Chegamos, mas permanecemos? Uma análise da política de assistência estudantil para a permanência de estudantes negros/as da Universidade Federal de Alagoas - UFAL

Abstract

This article analyzes the student assistance policies and programs at the Federal University of Alagoas (UFAL), A.C. Simões campus, focusing on the retention of Black students. The specific objectives were to analyze the official documents of the National Student Assistance Program (PNAES); discuss the criteria for socioeconomic registration for granting retention scholarships and their continuity for beneficiaries; and reflect on the strengths and weaknesses of the identified actions. The methodology involved a document analysis of the normative instructions and notices from 2021 to 2024 regarding the programs and assistance offered by the university. The discussion includes access to and expansion of universities driven by the Federal Universities Restructuring and Expansion Program (REUNI), the Affirmative Action Policies Program (PAAF), and Law No. 12,711/2012 on quotas. The results indicate that PNAES is an essential program for student assistance at UFAL; however, the lack of updates in scholarship amounts, the inability to accumulate benefits at the time of the research, and criteria that do not guarantee access indicators for Black students to programs and assistance highlight the need for a review of policies at both the federal and local levels to ensure the retention of Black students through student assistance.