Entraves, mudanças e continuidades na política de assistência estudantil da UFRN

Abstract

This paper presents the results of a doctoral thesis that aimed to analyze the student assistance policy at the Federal University ofRio Grande do Norte (UFRN) during the first decade of implementation of the National Student Assistance Program (Pnaes), between 2011 and 2020. The article is organized into three sections: Methodology, Forums and References of Student Assistance in Brazil, and Context, Organizational Culture, and Normative and Cognitive References of Bureaucracy in Student Assistance at UFRN. The study includes literature review, analysis of regulatory documents, and interviews with six UFRN public servants. The paper highlights the ongoing challenges of student assistance in Brazil, particularly in light of budget cuts to public universities, which exacerbate socioeconomic inequality. The article argues that neoliberal governance practices have impacted student assistancepolicy, and that UFRN officials often prioritize budget compliance over serving students' needs. Despite efforts to address this issue, such as hiring a professional in educational affairs, the study suggests that more significant changes are needed to improve student assistance at UFRN.