*Umay Gültekin
Key moments at Istanbul University in 2024.
Like all other universities, Istanbul University’s year 2024 was intense. Irmak has summarised the main events that occurred at the university this year.
- June: The rectorate unilaterally changed the Commission for Sexual Harassment and Violence Prevention (CİTÖK) Regulation, which had been established after a long struggle. That undermined the demand for a safe campus and nearly rendered the mechanism ineffective.
- July: The university raised cafeteria fees by 67%, requiring students to allocate a large portion of their KYK loans to cover food expenses.
- October: Israel’s regional war threats and solidarity actions with the Palestinian people became prominent. The mass march organised by the Women’s Studies Commission created a space for students’ demands for a safe campus and strengthened women’s solidarity.
- November: Problems in the Central Library and cafeterias led students to organise numerous petition campaigns.
- December: The Faculty of Communication decided to limit club activities to class hours. This decision was made without consulting club members, leading to significant protests within the faculty.
Of course, it’s not that nothing happened in the months we haven’t mentioned. However, when we look back at 2024, I wanted to highlight the most significant events. We certainly haven’t forgotten the solidarity actions we organised for our friends arrested on May Day or the university administration rushing to enforce the “massacre law” against animals during the summer, among many others.
What happened in terms of student solidarity and struggle this year?
Students organised a series of mass actions and campaigns around various issues this year. There was significant solidarity around the demand for a safe campus. Within the framework of women’s solidarity, local women’s collectives were established in faculties like Social Sciences, Economics, and ILEF. Students such as the Student Representatives Council (ÖTK) also took steps towards democratising their self-management mechanisms.
Are students able to make ends meet?
While the KYK scholarship and loan amounts were raised to 3,000 TL, students still face serious difficulties covering basic food and housing expenses. These issues reveal significant deficiencies in the scholarship system’s basic functionality.
What are students’ expectations for the new year?
Students emphasise the need for more organisation and solidarity, demanding free, scientific, and democratic education. In this context, there is a particular expectation that more of the budget be allocated to education and that students play a more active role in decision-making processes. Another primary focus is the goal of building a more massive struggle in 2025.
