Senate Decisions taken on 6 May, 2020
Dear Students,
Following our earlier announcement regarding the Senate’s decision of 6 May, 2020 concerning the latest changes in the Academic Calendar, we would like to share with you the following additional notes in response to the questions and comments you raised.
As you know, at the cabinet meeting of 4 May 2020, it was decided that Turkish universities would be able to resume their academic calendars as of 15 June 2020; in a statement made by the Council of Higher Education on 5 May 2020, it was further clarified that this would only apply “if the relevant state institutions officially announced that the Covid-19 pandemic was under control and there was a definite decline in new infections during the 14-day period starting from 1 June 2020”. The Council of Higher Education also stated that, as of 15 June 2020, spring semester courses that cannot be conducted via distance education due to their applied components can be offered gradually on campus provided that the number of students is reasonable and that all protective measures are in place.
Following these decisions by the governmental bodies, the Academic Calendar was replanned at the Senate’s meeting on 6 May 2020, and some adjustments were made to the previous schedule.
In the light of the recent announcements by the Council of Higher Education (YÖK) and the date YÖK specified for assessment of control of the pandemic (see (1) above), the dates previously assigned in the calendar for “Laboratory and Applied Courses Period” have been changed from 1-11 June to 15-25 June. This decision as to which laboratory and applied courses will require students’ on-campus attendance during these dates will be taken by instructors and academic units and then be announced to you.
Regardless of whether courses have been conducted partially or completely through distance education, final exams can be held either online through a method determined by the instructor or, if necessary, on campus. The dates for the final exams in language and culture courses (including HUM courses) have been scheduled between 26 June and 13 July. For all other courses, the final exam period is between 30 June and 13 July. If the evaluation of these courses will be done remotely, the relevant faculty members will make the necessary notification and the Registrar’s Office will announce the dates of the exams.
Another change made at the Senate meeting on 6 May 2020 is that the last day of classes was moved from 29 May to 12 June. This change does not mean that all courses have to continue until 12 June. This two-week period can be considered an additional compensation period that the instructors, who are having problems completing the curriculum, might want to use.
The exam period, the beginning of Summer School and the dates of other academic activities have also been changed and moved forward 2 weeks within the framework we have tried to explain above. Accordingly, the deadline to submit the final grades is now 24 July 2020 and the decisions on graduation will be taken after this date.
The application dates for double major and minor programs have been rearranged according to the new calendar and will be reflected in the academic calendar as soon as possible.
There is a consensus that the 2020 Summer School will be conducted exclusively via distance education tools unless there is a positive change in the Covid-19 pandemic related conditions. The question of which courses will be online is being discussed in the relevant boards. When the issue becomes settled, information will be shared with you.
The issue of internships will be settled after receiving the opinions of the relevant departments and faculties / schools that have internship requirements for graduation.
The students who normally stay in the dormitories and who are required to attend the lab and other applied courses and/or take final exams on campus will be allowed to return to their dorms only “if the relevant state institutions officially announce that the Covid-19 pandemic is under control and there is a definite decline in new infections during the 14-day period starting from 1 June 2020”. The possibility of returning to the dorms will only be available for the above-mentioned group of students for the dates to be announced next week.
Prof. Dr. Naz Zeynep Atay Gök
Vice Rector