Fatih: YOK Rules Phase-Out For University
The YOK General Council convened the yesterday and took the radical decision of banning private Fatih University from taking on students for an entire academic year, the fIrst time it has ever exercised this power.
YOK also sacked some of the leading administrators of the university.
According to YOK's ruling, Fatih University will not take on any students at all over the 2001-202 academic year and it will be dissolved unless it makes sweeping reforms to comply with the secularism principle.
This was the first time YOK was exercising such a power and marked the start of an era of university closures through General Council rulings. Universities are established in Turkey by law.
The YOK statement read:
"During an inspection carried out in accordance with the relevant articles of the Constitution, it was determined that certain practices and situations not in accordance with regulations were being observed from time to time at Fatih University; the university has been warned on several occasions in connection with this; in fact the chairman of the university foundation board of trustees and the Deputy Rector were sent a written invitation to attend the June 30 200 meeting of the Higher Education Executive Council and were warned on the matters of completing the transfer of all stated university property to the university's juristic identity and reactionary attitudes and behavior; finally, as a result of the latest investigation and inspection report commissioned by the Higher Education Supervisory Board it was understood that these points had not been corrected."
According to the decision by the YOK General Council, Fatih University will be warned first, Permission will not be given for it to take on students throughout the 2001-2002 academic year. Finally, should it be determined by a follow up inspection to be carried out a year later that YOK's demands have not been complied with, the university will have its activities ceased. In its report, YOK also made the following observations:
"It has been determined that in contravention of legal directives and stated principles, in spite of frequent warnings the transfer process of stated property to the university's juristic identity has not been completed; a research and practice center was opened and directives published without YOK approval; departments under the name of Medical Faculty were opened in Konya, Meram and Ankara, Hoşdere and under the name Medical Center in Ankara, Çankaya all without YOK does not approve of and as well as this disapproval was found suspicious with regard to the aims and principles in Articles 4 and 5 of Law number 2547 was appointed Deputy rector; that it was insisted this person remain in office for the duration of his long term in office; that many academic personnel and students were in breach of dress codes for political or ideological reasons' that the administration turned a blind eye to or actually encouraged this and continues to do so in spite of the warnings; that the administration turned a blind eye to or actually encouraged this and continues to do so in spite of the warnings; that the administration employs people with reactionary leanings; that facilities to promote this have been provided."
The YOK statement also said:
"YOK has come to the conclusion that although what is expected of institutes of higher education is education and tuition aimed at raising students bound to Atatürk's nationalism in accordance with Atatürks reforms and principles, after the findings summarized above, if Fatih University maintains its current makeup and does not correct these breaches of regulations then it will turn into an institution entirely in contravention of these aims and principles."
YOK yesterday took also a decision to dismiss the administration of Fatih University, the Anatolia news agency reported yesterday. The board reportedly discussed proposals to give disciplinary penalties against those in the administration of universities.
The Nationalist Movement Party (MHP) deputy for Balikesir Hüseyin Kalkan said speaking as an educator the subject of YOK itself must be brought to the table ad discussed seriously. He asked what the point was in creating more tension when society and the government were trying to get over an economic crisis.
In response to YOK's decision, one of Fatih University's foundation board of trustees and deputy for Istanbul Ali Coşkun said, "Everybody knows the blow YOK dealt to university life. While it is necessary for universities to debate science and divinity, they have been prevented from doing so for many years with these dress codes." He added that YOK chairman Kemal Gürüz had an incomprehensible evasion to Fatih University from the very beginning.
Junior opposition party the True Path Party (DYP) deputy for Erzincan Sebahattin Karakelle said YOK was violating the Constitution and that YOK's duty was to improve educational standards and produce quality teachers.
Former YOK chairman Mehmet Sağlam criticized the decision for being too harsh. He further said that YOK did not have the right to dissolve universities. He said only Parliament could do that and even then he did not reckon Parliament would. He also said he did not believe Gürüz had ever behaved impartially towards Fatih University. 03.17.2001
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