Política de assistência estudantil da UFJF e a comunidade acadêmica: limites e possibilidades dessa relação

Abstract

The present dissertation was developed at the Professional Master’s Degree in Educational Management and Assessment (PPGP, in Portuguese) of the Center for Public Policies and Educational Assessment at the Federal University of Juiz de For a (CAEd/UFJF). The case study discusses the possibilities of action by the Department of Student Affairs (PROAE, in Portuguese) of the Federal University of Juiz de Fora (UFJF) that will improve the conditions of permanence in higher education, in conformity with the incorporation of a wider set of interests by the academic community. The main goal defined for this study was to understand the new institutional profile that has been constructed at PROAE/UFJF. The specific goals were: to describe the current student assistance policy at UFJF; to analyse which are the yearnings of the academic community and the projects at PROAE related to such policy; to propose actions and strategies towards improving the conditions of permanence at the university, so that they may be integrated to the aspirations of the academic community as well as the services rendered by the Department. We have taken as hypothesis that the PROAE has been following the alterations in the institutional profile of the students in higher education by reorganizing, diversifying and expanding its work system. We have utilized as research methodology applied research and case study and the instruments utilized were semi structured interviews, contrasting analysis and documental research. It was possible to confirm that PROAE has indeed modified its work process, mainly due to the chance in the institutional profile of university students as well as the mobilizing of the student body regarding its own interests. However, we have verified the need for the Department to expand and diversify the services that are being provided, the dissatisfaction regarding the program of student scholarships and grants, as well as flaws in the mechanisms of surveying the academic community. Therefore, aiming to reach educational equity and integration of serviced provided by the PROAE from demands by the academic community, we have proposed actions towards making the student assistance policy more participative.