The Quota Law and the admission of students of under-represented groups to the Federal University of Alfenas

Abstract

This paper presents the findings of a research on the scope of the Quota Law (Lei de Cotas) in the Federal University of Alfenas (Unifal-MG), based on a data analysis of the student enrollment for 2018. This reach was measured through the occupancy rate of seats reserved for affirmative action students and through simulations speculating how they would be filled if not for the Quota Law. Results show that some seats reserved to affirmative action students were left vacant, with lower occupancy rates in categories reserved to black, brown and indigenous alumnus from public schools. Furthermore, simulations show that, if not for the Quota Law, the latter would have had even less access to the University in 2018, especially those with per-capita income below 1.5 minimum wages. The study reinforces the importance of continuing this affirmative action and points out the need to develop institutional initiatives to expand the scope of the institution’s admission process to a larger contingent of self-declared black, brown and indigenous students.