİTÖK), which served as an example for Boğaziçi University Publishing House and many other institutions, was rendered ineffective.
Academics like Can Candan, Cem Ersoy, Mohan Ravichandran, Tolga Sütlü, and Yıldız Silier had their positions terminated without legal justification.
Boğaziçi University Archive and Documentation Center, hosting many significant collections, was dissolved on September 4, 2022, and the space was converted into a residence.
The Mithat Alam Film Center was rendered ineffective by being allocated to the Faculty of Communication. On August 12, 2022, its administrators were dismissed.
Boğaziçi University Alumni Association (BÜMED), which had been operating for 30 years in its building on the South Campus, was forcibly removed by the police.
On April 4, 2023, the "Instforum," an email service established in 1996 where faculty members, lecturers, and teaching assistants communicated, was shut down by the administration without providing any reasons.
Most recently, on December 20, 2023, the University Senate decided to restructure the faculties. According to the decision, the Faculty of Arts and Sciences will be split into two separate faculties, and the Faculty of Administrative Sciences will be closed. In response to these decisions, following a call from the Boğaziçi University Student Representation Board, hundreds of students initiated a "Democratic University" vigil.
At least 10 students had their school entrance cards blocked.
"Trustee administration in university is against the nature of things"
Boğaziçi University faculty member Can Candan, who has been unlawfully dismissed from his position three times, spoke to bianet about both the psychological and political dimensions of the Boğaziçi Resistance.
Starting with the words "We do not accept, we do not give up," Candan spoke about the resistance, saying:
“Thousands of our students, graduates, and employees, along with myself as part of this resistance, will certainly say our first words: We do not accept, we do not give up. What don't we accept? Of course, we do not accept trustee administrations. It is against the nature of things for a university to be under a trustee administration. In this situation, it is not possible for us to give up our demand for an autonomous, free, and democratic university and our principles. I think the struggle we have been waging for three years proves this.
Those who have contributed to Boğaziçi University do not accept a management that has not come to power based on merit. Moreover, these appointments and attacks on Boğaziçi are a project of the political power. These people are responsible for implementing the project of those who appointed them to those positions. This understanding, which breaks and damages everything around it, disregarding public interest, is pursuing the goals of the project—whatever those goals may be. The damages in question are very expected from our perspective, but certainly devastating. If a public university providing education at world standards continues to be managed in this way, the damages will increase and accumulate day by day.
We are trying to convey the extent of this public damage as much as we can, and we will continue to do so. I liken Boğaziçi University to a finely touched, carefully adorned, beautiful garden. There is an effort here that has been going on for decades, involving hundreds of people, to create a beautiful garden. It is, of course, very distressing for our garden to be damaged in this way. And we are most sorry for our students and this society.
On the other hand, during the resistance, we have experienced snow and cold, extreme heat, and passed through 12 seasons. If we can stand together without compromising our principles in any way during this time, it is encouraging for us. Because this stance shows that we are standing up for an ideal. We are in a tremendous state of sorrow, but we also have tremendous belief and hope.”
(TY/PE)