Perhaps it is still too early to make a final judgment. In such undesirable situations, one always seeks to preserve the hope that there might be a misunderstanding and that things have happened because of this misunderstanding. Even if the party involved is the rector of an established university, one seeks consolation by thinking in good faith that he might not know what he is doing in the enthusiasm of his first day in office. Otherwise, how could the rector of Boğaziçi University, one of Turkey's true universities -- in the real sense of the word -- which has managed to remain a stronghold of freedoms even in the most repressive of times, opening its doors fully to diverse ideas and lifestyles, relegate the university's pro-freedom stance -- the most fundamental quality of Boğaziçi University -- to the trash in one fell swoop? Moreover, given the fact that this new rector has spent years at this university and, what's more, was elected to office with the vote of lecturers who have made the university an oasis of freedom, how can we make sense of this pro-prohibition act? One cannot help but ask oneself "Hasn't this rector benefited from the free atmosphere of Boğaziçi University?"
Yet, unfortunately this is a reality of Turkey, a country where you can expect contradictions everywhere, even in places where you would normally expect none. It may be for this reason that Boğaziçi University, which wouldn't have thought of meddling with the individual freedoms and apparel of its students, even in the repressive years of the February 28 process, suffers from the ill-fate of being introduced to censorship at the hands of a rector who was appointed by President Abdullah Gül, a liberal and democratic personality who himself has been the victim of bans and repression. As a former student of Boğaziçi University, my graduation from which is a thing I treasure, I can barely restrain myself from revolt. This is utterly shameful!
Perhaps I must further clarify my words. I am quoting a news report from one of yesterday's newspapers: "With the new rector, the era of freedoms has come to an end at Boğaziçi University. On the opening day of the new school year, students wearing headscarves were not allowed to enter the campus, though they could freely enter in the past. This ban surprised the students, who protested in front of the campus. The Young Civilians issued a statement about the ban, criticizing it with their usual sarcasm. 'Kadri Özçaldıran, the new rector of Boğaziçi University, has made a quick start at his compulsory [military] service,' they said."
You will read the reactions from current and former members of Boğaziçi University to this shameful ban in our newspaper. As for my reaction: If I were still attending Boğaziçi, I would do anything to prevent the fame of the freedoms of my university -- which I worked so hard to be entitled to attend and which has had a good image up until now - from being stained at the hands of the rector. Without making any distinction between the girls wearing headscarves and those who do not, or between leftists and rightists, I would act in solidarity with the headscarved students or groups that are the victims of the despotic decisions. I would try to get my share from the victimization caused by despotism irrespective of which group suffers from it.
I would do anything to not allow the rector -- who presumes to manage this beautiful university though he fails to comprehend its philosophy -- turn Boğaziçi University into an ordinary or next-to-nothing university with despotic and pro-censorship decisions. I would join whoever is being victimized to make the scope of victimization even broader. This is the kind of action expected from Boğaziçi students and lecturers. If no reaction is voiced today, Boğaziçi will no longer be the good old university in which you take pride for being its students and lecturers.
How bitter is it that a rector who calls himself an academic fulfills what the military coup of Sept. 12 or the military tutelage of Feb. 28 could not manage to accomplish! It seems that the new rector has already dispensed with academia and regards it as a merit to meddle with the hair and beards of students, just like many other rectors. What's more, he is not satisfied with this but goes on to hunt for wigs and rain hoods. He does this as if there is not a cavalcade of rectors who busy themselves with this sacred duty and as if a lack of despotism is the sole defect at the university.
I have a piece of advice to Professor Özçaldıran. If you are so irritated by a free university, why did you run for rector at Boğaziçi University, a stronghold of freedoms? Is it because you just sought to cut the throat of Boğaziçi University? If you are so desirous of despotism, you could well be transferred to one of the other despotic and naturally sleazy universities in our country, which are in abundance, and feel the delight of pursuing your despotism there instead of staining such an internationally well-known brand as Boğaziçi University.
Why do you feel hatred and animosity toward this good university? Please step back from this mistake before it's too late for everyone. Do not make us feel the shame of a ban instead of the pride of being a graduate of Boğaziçi. Let Boğaziçi University remain a real university according to universal standards. Do not cast your despotic shadow on this distinguished university, which has been protected from despotism for years. Please also do not seek justification from pro-ban laws or regulations for your despotism because those laws were always there, but censorship started at Boğaziçi University at your despotic hands. Keep this in mind!
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