The Faculty of Communication at Bolu Abant İzzet Baysal University formalized preparations for the 2025-2026 Fall Semester with the Regular Department Heads Meeting held in the faculty meeting hall on July 9, 2025. The meeting, chaired by Faculty Dean Prof. Dr. Emre Tandırlı, with the participation of Vice Dean Assoc. Prof. Dr. Gülşah Sarı, Department Heads Prof. Dr. Selami Özsoy and Assoc. Prof. Dr. Fatma Akar, Faculty Secretary Hayrettin Karataş, and Altuğ Karaaslan representing the department secretaries, was a highly productive and in-person meeting.

The first and most comprehensive agenda item of the meeting was the planning of the courses to be offered in the 2025-2026 Fall Semester and the determination of the faculty members to be assigned to these courses. All department heads presented course schedules prepared based on their respective departments' needs analyses and academic human resources structures. The presentations focused on course content, student volume, faculty members' areas of expertise, and the balance of existing staff. In particular, in line with the increase in the number of newly enrolled students, it was suggested that group sizes be increased in some core courses. Speaking at the meeting, Prof. Dr. Selami Özsoy stated, "In the planning process, improving the quality of the education students receive is as much a priority as distributing faculty members' course loads evenly." It was decided that all departmental proposals would be brought together on a common path, and these plans would be submitted to the relevant authorities after being evaluated by the Faculty Board.

Dean Prof. Dr. Emre Tandırlı stated that they were adopting a quality-based and sustainable approach in managing this process, saying, "We view academic processes not merely as routine operations but as strategic investments in the future of our university. Merit, expertise, and quality in education are our fundamental principles in course assignments."

The second agenda item of the meeting addressed the possibility of research assistants who have successfully completed their doctoral studies being able to teach courses after their status transition. The evaluations made at the meeting were aimed at both encouraging the academic development of faculty members and more efficiently sharing the teaching load within the faculty. Assoc. Prof. Dr. Fatma Akar, in evaluating this process, stated, “The active coursework responsibilities of research assistants who have completed their doctorates strengthen their academic self-confidence and create a more up-to-date and dynamic learning environment for students.” As a result of the meeting, a decision was made that the Faculty Executive Board would prepare proposals for the assignment of suitable candidates, taking into account position availability and course needs, and submit them to the University Executive Board. The process was planned to be conducted under the coordination of the Dean's Office and department heads.

In the final section of the meeting, structural and administrative recommendations were discussed under the heading of wishes and requests to ensure a more robust and effective educational process. Participants particularly emphasized the need to update classroom equipment, develop digital content production infrastructure, and structure advising processes in a more systematic and student-focused manner. It was stated that institutional reflexes aimed at more holistic planning of the academic calendar and increasing student satisfaction should be strengthened.

Vice Dean Assoc. Prof. Dr. Gülşah Sarı summarized the wishes and suggestions, saying, “A strong academic structure is built not only through lectures but also through advising, project development, and student interaction. Institutional sensitivity in these areas will advance our faculty in every way.”

At the end of the meeting, an agreement was reached that all department heads should submit regular activity reports at the end of each semester, and that these reports would be archived by the dean's office and used in general performance evaluations. It was stated that this practice would strengthen both transparency and intra-faculty coordination.

Prof. Dr. Emre Tandırlı, speaking in the general evaluation of the meeting, stated, “Each meeting is an opportunity to move one step closer to our university's vision. Participation, measurability, and preparation for the future are fundamental to our management approach. ‘Designing tomorrow while managing today’ is at the core of our management philosophy,” reiterating the faculty administration's long-term, quality-oriented perspective.

The meeting, documented with photographs, concluded with a decision to initiate the necessary processes to implement the decisions made promptly and communicate them to the relevant higher boards.