BAKERSFIELD, Calif. -- A few hundred of Cal State Bakersfield's students, faculty and staff rallied on campus Thursday in a movement to fight for education and battle back against deeper budget cuts on this National Day of Action.

"It's a message to political leaders and to the governor, and allowing him to know students really believe and faculty really believe that education is a priority," said student Vanessa Rojas.

In the past two years, $1 billion has been cut from the CSU system, according to the California Faculty Association. While Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger said in his budget plan that he would restore $305 million to the CSU system for 2010-11, educators are saying that is not enough to fill the gap.

Students have seen increasing fees, classes and jobs have been eliminated and classrooms have become overcrowded due to these cuts.

"Our classes have doubled, and we still can't fit all the students in," said Virginia Sheridon, an adjunct math professor. "We've had to turn students away because there is not room in the classes because of the budget cuts."

"It's depressing when teachers are saying you are not getting the education you are paying for," said student Michelle Hess.

While protests on other campuses around the state became unruly, Thursday's gathering at Cal State was peaceful. But that didn't mean students kept quiet.

Student Kirk Sunderman had a message for lawmakers.

"Invest in education. You are going to lose jobs. Education equals jobs," he said.

CSUB's president Dr. Horrace Mitchell announced a minimum of $6.4 million in cuts for the 2010-11 academic year which included doing away with classes, winter commencement and four sports programs.