As ações afirmativas na pós-graduação: análise das políticas implementadas pela Universidade Federal da Fronteira Sul (2018-2022)

Abstract

Affirmative actions (AAs) are public policies aimed at repairing damages, reducing inequalities, expanding opportunities, and removing both formal and informal barriers that limit and/or prevent the exercise of citizenship and access to rights. This dissertation presents the results of research conducted with postgraduate students and faculty members who participated, either as beneficiaries or managers, in the implementation of affirmative action policies in master's and doctoral programs at a federal public university located in the southern region of Brazil. The study analyzed the perception of the actors involved regarding the first five years of the institutional policy implemented by the Federal University of Fronteira Sul (2018-2022). The investigation aimed to (i) understand the socioeconomic and ethnic-racial profile of postgraduate affirmative action recipients; (ii) assess the scope and coverage of AAs between 2018 and 2020; (iii) verify the efficiency and effectiveness of affirmative action policies in postgraduate education; (iv) evaluate AAs in terms of their positive aspects, weaknesses, and potential improvements. Of both qualitative and quantitative nature, the research was conducted with all affirmative action students (both graduates and current enrollees) and a group of managers. Data were collected through the application of two questionnaires, one for managers and the other for affirmative action students. The research highlighted, among other aspects, that 76% of postgraduate students at UFFS are white, 14% are Black (both Black and Brown individuals), and 0.7% are Indigenous. Furthermore, the study showed that of the 340 available slots across 17 postgraduate programs between 2018 and 2022, only 15 were occupied by affirmative action students (about 4.5% of the total). Of the 15 occupied slots, two students did not complete their enrollment. Of the 13 enrolled students, six completed their courses, two did not (with a dropout rate of 15%), and five are still pursuing their studies. Among the 17 postgraduate programs studied, only three had students with disabilities (PwD), totaling four enrolled students (about 0.3% of the total postgraduate students at UFFS). Both affirmative action students and managers emphasized, among other aspects, the relevance and the need to expand affirmative action policies.