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CSU Faculty Stage Strike At Cal State Dominguez Hills

CARSON (CBS) — CSU faculty members are staging a strike at Cal State Dominguez Hills, just one day after a violent protest over tuition hikes.

Professors, who are frustrated over stalled negotiations and the chaos that erupted Wednesday at the chancellor's office in Long Beach, started picketing at 6 a.m.

After a public hearing turned volatile, Cal State trustees went to recess and reconvened elsewhere, where they approved the ninth tuition hike in as many years.

Meanwhile, police used pepper spray and batons to subdue an angry crowd. Four people were arrested and two officers were injured.

Faculty members are disappointed in a system they say has been reduced to a private venue.

"Rather than put that money into classrooms to serve students, they're putting it into executives and executive salaries are rising continuously and outrageously," Cal State San Marcos professor John Halcon told CBS2. "Classes are being cut, fewer faculty are being hired, and students are suffering."

Trustees say they needed to act quickly after the state slashed funding. They are asking for an additional $138.3 million, but if their request is denied, students will pay $498 more for tuition when the 2012-2013 school year begins.

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