Erdoğan-appointed Boğaziçi University rector at the center of controversy over plagiarism yet again

Boğaziçi University's Erdoğan-appointed rector Melih Bulu is at the center of controversy once again over plagiarism in his master's thesis. Bulu's plagiarism was also revealed in his other academic works.

Tuesday February 09 2021 11:58 am

Duvar English

Melih Bulu, the newly-appointed rector of Boğaziçi University, is at the center of controversy yet again over plagiarism, this time in his master's thesis.

The academic works of Bulu, whose anti-democratic appointment by President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan on Jan. 2 caused an uproar in the country, are being shared on social media to point to his plagiarism ever since his appointment.

Devrim Umut Aslan, who is doing his doctorate at Boğaziçi, shared parts of Bulu's master's thesis on Twitter and proved his plagiarism.

Dakka bir gol bir. Buluşçunun master tezinin ilk paragrafı. Bir tarafta cheatation kayyum, 1995, diğer tarafta Minsky, (2016[1982]). Aynısının tıpkısı. Referans var, tırnak, sayfa no falan yok.#kayyumrektoristemiyoruz.#melihbulubogazicinerektorolamaz pic.twitter.com/kw8gjWhteA
— Devrim Umut Aslan (@Aslan_D_U) January 4, 2021

"This is theft. He needs to be sacked from academia let alone being appointed a rector," Aslan said, as he highlighted the parts that Bulu stole from various other academic works.

"There are references sometimes and sometimes not. Quotation marks are used randomly and page numbers are never there," Aslan also said.

Soranlar, merak edenler oluyor, kayyumun tezini arakladığı kaynaklar ekte efendim.

Utanç tablosu tezini de yine aşağı bıraktım:https://t.co/F6PalJFIq2 #BogaziciDireniyor #AkademibiatEtmez #KabulEtmiyoruzVazgeçmiyoruz pic.twitter.com/vvg64iExXV
— Devrim Umut Aslan (@Aslan_D_U) January 11, 2021

Students and academics have been pointing to Bulu's inadequacy for over a month. Protests have also been ongoing against his appointment, but Bulu continues to ignore all the accusations against him and the calls on him to resign to pave the way for democratic rector elections.

While the opposition supports the demands of the students and academics, the ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP), the Nationalist Movement Party (MHP) and mafia leader Alaattin Çakıcı are among Bulu's supporters.