The shouts of more than 100 protesters filled the Library Quad area this afternoon as they voiced their disapproval over stalled pay and contract negotiations.

The California Faculty Association has been pleading with the California State University system for more than 20 months on a new pay contract negotiation and lower student tuition fees.

Professor of criminal justice and CFA Chapter President Cecil Canton led the protest, which included Sac State professors from across the academic board.

“We’re trying to educate our faculty and students to what’s going on with respect to our contract negations,” Canton said.

“The CSU is increasing fees at a time when they shouldn’t be doing it,” he said.

The stalemate in contract negotiations is pushing many staff members throughout the CSU system to consider rolling strikes on all 23 CSU campuses.

That is something CFA Vice President Lillian Taiz is confident won’t happen.

“It is sobering that we have come to this place where bargaining has so disintegrated,” Taiz said. “Every time that faculty stands up for their students it has an impact.”

“The cumulative effect of 23 demonstrations like this one will push us closer to making it clear to the trustees that we’re not going to be run over on this one.”

Students present for the demonstration voiced a clear concurrence with the CFA. To correlate with the 10 percent pay increase to the top executives from the CSU system, students will be faced with a 10 percent increase in tuition next semester.

“We need to mobilize and organize,” junior journalism major Mallory Fites said. “The students are paying money for this.”

In order for change to take place, students will need to realize that they need to educate themselves to the problems that concern them, Fites said.

The protesters took their fight all over campus. At one point they even went to Sacramento Hall, where President Alexander Gonzalez’s office is located. The president was not available to answer any questions for them.

Josh Staab can be reached at [email protected]