The normally quiet area where the chancellor and Board of Trustees meet became a venue for rallying Wednesday morning. An airplane above the Long Beach shoreline displaying a “Save the Classes” banner circled hundreds of Cal State students and faculty protesting a 25 percent student fee increase for the fall. In a joint effort, the California State Student Association and the California Faculty Association sponsored the protest rally.

Chanting and music penetrated the discussion inside the Glenn S. Dumke Auditorium, where the committee on finance did not vote on student fees due to the uncertainty of the state budget.Students carrying signs that read “Stop Dr. Greed” and homemade banners with “Don’t terrorize our education” lined the front of the building as students protested while a music band played in the background on top of a stage.

The board was scheduled to vote on fee increases Wednesday but has delayed them until it has a better picture of the educational budget issued by the governor.Richard West, executive vice chancellor, said it is the intention of the CSU to not vote on fee increases. He said that without a fee increase the budget will be cut by $6 million.

Chancellor Charles Reed said he was content that the CSU was spared additional cuts.”We’re glad the ‘May revise’ did not cut us any further than in January,” Reed said. “We want to ride this out with the legislature and have a plan to handle the budget. The 25 percent increase or $396 will provide for 21,000 more students [to attend the CSU system] and minimize layoffs.”

Reed said that the budget situation is too uncertain to determine what the layoffs will look like and that fee increases are unavoidable.”It is not an option that we are taking lightly but it is a necessary evil,” Reed said. “It’s like a medicine you need to take in order to get better.”

Currently, CSU system-wide fees are $1,572 plus $498 in campus fees totaling at $2,070 per year for full-time undergraduate students. The 25 percent increase in student fees will push that number by $396 to $2,466 per year. Graduate students will have to pay an additional $348, forcing them to pay $2,580 per year.The board heard testimonies from students and faculty opposing increases asking them to look elsewhere for additional funds to supplement the $447 million CSU deficit.Students spoke about the impact an increase would have through letters and personal experiences.

Carlos Illingworth, Associated Students Inc. president for Cal State Los Angeles, told the story of just one student who works three jobs to support his siblings. With the 25 percent increase, others like him may not have the opportunity to pursue a higher education, therefore, hindering student access to the CSU system, he said.”I wanted to show the reality of how student fee increases will affect students and their families,” Illingworth said. “A story like that clearly communicates the needs of the students that have similar stories.”

Illingworth said student fee increases would affect the diversity of the CSU system.”If you increase fees you affect the diversity and we need to protect access and affordability,” Illingworth said.

Reed said he was impressed with the students that stepped forward to speak out in their defense.”I only wish we would have had students step up to present a more positive attitude,” Reed said. “It would provide access to the CSU problem.”

Cal State Fullerton President Milton Gordon said it was one of the best student representations he has seen in 13 years.”The students did a great job,” Gordon said. “Their presentations and their stories were rational and well documented.”

Alex Lopez, Cal State Fullerton ASI president and student trustee said if the students and faculty want to win the battle to lower student fee increases they need to appeal to the Sacramento legislature.”We need to lobby and fight for a better CSU,” Lopez said. “I hope we can all focus and turn our attention to that area.”

Reed agreed that the issues need to be discussed with the legislature and told the trustees he will make accessibility and the protection of current students and faculty his priority.”Those are the principles we will use to guide the CSU into the coming fiscal year,” Reed said.