Matt Weir / The Collegian

Two student organizations have collaborated on planning a student walkout at California State University, Fresno, to protest rising fees and prevent further increases in the CSU system.

Students for Quality Education (SQE) and the California State University Student Walkout Coalition (CSUSWC) have planned to stage a “teachoutâ€Â at 10 a.m. and a walkout at noon on Oct. 21.

SQE will be more involved during the walkout portion of the rally. Whitney Thompson, a facilitator for SQE, advocated that students get involved to show that they care about their education.

“No one’s going to listen to us if we don’t do something,â€Â Thompson said.

Thompson said that college students are always the first group to be hurt by state cuts, because they don̢۪t vote. Older people make themselves heard, so the cuts affect them less. Thompson said she wants students to get involved in the walkout as a sign of solidarity.

This year, Fresno State increased fees by 32 percent and cut hundreds of class sections from the 2009 schedule.

SQE will be pushing petitions for bills AB 656 and SB 218.

The first bill, AB 656, would put a tax on oil and natural gas extracted from the state, and use it to fund higher education. California, the third-largest producer of oil in the nation, is the only state without such an extraction tax.

The second bill, SB 218, would update the California Public Records Act to create greater transparency in auxiliary organizations on public campuses.

The “teachout,â€Â which will be staged in the Peace Garden, will be a workshop to inform students about fee increases in recent years and shortcomings from administration and Associated Students, Inc., according to CSUSWC organizers Mauro Carrera, a senior, and senior Josh Cranston.

Matt Weir / The Collegian

Carrera and Cranston said that they did not feel that ASI and the administration have taken the CSUSWC seriously. The CSUSWC presented ASI with a list resolutions, including a proposed refund of the 32 percent fee increase and that any administrative perks be rescinded. The resolutions were rejected during last week̢۪s ASI meeting.

“Regardless of how far out there the demands are, just the fact that students are trying to speak out and that there are students looking for a solution should be enough of a reason for them to actually talk to us, for them to actually listen to us,â€Â Carrera said.

Provost and vice president for academic affairs, William A. Covino Ph.D., released a statement.

“We share our students’ frustration and dismay about the ways that budget reductions are affecting the class schedule, and the ways that employee furloughs are affecting student services and instruction,â€Â Covino said. “With our students, we deeply regret the state’s decision to sharply reduce funding for public higher education, and strongly support the 2010-11 budget proposed by the CSU, which asks for sufficient state funding to avoid further fee increases and eliminate furloughs.â€Â

The student organizers do not anticipate any problems from the University Police Department (UPD).

Amy Armstrong, public information officer for the UPD, was unavailable for comment.