Morphology of the academic profession at the National University of San Juan

Abstract

The article presents the results of a case study on the recent become of the "academic profession" in an institution that, due to its historical-structural characteristics, can be considered as peripheral in the Argentine university system: The National University of San Juan. Two analytical dimensions are specifically addressed: its academic structure (that is, the "positions" of the teaching body according to post, categories and dedications and its relation to the research function) and the current teaching career regime, accounting for its depvelopment, particularities and evaluation mechanisms foreseen for the entry / permanence / promotion of teachers, from making visible the "positions taken" by university teachers. The methodology includes a documentary access (examining public statistics and specific regulatory frameworks) and an ethnographic one (recovering diverse teachers voices and, in particular, the opinions of syndical referents). The main findings indicate that, although the University assumes a segmented academic structure, manifesting a high concentration of posts at its base, the new teaching career regime has promoted greater margins of stability and professional growth.