College students across the state, including those at LSU Shreveport and Louisiana Tech, are gathering in Baton Rouge today to protest budget cuts in higher education.

Louisiana State Police have been on high alert since learning of the student's plan to meet at the capitol.

The effort was started by a group on the campus of the University of New Orleans.

Using Facebook and activism groups at individual universities, hundreds of students have now shown interest in joining the protest.

An April protest on the U-N-O campus resulted in a brief scuffle with police and several student arrests.

Organizers of this event have made it clear that it is not their intent for the protest to turn violent.

Student organizers say they have three main requests for state leaders. The first is to stop faculty and staff lay-offs. The second is to stop tuition hikes and third is to fully fund higher education.