As the cost of student tuition fees increase, California Faculty Association members took action by launching a campaign against Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger.

The anti-Arnold event, which was held in the University Union at Sacramento State on Wednesday, was meant to educate students and potential voters before the election on Nov. 7.

During Schwarzenegger’s term, tuition fees alone have gone up 76 percent since he took office in 2003, according to Cecil Canton, the CFA Sacramento State chapter president.

“If Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger were to get a grade from California State University faculty members and professors, it would be an F,” Canton said.

Amanda Fulkerson, a spokeswoman from Gov. Schwarzenegger’s camp, said these accusations are not accurate and that education is one of the governor’s top priorities.

Fulkerson said student fees increased 40 percent for CSUs and the Universities of California and 60 percent for community colleges two years before Gov. Schwarzenegger came into office.

“One of the governor’s first priorities when he came into office was to rein in those increases and ensure large spikes in tuition would not happen,” Fulkerson said. “He reached an agreement with the CSU and UC systems to do that. This year, the governor held line on all tuition increases at the CSUs and UCs and decreased community college fees by 23 percent.”

Canton, who made this remark at a press conference for the “Flunk Arnold” campaign, went on to say that students should be angered by the changes made during Schwarzenegger’s time in office.

“In order for the CSU system to keep running successfully, we have to take note of these problems and act in a relevant manner,” Canton said.

“I feel that the campaign is the first step towards getting the CSU system back on track,” said Robbie Abelon, a senior government and history double major and student speaker. “Hopefully, this will help us get a governor in office who will put education first.”

“The event was very well-planned,” said sophomore civil engineering major Abel Gomez. “Overall, it seemed like the speakers were well-prepared and very professional. If they keep the campaign up like this, they will definitely get the message out successfully.”

Other students felt the campaign and speakers were not very persuasive and that the campaign itself was misleading.

“I agree that tuition rates have gone up, but there is a lot of construction and other things going on as well,” said junior business major Noe Garcia. “It just doesn’t seem like Arnold is the one to blame for all these problems.”

Ashley Evans can be reached at [email protected]