(Ufuk Devrim Demirel ECON-III),
(Önder Bulut IE-II)

In Bilkent, the price of every food commodity is nearly double that of the same thing is Ankara. Whenever there is an inflation in food prices in Bilkent, students complain about how expensive food is but no one does anything about it.

Just because most of the students in Bilkent, pay for their education, it does not necessarily mean that paying for low quality, tasteless food is easy for them. Most of them pay only because it is a big headache going to the city and eat there since it takes up a lot of time. In METU, the prices of food are less than in Bilkent. For example, a can of Coke costs 125,000 TL in METU but in Bilkent the price of the same can of Coke is 225,000 TL. What are the reasons for these extravagant prices?

Another thing is the photocopying charges in the Library and Dorm 78. A person can get anything photocopied for 3,500 TL in the city but in Bilkent the price is 10,000 TL. What is the reason for this? I challenge any person who is responsible for these high prices to an open debate so that I and other students of this university should know the reasons why they are being ripped off?

(Salim Ahmed, Management-II)

Dear Editor,

On Saturday September 19, my brother and his friends came to Bilkent to see where I study. We decided to go to the university in my brother's car (there is no Bilkent parking sticker on it) at 6:45 p.m. but the security guards would not allow us to enter the Main Campus. When I said I am a Bilkent student, the guards allowed us in for only five minutes. That shocked me because I wanted my brother and his friends to have a half tour in such a big campus, but that the university didn't allow me to show my university to my family members and guests.

So, I want to ask those who are responsible: Do you want to make Bilkent University a forbidden place with strong restrictions. Bilkent is a big, modern, and international university, so don't draw borders!

In my opinion, the university cannot claim such rules are necessary for the school's or its students' security. The students are adults and the university has a well-staffed security organization. This event embarassed me in front of my friends and has created a bad image for the university, all because of a meaningless, strict, and strange rule.

(Erkan Yağci Tourism-II)

Editor's Note

* About the meal size and prices, a nutritionist determines the size of the portions served at Marmara, according to standard calorie intake of an average person. If the restaurant does not abide by the nutritionist's decision it can be fined.

** It takes about 60 people to staff a cafeteria like Marmara, but far fewer to operate a supermarket, or a small sandwhich shop at METU or somewhere else. The difference in operating costs directly relates to the differences in the cost of food and Cokes. At Marmara, they work hard to keep operating costs down - they are no higher than that of a typical third-rate restaurant. Prices are adjusted twice a year at the beginning of each semester. Depending on when you compare the prices Bilkent prices can be found higher or lower than those typically found downtown.

*** No one is allowed on campus after 6 p.m. on weekends for tours with the exception of students and their immediate family. There would have been no problem if the student wanted to get just family members, not friends, onto the campus. The student's family members are welcome any time and hopefully they will come back to visit this beautiful university.

**** Photocopy prices will be researched in detail and the results will be published in the next issue.