Newcomer s Guide Faculty and Family 2009

Transcription

1 Newcomer s Guide Faculty and Family 2009

2 Dear Koç University Faculty and Families: Welcome! We are so pleased you are joining the Koç University family. We have created the Newcomer s Guide to help you to settle in as quickly and easily as possible. We hope it will be a useful reference tool for you in learning your way around the University and Istanbul. In the Guide s second section, you will find information concerning the University: facts about the University, its faculty, and its students. This section also has information that will help you settle into your office and your housing. You will also find useful information on necessary paperwork and how to get it done. Transportation information on campus and to Sarıyer is also in this section. In the section on University facilities, you can find useful facts about where to shop on campus, do banking, and use the post office. The third section provides information about Istanbul -- including suggestions on shopping and restaurants in the area and around Istanbul and where to go to a movie. The section also has information on obtaining cell phones, cars and driving, public transportation, banking and money, language schools, express mail and general cultural life in Istanbul. You should take great pride that you are joining a superb faculty, committed to excellence in teaching, mentoring and research and, above all, bound together by the shared goal of building a world-class institution of higher learning. We at Koç University look forward to greeting you personally in the coming days. In the meantime, we hope you will find this Guide a useful tool in helping you become a full member as quickly as possible. Sincerely, Attila Aşkar President

3 A Brief Note from the Newcomer s Guide Task Force Dear Newcomer, We hope that you find this Guide useful as you settle in to your new home and/or workplace and that you enjoy using it. We have tried our best to check the information carefully, but please let us know if something has changed. We invite you to offer feedback in the form of corrections, suggestions, and/or additions. Please send your comments to doregan@ku.edu.tr. This will facilitate the continued accuracy, timeliness, and thoroughness of this Guide. 3

4 TABLE OF CONTENTS SECTION 1 KOÇ UNIVERSITY... 9 MISSION... 9 VISION... 9 VALUES...11 SECTION 2 GETTING TO KNOW KOÇ UNIVERSITY GENERAL INFORMATION FACULTY KOÇ STUDENTS AND THE TURKISH SYSTEM OF HIGHER EDUCATION ACADEMIC CALENDAR UNIVERSITY FACULTY AND STAFF CONTACT INFORMATION GETTING TO CAMPUS AND PARKING NECESSARY PAPERWORK, ID CARDS, ACCOUNTS AND OTHER ADMINISTRATIVE MATTERS Official Paperwork ID Cards and Accounts Help with Customs (Gümrük) Registering with the Neighborhood Magistrate (Muhtarlık) Health Insurance YOUR SALARY, LUNCH TICKETS, AND OTHER PAYMENTS Comptroller s Office and Initial Paperwork Salaries Pay Stub and Utilities Invoice Taxes Lunch Tickets and Sodexho Tickets Using An Expense Account Travel Reimbursement Grant Opportunites for Newcomers GETTING SETTLED IN YOUR OFFICE/OFIS Faculty Offices Stationery and Office Supplies Computing and Information Technology (CIT) IT Support

5 2. 10 GETTING SETTLED IN YOUR APARTMENT/LOJMAN Faculty Apartments/Lojmanlar Furniture, Appliances, and Lojman Inventory List Storage Drinking Water Delivery Telephoning, Voic and Telephone Bills Utilities and Utility Bills Arnavutköy Residences Getting Online Technical Support for Personal Computers / Dual Bilişim Cable TV and Digiturk Subscriptions Trash and Recycling Security and Fire Alarm Systems Repairs and C TrackIT/Fener Campus TrackIT Visitor Policies PET POLICY OUTDOOR LIFE AT THE FACULTY RESIDENCES Barbeque (Mangal) Policy Feeding Stray Animals on Campus Walking in the Forest FACILITIES ON CAMPUS Alumni Association Store Bank Bookstore (Pandora) Child Care Center (Kreş) Club Dry Cleaner Food/Beverage Photocopy Center Postal (PTT) and Courier Services, Sending Mail Library Medical Facilities Sevgi Gönül Auditorium Sports Center Swimming Pool Travel Services (Gürsel Turizm) Unisex Hair Salon (Hair Planet) SECTION 3 GETTING TO KNOW ISTANBUL INTRODUCTION EMERGENCY AND OTHER IMPORTANT TELEPHONE NUMBERS, MAKING CALLS AND USING PAY PHONES

6 Emergency and Other Useful Telephone Numbers Making Calls Using Pay Phones CELLULAR PHONES CLIMATE, ATTIRE AND PERSONAL CARE Climate and Attire Personal Care BANKING AND MONEY Getting Paid Buying Turkish Liras Commonly Used Banks Personal Checks and Paying Bills Transferring Money Bank Credit Cards Taksit Cards / Installment Payment Cards PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION AKBİL Discount Pass and Teacher Discount Cards (İndirimli Kart) Ground Transportation Underground/Light Rail Transportation Water Transportation Recommended Travel Routes from Koç University to Sultanahmet CARS AND DRIVING General Information on Driving in Turkey Traffic Stops and Tickets Gasoline Turing (The Turkish Touring and Automobile Club of Turkey) Buying a Car Blue-plate or Tax-free Cars Turkish-plate Cars Important Car Owners Precautions Car Loans Driver s Licenses An Important Traffic Law and International Signs and Symbols MOVING TO ISTANBUL Don t Bring Bring Electronics and Computers Shipping from Abroad

7 3.9 SHOPPING Shopping in Istanbul On Campus Maden Sarıyer Zekeriyaköy Maslak Yeniköy İstinye Shopping Malls (Akmerkez, Kanyon, MetroCity, Profilo) Superstores (Carrefour, BauHaus, IKEA) Famous Districts (Nişantaşı, Bağdat Caddesi) The Grand or Covered Bazaar/Kapalı Çarşı Big and Tall Sizes Maternity Matters Money Matters Cash Price vs. Credit Card Price Fiş or Fatura? / Receipt or Invoice? Returns and Exchanges VAT Refunds for Turkish Citizens Store Discount Cards Gift Certificates / Hediye Çeki Online Supermarket Ordering HEALTH CARE Pharmacies / Eczaneler Prescription Drugs TieCare International Health Insurance (for ELC Faculty) Recommended Doctors and Dentists CHILDREN Babies and Young Children Nannies and On-Campus Daycare Parents Volunteer Group On Campus Off-Campus Educational Options Entertainment for Children EXPRESS MAIL HOUSEHOLD HELP LANGUAGE SCHOOLS RESTAURANTS

8 Delivery / Paket Servis Recommended Restaurants CULTURAL LIFE 81 Art Galleries Movie Theaters Museums Performing Arts Centers Ticket Sales Videos and DVDs CLUBS USEFUL PUBLICATIONS AND WEBSITES Publications Websites TRAVEL IN ISTANBUL, TURKEY, AND ABROAD Airlines Accommodations Travel Agents Appendices Useful Telephone Numbers...89 Faculty Telephone Numbers...90 Staff Telephone Numbers...92 Lojman Residents Telephone Numbers...94 Map of Sarıyer

9 KOÇ UNIVERSITY MISSION Koç University s mission is to produce the most capable graduates by providing a worldclass education, to advance the frontiers of knowledge and to contribute to the benefit of Turkey and humanity at large. Koç University s graduates will be leaders in their respective professions, critical thinkers, creative individuals and will be able to operate in any environment, adhere to the highest ethical standards, feel social responsibility and be committed to thevalues of democracy. Koç University s research will contribute to advance universal knowledge and influence the intellectual, technological, economic and social developments in Turkey. VISION Koç University will be recognized as a model in Turkey; its students, faculty, educational and research programs will be recognized worldwide within the next decade. 9

10 KOÇ UNIVERSITY Varlık Nedeni Koç Üniversitesi nin varlık nedeni en yetkin mezunları yetiştirmek; bilimin sınırlarını ilerletmek; bu alanlarda Türkiye ve insanlığa hizmet etmektir. Koç Üniversitesi nin mezunları mesleklerinde önder olacaklar, eleştirel düşünmeyi öğrenecekler ve yaratıcı bireyler olacaklar; her türlü ortamda başarılı olabilecekler, en üst düzeyde ahlaki değerlerle donatılmış olacaklar, toplumsal sorumluluk taşıyacaklar ve demokrasinin değerlerine sahip çıkacaklardır. Koç Üniversitesi nin araştırması evrensel bilgiye katkıda bulunacak; Türkiye deki fikir hayatını, teknolojik, ekonomik ve sosyal gelişmeleri etkileyecektir. Hedef Koç Üniversitesi gelecek on yıl içinde Türkiye de model olacak; öğrencileri, öğretim üyeleri, eğitim ve araştırma programları dünyada saygıyla tanınacaktır. 10

11 KOÇ UNIVERSITY VALUES EXCELLENCE MÜKEMMELLİK INTEGRITY DÜRÜSTLÜK FAIRNESS ADİL OLMAK CIVILITY UYGARLIK CREATIVITY YARATICILIK GLOBALISM DÜNYAYA AÇIKLIK SOCIAL RESPONSIBILITY SOSYAL SORUMLULUK INDIVIDUALITY BİREYSELLİK EFFICIENCY VERİMLİLİK FINANCIAL STABILITY MALİ GÜVEN 11

12 SECTION 2 GETTING TO KNOW KOÇ UNIVERSITY 2.1 GENERAL INFORMATION Mission Koç University was founded in 1993 as a private, non-profit institution of higher education and is supported by the financial resources of the Vehbi Koç Foundation. The mission of the University, which entered its fourteenth academic year in 2007, is to produce the most capable graduates possible by providing a world-class education, to advance the frontiers of knowledge and to contribute to the benefit of Turkey and humanity at large. The university has based its educational program on the principle of creative teaching/participatory learning. Koç University s medium of instruction is English. Degree Programs Degree programs are offered by the College of Sciences, the College of Humanities and Social Sciences, the College of Administrative Sciences and Economics, the College of Engineering, the Law School, the School of Health Sciences, the Graduate School of Business, the Graduate School of Sciences and Engineering and the Graduate School of Social Sciences. Undergraduate Degrees Graduates of the four-year undergraduate programs in History, Sociology, Psychology, Economics, Business Administration, and International Relations are awarded BA degrees. Those in Computer Engineering, Electrical and Electronic Engineering, Industrial Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, Chemical and Biological Engineering, Molecular Biology and Genetics, Mathematics, Physics, Chemistry, and Nursing receive BS degrees. The Law School awards four-year bachelor s degrees. Unlike most other universities in Turkey, all undergraduates at Koç University go through a core-program of liberal arts courses in their first two years of study before specializing. Graduate Degrees Koç University s graduate programs are among the best in Turkey. The Graduate School of Business offers MBA and MS in Finance programs, one-year Executive MBA and Ph.D. in Business. The Graduate School of Social Sciences offers Master of Arts programs in Pschology, Anatolian Civilizations and Cultural Heritage Management, Comparative Studies in History and Society, Economics, and International Relations. The Graduate School of Social Sciences also offers Ph.D. in International Relations and Pschology. The Graduate School of Sciences and Engineering offers two-year MS degrees in Chemical and Biological Engineering, Electrical-Computer Engineering, Industrial Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, Mathematics, Physics, Materials Science and Engineering, and Computational Sciences and Engineering. The Graduate School of Sciences and Engineering also offers PhD degrees in Electrical Engineering, Computer Engineering, Industrial Engineering and Operations Research, Chemical and Biological Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, Mathematics, Physics, Materials Science and Engineering, and Computational Sciences and Engineering. 12

13 English Language Center (ELC) Serving 70-75% of the University s incoming students, the ELC prepares students for the demands of University-level academics in an all-english environment. In Turkey, many universities, as well as middle schools and high schools, have similar programs known as hazırlık (preparation) in their respective language of instruction. After being admitted to Koç University, students must demonstrate English proficiency by passing a standardized set of exams called TOEFL (Test of English as a Foreign Language) and TWE (Test of Written English), which the ELC administers in September. Students who fail to attain the required scores enter the ELC and are then placed within eight levels based on the Michigan Placement Test. Exit criteria are based on a student s TOEFL score, TWE score, ELC grade point average (GPA) and the ELC director s recommendation. Differing from the University s degree programs, the ELC s academic year is divided into four, seven-week tracks and two four-week summer tracks. Students may exit the ELC after track 2 (January), track 4 (June), track 5 (July) or track 6 (August). Students who exit in January (about 30%) elect to enter either (1) their freshman year as an irregular student or (2) a transition program, which offers two advanced ELC courses and two freshmenlevel courses. For more information about the ELC, visit its website at: Location Koç University moved to its permanent campus in Rumeli Feneri in September The campus, built on 25 hectares at the summit of a wooded hill overlooking the Black Sea, is composed of 60 buildings: academic and administrative buildings, laboratories, a library, dormitories for 1244 students, and sports and social facilities, all the product of a meticulous integrated design. The School of Health Sciences is located in Nişantaşı, next to the American Hospital. 2.2 FACULTY Koç University started with 35 teaching faculty in Today, 272 faculty are employed at the University. The commitment to excellence in teaching and research that the University made from its inception is also reflected in the quality of the faculty. Of the faculty members, 97% have obtained their advanced degrees from prominent institutions in Western Europe and the United States, and most have taught at leading universities in the US. 13

14 2.3 KOÇ STUDENTS AND THE TURKISH SYSTEM OF HIGHER EDUCATION Undergraduate Students In accordance with the Turkish Regulations for Private Higher Education Institutions, students are placed in the undergraduate programs of Koç University according to their Student Selection and Placement Center Examination (ÖSS) scores. The ÖSS is a centrally administered examination, which is taken by all students seeking admission to universities in Turkey. Universities post the number of students that can be admitted to each college, school or department. After taking the exam, students rank their university and major preferences and are then placed in university programs according to their scores on the examination. Koç University admits approximately 700 students to undergraduate programs and 200 students to graduate programs each year. Graduate Students The students of the Graduate School of Business come from select universities in Turkey and abroad, and from a variety of backgrounds. For the graduate programs, the selection criteria are standardized test scores such as the TOEFL, LES and GMAT (for the MBA program) and the GRE (for other graduate programs), in addition to a personal interview. In all programs, the quality of work required from students is comparable to the work required of students in leading universities in the United States. 2.4 ACADEMIC CALENDAR The current academic calendar is available by clicking on Academics on the KU homepage. 2.5 UNIVERSITY FACULTY AND STAFF CONTACT INFORMATION An updated telephone list of faculty and staff is available on the F: drive which you will have access to, once your departmental secretary organizes computer access for you. You will find current telephone lists available in the appendix of this guide but please note that this is the list as was available in early August and so your own name won t even be there. Go to the following location on the F: drive for a regularly updated list: F:\SHARE\OGS\PHONE LIST 14

15 2.6 GETTING TO CAMPUS AND PARKING University Shuttle Services Koç University runs its own shuttle buses. The routes are Campus/Lojman, Campus/Sarıyer (but only to coincide with the sea bus), Campus/Siteler, Campus/Beşiktaş, Campus/Taksim, and Campus/4.Levent Metro. There are different schedules for workdays, weekends/holidays, and summer and semester breaks. These schedules and drop-off points can be found on the Koç website in the Campus Life section. The shuttle buses display the logo Gürsel (the name of the operating company) and should have a sign inside the front window that specifies their route. If unsure, you might verify the destination with the driver when you board. The shuttle you will need at first will most likely be the Campus/Lojman one. Campus/Lojman Shuttles will pick you up in front of your lojman if you are standing there (if you live in lojmans 1-6, you need to walk to the corner), and drop you off on campus in front of the main fountain or in front of the Sevgi Gönül Auditorium. When returning from campus, Campus/Lojman Shuttles will pick you up in front of the Sevgi Gönül Auditorium, as well as the clock bus stop. They will drop you off in front of your lojman. The Campus/Lojman shuttle is free. Dolmuş/Mini Bus Service Every 10 minutes a dolmuş service runs between campus and Sarıyer. The journey takes from 20 minutes to half an hour as the dolmuş visits other housing developments along the way. As of August 2009, the cost of this service is 1.40 TL. You can pick up the dolmuş at the clock bus stop on campus or alternatively at the main gate. Note that the dolmuş does not go to the lojman and so when returning to campus you will need to get off at the gate and walk from there. In Sarıyer, the dolmuş will take you as far as the dolmuş stop for Beşiktaş, (outside the doviz). The first dolmuş is scheduled to depart campus at 7.30am and the last one leaves Sarıyer at 11pm. This dolmuş service may also be used to travel between campus and the lojman but note that you still have to walk from the gate and you should expect to pay the minimum fare of 1 TL. See the map of Sarıyer in the appendix to see the pickup point for dolmuşes departing Sarıyer for campus. Taxi Services Cabs are available 24 hours a day. At the time of this writing, the taxi meter should start at 2.00 TL. The taxi meter should show which rate you are being charged. Day rates (gündüz) run from 6 am until midnight. After midnight, night (gece) rates apply. Martı Taksi: (0212) , (0212) (Sinpaş- the apartments near campus) (0212) (Sarıyer) Kumsal Taksi: (0212) , (0212) Sarıyer Taksi: (0212) , (0212)

16 As of August 2009, a one-way trip between campus and Sarıyer is approximately TL 9 ($6.10). A ride to the airport is approximately TL 55 ($37) in the daytime and TL 70 ($47) after midnight. USEFUL TIP: Calling a Taxi: To call a taxi, say Taksi lütfen lojmanlar and then give your building and apartment number. Public Transportation The Sarıyer Rumelifeneri İ.E.T.T Public Bus # 150 offers a bus service from the campus gate to Sarıyer. The bus stop can be found outside the school gates on the left. An up-todate schedule can be reached online by clicking on the Campus Life option on the KU homepage. For further information about public transportation in Istanbul refer to Section 3.6. USEFUL TIP: Istanbul Public Transportation Website: is a website with an English link that provides information about buses and metro services in Istanbul. It even has a route planner. Parking Rules and Parking Stickers on Campus Parking Rules: The following parking rules apply: 1. At the faculty residences, residents must use parking spaces marked by white lines. 2. When parking on campus, faculty must use the underground parking facility provided and not park at surface level. 3. Families cannot use the underground parking facility. 4. All cars owned by a faculty member or any of his/her family members must have a sticker. Parking Stickers: Parking stickers are distributed by the Office of the General Secretary. The procedure to obtain one is as follows: 1. Your faculty secretary fills out an application. 2. The General Secretary signs it. 3. You can pick up your sticker from Zeynep Neyza Ackabay (Ext. 1208). Traffic Regulations (Trafik Kuralları) on Campus: Campus traffic regulations can be found in the Campus Life section of the KU homepage. 2.7 NECESSARY PAPERWORK, ID CARDS, ACCOUNTS AND OTHER ADMINISTRATIVE MATTERS 16

17 Official Paperwork Every newcomer should contact his/her faculty secretary to complete the procedures necessary for official paperwork. Official paperwork is processed by Human Resources, located in Room Z-15 (Ext.1506) of the Rektörlük Building. Turkish rules and regulations require different documents from Turkish and non-turkish citizens and their family members. Non-Turkish Citizens Non-Turkish citizens must obtain both a work visa and a residence permit. Work Visa: Work visas are obtained prior to arrival in Turkey through the closest Turkish embassy or consulate. 1. After a new employee signs his/her work contract, the appropriate department secretary will a work visa information request form to him/her. In this request form, the employee will also indicate to which Turkish embassy/consulate s/he will apply for the work visa. 2. With the work visa information request form, Human Resources will apply to YÖK (Turkish Council for Higher Education) for an approval letter. The approval period is approximately one month. 3. YÖK will send one copy of the approval letter to the indicated Turkish embassy/consulate and one to the University. The appropriate department secretary will scan a copy and it to the new employee. 4. The new employee will apply for his/her work visa through the indicated Turkish embassy/consulate with the following: passport, with a validity of at least one year approval letter (original copy), obtained from YÖK work contract (original copy), signed by both parties copies of the application form with original signature one passport-size color photograph affixed on each form visa fees (subject to change, must be verified) self-addressed prepaid envelope, unless applying in person (such as UPS, FEDEX, EXPRESS MAIL, registered or certified mail) The Turkish Consulate s website has work visa application forms that can be downloaded, as well as a list of Turkish embassies and consulates. Important Note: As procedures change, always verify this information with the Turkish embassy/consulate. 5. The new employee enters Turkey on his/her work visa but must apply promptly for a residence permit ( ikamet teskeresi ). 17

18 An accompanying spouse or child needs to submit his/her visa application together with the new faculty member s work visa application in order to obtain an accompanying visa. Without this visa, s/he will need to enter with a tourist visa that can be purchased upon arrival in Turkey at the airport. Resident Permit (ikamet teskeresi): The following documents must be submitted through the appropriate faculty secretary to the Human Resources for processing a residence permit for a faculty member and the residence permits of his/her family members: passport and working visa for Turkey copy of driver s license official copy of marriage license (if applicable) birth certificates of children (if any) six passport-size color photographs of each family member copies of diplomas (faculty must submit the original) copy of residence permit (for renewals) Fees for Residence Permit (ikamet teskeresi): Fees are subject to change. For educators employed in higher education, the current fee for the initial ikamet notebook (defter or cuzdan) for a faculty member, his/her spouse, and his/her child is 460 TL each. Renewals are 66 TL, unless the notebook needs to be replaced. Fees for accompanying siblings or parents are different. USEFUL TIP: Renewal of Residence Permit (ikamet teskeresi): You should submit your residence permit to the Human Resources (Ayhan Şeker, Ext. 1209) 15 days prior to the expiration date. Your faculty secretary can help you with this. Please note the regulations regarding expiration of residence permits: if you try to leave the country with a permit that has expired, you will be charged a fine and banned from reentering for three months. If your permit expires while you are outside of Turkey, then you can re-enter by purchasing a regular tourist visa and then applying for a permit extension in the usual manner. Turkish Citizens Turkish citizens must provide the following documents to Human Resources (Ayhan Şeker, Ext. 1209) through their faculty secretary. Submission of the following documents is required for official status at the University. Muhtardan Nüfus Cüzdan Sureti Muhtardan İkametgah Senedi Nüfus Cüzdan Fotokopisi Adli Sicil Belgesi Verem Savaş Dispanserinden Sağlık Raporu 18

19 Erkekler için terhis belgesi 10 Fotoğraf Ehliyet Fotokopisi Diploma fotokopisi Kan Grubunu gösterir belge Daha once çalıştığı işyerinde sigortalı olmuş ise, sigortalı sicil kartı fotokopisi. ID Cards and Accounts Each faculty member is issued a University ID card and an address. The procedure to obtain an ID card is as follows: 1. CIT opens an account for him/her. (The appropriate faculty secretary will facilitate this.) 2. The appropriate faculty secretary sends Filiz Sert (Ext.1608) in the Registrar s Office the following items: Faculty member: one color passport-size photograph if s/he is employed full time or part time if s/he works at another university or company his/her academic title at both YÖK and Koç University Koç University address 3. Filiz Sert sends the above items and picture(s) to Security in order to print the ID card(s). 4. The ID card holder goes and signs for his/her ID card at Security. Replacement Fee for ID Cards: If your ID card is lost or stolen, the current replacement cost is 35 TL. The fee should be deposited to Yapı Kredi account number and the receipt given to the appropriate department secretary. Help with Customs (Gümrük) The University will assist newly arriving faculty in finding a customs broker to help retrieve their goods from customs. Related expenses and formalities are the responsibility of the individual. Registering with the Neighborhood Magistrate (Muhtarlık) Once settled in housing, all family members are registered by Human Resources with the nearest neighborhood magistrate (Muhtarlık). The muhtar provides a residence document called İkametgah Senedi, which is the registration document of the local authorities proving that you live at the specified address. Health Insurance 19

20 Health insurance can be bought through the University. Monthly premiums will be deducted from your salary. For more information, contact Sevilay Akpınar (Ext.1264) in Human Resources. Human Resources will help with claims and correspondence with the insurance company. Note for ELC Faculty: This does not apply to ELC faculty. Refer to Section 3.10 Health Care for information on TieCare Insurance. 2.8 YOUR SALARY, LUNCH TICKETS, AND OTHER PAYMENTS Comptroller s Office and Initial Paperwork Comptroller s Office: Mr. Hasan Taşdemir (Ext. 1611) and his staff are in charge of all work related to salaries, housing payments and the like. The following documents should be submitted to the Comptroller s Office through your faculty secretary. Different documents are required from Non-Turkish and Turkish citizens for the payment of salaries. Non-Turkish Citizens: 3 color passport-size photographs 1 copy each of work and residence permits Copy of passport An account number from Yapı Kredi (TL and USD) Turkish Citizens: Copy of retirement document (Emeklilik Cüzdan Kopyası) (if applicable) An account number from Yapı Kredi. (TL and USD) Social Security card (SSK Sicil Kartı) if available OR a photocopy of his/her ID 3 color passport-size photograph Salaries Salaries are automatically deposited into each employee s Yapı Kredi campus branch account on the last business day of every month. No advance payment withdrawal will be given unless there is an extraordinary case such as marriage, hospitalization, death of a family member or birth of a child. Pay Stub and Utilities Invoice At the end of each month, you will receive a pay stub which details your deductions. You will also receive an invoice for your utilities (electricity, heating, and water). Refer to Section 2.10 for more details on your utilities invoice. Taxes USEFUL TIP: Using ATMs: Your salary can also be withdrawn from Garanti Bank, Akbank, Vakıfbank and Dışbank ATM machines with your Yapı Kredi ATM card and pin number. Look for an ATM with an Altin Nokta symbol on it. 20

21 The tax law in Turkey is somewhat complicated and different from that of other countries such as the United States. Net salary can vary from month to month because the tax is based on the cumulative salary paid to date. Typically, salaries quoted in contracts are gross amounts per month. Lunch Tickets and Sodexo Tickets Every month, each employee is provided with lunch tickets. Those who do not wish to use their lunch tickets may ask for monthly shopping tickets called Sodexo. These are special tickets that can be used to pay for food at many fast food restaurants and other more up-market restaurants that display a Sodexo sticker. Some more upscale restaurants accept Sodexo tickets although the sticker is not displayed. You can ask by saying Sodexo geçiyor mu? If you find yourself not getting the opportunity to eat out very much, then you could use your tickets to buy everyday household items in a couple of stores in Sarıyer. Each year, at the end of December many faculty members rush to dispose of their remaining Sodexo tickets by stocking up on detergent, toothpaste, olive oil etc. These local shop owners think nothing of a faculty member turning up with 500TL worth of tickets and leaving with cart loads of stuff. One such place is Cabbarlar Market, on the right side of Sarıyer main street as you approach the stop for dolmuşes to take you back up to campus. PLEASE NOTE: When Sodexo tickets are issued, they are valid only for the current year. This is for a calendar year (as opposed to the academic year) and so by the 31 st December 2009, you should try to ensure that you have used up all those issued to you for the Fall semester. In the past, November and December Sodexo bore an expiry date for the following year, but in recent years tickets issued have tended to be valid only for the year in which they were issued. Using An Expense Account When charging things to an expense account, the receipts for the expenses incurred in Turkey should be made out to Koç University, Rumelifeneri Yolu, Sarıyer. The tax number is Sarıyer Vergi Dairesi No Credit card slips for international and national trips are not accepted as receipts. (Please also ask for an invoice or a receipt with the slip). Travel Reimbursement All official travel expenses must be itemized, documented and submitted to the Comptroller. Each travel request must be approved and signed by the appropriate administration officer on the travel and expense forms provided by your faculty. Copies of the approved documents must be given to the Dean s Office, who will submit them to the Comptrollers Office in order to give advance travel pay. 21