Recep Tayyip Erdoğan University rector steps down after hiring scandal

ISTANBUL - Doğan News Agency

DHA Photo

Recep Tayyip Erdoğan University Rector Arif Yılmaz stepped down from his post on Aug. 5, days after media outlets revealed a scandalous hiring fiasco. 

A routine advertisement published via Turkey’s official Directorate General of Press Advertisement on newly opened positions at Rize’s Recep Tayyip Erdoğan University, but with the names of those hired, already chosen in advance, were left on the ad. 

The notice included a table with the six posts indicating the faculties where a new associate professor position had been opened. However, the final column, which was reserved for the criteria required for the post, contained the notes of the board due to an error committed by those preparing the advertisement.
Most of the names picked on the list either lacked authorization or did not fit the necessary criteria for the job, causing a strong public reaction to the predetermined pickings, accusing the officials of exerting preferential treatment. 

Yılmaz has spoken right after the nepotism allegations broke out, and had assured the public that the incident will be looked into. He nevertheless defended the academic picked on the list, stating, “The people on the document are working at our university as assistant professors and they already have the right to become associate professors. It is not nice that their names were publicized by the media.”
Recep Tayyip Erdoğan University meanwhile has stated that the notes on the ad were included by mistake.