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METU students protest new rector with power cut

The 2023-2024 academic year graduation ceremony of Middle East Technical University (METU) was held at the METU Stadium. During the address by METU Rector Prof. Dr. Ahmet Yozgatlıgil, the power on stage was cut, and the rector was protested.

İHA

The 2023-2024 academic year graduation ceremony of METU was held at the METU Devrim Stadium. The collective graduation ceremony, which is traditionally held at the METU Stadium every year, began at 18:00.

The banners opened by the students were admitted to the stadium after passing security checks. The ceremony, which began with anthems played by the band, continued with a procession where students carried banners in their robes.

The procession, which featured colorful moments, also saw a marriage proposal from Kadir Yavuz to Eda Almeriç, a graduate of the Department of Molecular Biology and Genetics. The birthday of the late teacher Şenay Aybüke Yalçın was also not forgotten by the students during the procession. Banners for "Teacher Aybüke" were opened by students from the Faculty of Education.

RECTOR PROTESTED

At the ceremony, METU Rector Prof. Dr. Ahmet Yozgatlıgil, who took office on August 16, 2024, met with the 2024 graduates and the METU community. Rector Yozgatlıgil, who took the stage to deliver his address, was met with reactions from the students during his speech.

METU students protested Rector Yozgatlıgil's speech by turning their backs. Subsequently, the power to the stage where the rector was standing was cut by an unknown person, and an attempt was made to prevent Yozgatlıgil from speaking.

Completing his remarks after the power was restored, Yozgatlıgil presented diplomas to the graduates who finished METU at the top of their class. While university valedictorians Ali Yıldız and Berke Bayrak gave speeches, a video message from Sema Betül Demirezen, who could not attend the ceremony, was shared. Additionally, METU student Teoman Mehmet Arslan, who passed away at an early age while expected to be among the 2024 graduates, and all previously deceased METU students were commemorated.

The ceremony concluded with the presentation of diplomas to the 2024 graduates by their respective department faculty members.

This year, while 530 master's and 284 doctoral graduates were entitled to receive their diplomas, a total of 2 thousand 720 students graduated from undergraduate programs, including 308 students who graduated from the METU Northern Cyprus Campus.