About 150 students rallied in an attempt to cut up to two-thirds of tuition for middle class students Thursday in Trinity Commons.
The rally, called Make it Matter, centered on the Middle Class Scholarship Act, which proposes cutting tuition for families making between $30,000 and $150,000, said Marty Block, chair of the Higher Education Committee.
The bill would save students about $4,000 per year and $16,000 over the students' four years in the California State University system, he said.
"These are dollars that will make a difference," Block said.
Chico State President Paul Zingg, who introduced the keynote speakers, lamented the lack of investment in higher education from the state.
The act is about "not just stopping cuts but reinvesting in higher education," he said.
Committee and organization funds have been cut, but financial issues continue throughout the CSU system.
Enrollment dropped, tuition went up and money is still being lost, said Jillian Ruddell, a non-voting CSU student trustee and senior multicultural and gender studies major.
Student clubs and organizations attended to show support.
The Community Legal Information Center, the Gender and Sexuality Equity Center and the Cross-Cultural Leadership Center offered pamphlets and fliers with information about their organizations and student involvement on campus.
The event reached out to plenty of students, said Erik Taylor, Associated Students director of legislative affairs.
"A lot of students learned more about the scholarship act, and they are pumped now," he said.
There do not seem to be many drawbacks to the proposed act, Taylor said.
"The sole purpose is to help the middle class students," he said, "and for those who think it is bad, who might try to find some things bad in it, is just a blatant attempt to continue to defund higher education."
The event, which was coordinated by A.S., was well received, said Elyse Gutowski, A.S. executive vice president.
"It had a very positive impact on our campus," Gutowski said. "It is important to see someone was trying to make a difference."
Students can sign the petition at MiddleClassScholarship.com and upload videos stating why this act matters to them, Block said.
"You can make it matter by taking part in these activities," he said.
