Despite the frigid temperatures, a small but fervent group of protesters stood outside Coffman Union on Wednesday afternoon, chanting âÄúChop from the top!âÄù and âÄúFund education, not administration!âÄù

Today is the National Day of Action, recent University of Minnesota graduate Stephanie Taylor said, and many campuses are protesting tuition hikes and staff layoffs.

Multiple student groups endorsed and were present at the protest, including Students for a Democratic Society, WomenâÄôs Student Activist Collective, Cribbage Club and Students United. Faculty and staff also joined the event.

âÄúOur main thing is, chop from the top,âÄù explained Taylor, as her fellow protesters chanted around her. âÄúWe shouldnâÄôt be laying off workers and hiking up tuition when people in administration are making six figures.âÄù

 The group was also demanding that the University administration take its hands off CoffmanâÄôs second floor. They passed a petition saying the residents currently occupying the space should be allowed to remain.

In a previous interview with the Minnesota Daily, University President Bob Bruininks said, âÄúWe need to keep the University of Minnesota financially accessible and affordable for our students, so we are trying very hard to keep the tuition increase at a reasonable level.âÄù

âÄúIâÄôve said publicly that weâÄôre going to do everything possible to keep it in the single digits,âÄù Bruininks said.