More than 200 faculty, staff and students from different California State University colleges protested outside the California Business Roundtable Wednesday in an effort to shine light on one particular CSU Trustee who they say has violated state conflict law.

William Hauck, who doubles both as president of the roundtable and CSU Trustee, was the target of the noon protest, which was organized by the California Faculty Association.

As president of the roundtable, Hauck lobbies for business interests, which include hiking student fees and decreasing taxes.

On the board of trustees, Hauck sits on eight of the 10 committees, and has been a member since 1993 when he was appointed by then-Gov. Pete Wilson.

As the president of the roundtable, Hauck represents the interests of the chief executive officers of California’s businesses and has “led the battle in raising student fees,” said John Travis, faculty association president and professor of political science at Humboldt State.

Travis said Hauck “epitomizes the problem of the trustees.”

“Trustees are appointed by the governor and ratified by the Senate to provide a four year education middle and working class students,” Travis said. “They are failing at their job.”

Hauck helped approve student fee increases totaling 76 percent in three years, supported the 13.7 percent executive pay hike last year and has said he would like to see the end of faculty tenure and collective bargaining, according to the faculty association.

Maire Fowler, San Francisco State student body president, spoke at the protest pronouncing herself as a “super senior” because she has had to work several jobs to support herself and pay for student fees while attending school.

Fowler said not only is she paying more in student fees, but services have decreased at the CSUs.

The protestors chanted, “Power, power you can’t hide we can see your corporate side,” and at one point marched inside the business roundtable building until they were told the large group presented a fire hazard.

Preceding the protest was a call by Assemblywoman Jackie Goldberg (D-Los Angeles) to investigate the possible conflict of interest involving Hauck.

After the faculty association sent a letter to Goldberg asking for the state audit, the former CSU Los Angeles professor called Tuesday for the Joint Legislative Audit Committee to conduct an investigation regarding Hauck’s conflict of interest.

Jessica Weidling can be reached at [email protected]