ANKARA - Protesting the appointment of Melih Bulu as a rector to Boğaziçi University, academics from ODTU called for the students detained and arrested in the prostests to be released.
Academics from Middle East Technical University (ODTU) made a statement in front of ODTU Physics Department regarding the appointment of Melih Bulu as a trustee to Boğaziçi University and the harsh police intervention on the students. Academicians had a banner that reads 'Don't touch my student'.
The statement of the academics is as follows: "We agree with the justified objections of all Boğaziçi University components defending basic, universal, autonomous, democratic university traditions and academic principles against the appointment of the rector to Boğaziçi University. We support them to the full extent. We are proud of the university students protecting the traditions and principles.
VIOLENCE AND OPPRESSION MUST END
These students who want to use their freedom of expression and protest, which are guaranteed by the Constitution in accordance with the universal law principles, are exposed to police violence. The oppression and violence against them must come to an end, and everyone detained and arrested in this process must be released immediately. As METU faculty members; We believe that universities should be democratic institutions that have academic, administrative and financial autonomy and are accountable to society as a result of this autonomy. It is important for social welfare that universities are not exposed to any pressure from outside.
WE WILL BE FOLLOWING THE PROCESS
It is important for the universities to be autonomous that democratically elected institutions to have the authority to decide and the administrator to implement these. The election of all academic science administrators is another guarantee of this autonomy and accountability. In this respect, election of rectors and other administrators in all universities in our country is very important. This is not only Boğaziçi UNiversity's problem but the problem of all universities in Turkey and Turkey. As METU lecturers, we respectfully announce to the public that we follow the developments in Boğaziçi University that harm the autonomous and democratic university principle with concern, that the defense of this principle is a social responsibility and therefore we will follow this process."