More than 1,700 University students, faculty and community members are set to storm the state’s 34-story seat of government at 1 p.m. today, according to the Make the Change March the Capitol Facebook page.
After a slim University turnout at another protest for higher education funding at the Capitol on April 15, the University is expected to have a wider presence at today’s rally. Attendees are encouraged to wear purple and gold and arrive with signs demonstrating the change they want to see from their legislators.
According to a “Make the Change” rally press release, the event was organized through a partnership between University students and the University alumni. State Sen. Dan Claitor and gubernatorial candidate Rep. John Bel Edwards are set to speak at the event.
Student Government President Andrew Mahtook said there will be an additional LSU Tiger Trails bus running between the LSU School of Veterinary Medicine and A.Z. Young Park from 10:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. to transport students to and from the rally. He estimated there will be a pick-up from the Vet School roughly every 20 minutes.
Mahtook said he hopes the demonstration draws attention to the individuals of the University community who will be affected by the budget cuts.
“We hope to show the legislature that students do have a voice. We want to be a sign of solidarity and presence,” Mahtook said. “We want to show them that we are the embodiment of what LSU is and that all those changes affect us as individuals, not just this idea of LSU as a school.”
In February, Gov. Bobby Jindal released his Fiscal Year 2016 Executive Budget, which included cuts to public higher education totaling $567 million, according to a statement from LSU President F. King Alexander. Since then, the number has grown to $608 million, or 82 percent of state higher education funding, according to the LSU Budget Hub.

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Emily Brauner

Students from across the state protest budget cuts for higher education on Wednesday, April 15, 2015 outside of the Capitol building.