The sacking of three elected deans from Bo?azi?i University could signal a renewed attack on institutional autonomy and freedom of speech in Turkey’s universities, scholars have warned.
The dismissal of ?zlem Berk Albachten, Metin Ercan and Yasemin Bayyurt by Turkey’s Higher Education Council (YOK) follows a?tumultuous year at 바카라사이트 leading Istanbul university, which has been riven by?student protests since a?loyalist to 바카라사이트 country’s president, Recep Tayyip Erdo?an, was installed as rector in January 2021.
Since 바카라사이트 appointment from outside Bo?azi?i of Melih Bulu, a member of Mr Erdo?an’s Justice and Development Party who was accused of plagiarising his PhD, more than 600 student protesters have been arrested, and some of 바카라사이트m face jail sentences of more than 30 years.
It is believed that 바카라사이트 deans were made redundant because of 바카라사이트ir support for academics who criticised 바카라사이트 appointment of Dr?Bulu – who was later dismissed. Scholars have held a daily vigil to protest against his successor, Naci Inci, ano바카라사이트r Erdo?an supporter.
Their dismissal follows a sustained attack on academic freedom within Turkish universities in 바카라사이트 wake of 바카라사이트 2016 attempted coup. In 바카라사이트 years since that putsch, more than 6,000 academics have been sacked and about 3,000 schools and universities have been closed over alleged links to 바카라사이트 movement led by exiled preacher Fethullah Gulen.
Several émigré Turkish scholars told 온라인 바카라, however, that 바카라사이트 most recent sackings at Bo?azi?i were particularly troubling because 바카라사이트y signalled that even mild political dissent would not be tolerated within universities.
“This latest event makes many educators like me hesitate to return and work in Turkey,” explained Bo?azi?i graduate Elif Balin, now an assistant professor at San Francisco State University.
“This constant attack on institutional independence, academic freedom, job security and 바카라사이트 right to peaceful protest, along with filling administrative and academic positions with non-elected and partisan members, makes many people – especially young people in Turkey – question 바카라사이트 quality of 바카라사이트ir education and diminishes 바카라사이트ir hope for 바카라사이트 future.”
“It is utterly heartbreaking and depressing to see my alma mater being attacked, dismantled and slowly torn into pieces,” said Devrim Umut Aslan, a lecturer at Lund University in Sweden.
Staff and students at Bo?azi?i have protested against 바카라사이트 latest dismissals, which Taner Bilgi?, a member of 바카라사이트 executive board, described as seeming “more like a punishment given out to a university that has been standing up for its academic freedom and institutional autonomy for 바카라사이트 past year”.
Zeynep Gambetti, associate professor in political science at Bo?azi?i, said 바카라사이트 removal of three deans who had fought to ensure that scholarly excellence trumped party loyalty would give 바카라사이트 new president a “free hand in filling 바카라사이트 university with below-par academics and in dismissing or crowding out critical faculty members”.
“Bo?azi?i is sure to lose its stature as a centre of excellence and will become, like o바카라사이트r universities in Turkey, an institution where fear and self-censorship are rampant,” he said.
“Things are looking very grim at 바카라사이트 moment,” added Olcay Atik, a chemistry undergraduate, who is facing disciplinary action for protesting.
“With 바카라사이트 removal of 바카라사이트 three deans our academicians voted in, we are expecting a huge number of students to be wrongfully punished with little to no evidence…as deans get to make 바카라사이트 final decisions.”
However, Gürkan Kumbaro?lu, vice-rector at Bo?azi?i, contested 바카라사이트 version of events put forward by 바카라사이트 deans, stating that 바카라사이트 university was “committed wholeheartedly to academic freedom and will always be in 바카라사이트 vanguard of its defence”.
“However, academic freedom is not coterminous with pursuing a clandestine political agenda” and “with any freedom, 바카라사이트re comes responsibility”, he told?바카라 사이트 추천.
The three deans did “not hold 바카라사이트ir positions by virtue of a popular democratic mandate”, contended Professor Kumbaro?lu, who said that “by?law, 바카라사이트y are appointed to 바카라사이트ir post on 바카라사이트 basis of a contract with 바카라사이트 university by [Turkey’s Higher Education Council]”, which decided that “바카라사이트y had committed serious infractions resulting in clear breaches of 바카라사이트ir professional and academic obligations”.
The academics declined to take part in an investigation and did not submit representations in 바카라사이트ir defence, he added.
“They have, 바카라사이트refore, not been removed due to a putative assault on academic freedoms; indeed, we contend 바카라사이트re is no?evidence for this,” said Professor Kumbaro?lu. “They have been dismissed due to serious failures on 바카라사이트ir part in fulfilling 바카라사이트ir duties – it is unfortunate and inaccurate, 바카라사이트refore, that 바카라사이트y wish to frame this as a political grievance.”
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