INCREASE IN STUDENT REGISTRATION. SCHOOL OF HEALTH SCIENCES AND SOCIAL WORK. NATIONAL UNIVERSITY OF MAR DEL PLATA

Abstract

This publication comprises the productions of the Group of investigation: University, social representations and disciplines that are currently investigating the phenomenon of the increase in student registration regarding the organization aspect and the representations of the participants involved. It should be mentioned that the emphasis on this study is set on the description of the structural changes generated in the institution from the increase in the student registration. We should also say that in spite of being attached to the approach of the paradigm of the complexity, for reasons of length, this work will only show a part of the studied phenomenon. Objective: To investigate the changes in the institution in connection to the registration increase. Specific Objectives: To describe the curve of the registration increase. To compare the increase of registration with the rest of the Academic Units that comprises this University. To connect the increase of registration with the organizational answers: budgets, teaching staff, and building. Material and Method: Even if the work consisted of an investigation process, where different strategies were implemented to obtain data, in this case and for this aim, different registers, documents and teaching plans were used as analysis units, dealing with observational techniques and analysis of documents. Results: • From 1992 to present, an increase in student registration, both new students and new registrations in the general registration was observed. If the existing registration data from 1992 is used as a reference, the annual increase never dropped from 180 % from 1997 to present, noting the maximum peak in 2002, with an increase of 500 %. • Regarding the comparison between the increase in registration of this Academic Unit with the average increase of the rest of Academic Units that comprise the National University of Mar del Plata, it can be observed that since 1995 this school has exceeded the average regarding new registrations and since 1998 it has exceeded the general registration. • Between 1999 and 2007, no important increase took place in the teaching staff to accompany the increase of students. • The year 1992 was taken as a starting point, considering the registration and the existing classrooms as 100 % of the study, it resulted that these spaces did not go with the increase of registration. • The budget assigned for this Academic Unit has been from 2000 to present a percentage of 33 % lower than that assigned as an average to the rest of Academic Units in the National University of Mar del Plata. • Between 1999 and 2007, no important increase was produced in the teaching staff that accompanied the increase of students, but instead an internal restructuration of the existing positions. • The non-teaching staff, from 1999 to present, has been increased by 112 %. • Classroom Spaces: Between 1992, when there was a registration of 1,121 students and 2006, with a registration of 4,301 students, no increase has been produced in the classrooms.