With the start of the new academic term at Yıldız Technical University (YTU), developments regarding university management and campus practices come to the fore one after another.
After Cumhuriyet brought the digital system problems at YTU to the agenda on October 7, it was revealed in the announcement published by the Personal Data Protection Authority (KVKK) that the university reported a data breach.
YTU reported that approximately 140 thousand students and 4,500 staff may have been affected by the ransomware attack that started on October 1.
Today, YTU came to the fore with the event organized by the Intellectual Research Club (FARK), which operates within the university, separating the students into men and women.
SEPARATE DAYS, TIMES AND ROOMS FOR WOMEN AND MEN
In the event announced by the Intellectual Research Club under the name "ÜNİ101", separate programs were prepared for male and female students. In the poster published by the club, male students were shown under the title "Gentlemen" and female students under the title "Ladies".
The program organized for "Gentlemen" was held on Wednesday, October 7, at 17.30 at YTU Technopark Conference Hall. The program organized for "Ladies" was announced to be held on Monday, October 12, at 16.00 in the BZ-A04 hall of the Faculty of Arts and Sciences.
Thus, within the scope of the same "UNI101" event, not only different sessions but also different days, different hours and different locations were determined for male and female students.
At the bottom of the event poster, there was also a statement about Yıldız Technical University Health, Culture and Sports Department.
THIS IS A SEPARATE PROGRAM AT THE END OF PATIENT
Cumhuriyet's review of FARK's activities revealed that directing male and female students to separate programs was not limited to the "ÜNİ101" event.
The club also divided the 2026-2027 period introductory breakfast, which it organized just before UNI101, into two. In the announcement published on FARK's own account, "Ladies" were invited to the "Event Area" at 10:00 on Saturday, October 10, while Davutpaşa Campus Mosque was the address for "Gentlemen" at the same time on Sunday, October 11. The club also specifically stated in its announcement that women's breakfast will be held on Saturday and men's breakfast will be held on Sunday. Thus, the club implemented different programs for male and female students in two separate organizations held a few days apart.
LAST YEAR IT WAS SEPARATED AS THE SOCIETY FOR DISSEMINATION OF SCIENCE AND MEVLEVIHANE.
A similar practice was observed in the previous academic year.
FARK invited male and female students to different dates and different locations for the introductory breakfast it organized in October 2025.
In the club's own announcement dated 2025, the Headquarters of the Science Dissemination Society was listed as the address for female students and Bahariye Mevlevihanesi for male students. The breakfast for female students was held on October 12, and the program for male students was held on October 18.
In another event held by the club in November 2025, the distinction was written directly in the announcement. In the advertisement published for the event titled "Different Experiences: Learning to Learn on the Career Path", the note "Aimed at gentlemen" was included.
Thus, it was seen that the club preferred separate days, venues or programs instead of the joint participation of male and female students in different events in 2025 and 2026.
'GENDER' PROVISION IN YTU'S DIRECTIVES
The repeated practices of the club also brought to mind Yıldız Technical University's own Student Clubs Directive.
Article 12 of the current Student Clubs Directive, adopted by the YTU Senate's decision dated July 21, 2025, lists the rules that clubs must comply with.
The fourth paragraph of the 12th article of the directive clearly states that "Clubs cannot discriminate against religion, language, race, ethnicity, nationality, gender and similar reasons in the activities they carry out."
In the same article, it is mandatory to obtain the approval of the club president, club advisor and the Department of Health, Culture and Sports for "all kinds of activities" carried out by clubs.
According to the directive, clubs must first submit the forms regarding the activities they will organize to their consultants. The forms must be examined by the consultant in terms of both form and content, and it is stipulated that requests without consultant approval will not be taken into consideration by SKS.
Presenting the information flow of the posts on the club's social media accounts to the consultant and obtaining approval are also considered among the duties of the club president.
These provisions brought to mind the questions of what approval processes went through the events in which separate days and venues were announced for male and female students, and how the provision of "no discrimination due to gender" in the university's own directive was implemented in these events.
WHO IS THE DIFFERENCE, WHAT KIND OF CLUB IS IT?
According to the Intellectual Research Club's own corporate introduction, FARK was founded on July 11, 2023. When describing its establishment, the club uses the expression "To complete the missing piece of Yıldız, taking Hilal with it."
Among the aims of the club are to contribute to the development of students based on "science, ideas and intellectual movements created by men of cause".
IT WAS ON THE AGENDA WITH AN IFTAR FOR 5 THOUSAND PEOPLE
FARK has also come to the fore with iftar organizations with wide participation.
According to the official statement of the university, more than 5 thousand students, academicians and guests attended the "Traditional YTU FARK Iftar", which was organized for the third time by the club at YTU Davutpaşa Campus in March 2026. The university administration also announced the event on its official website.
Yasin Uyar, who is the President of FARK in the 2025-2026 period, described the club's iftar organization in Yıldız as the "Seal of Islam" while handing over his duty.
In his post, Uyar said, "We will continue to expand our cause gradually."
