BATON ROUGE, La. (AP) – Hundreds of chanting LSU students and university supporters converged on the Louisiana Capitol to protest budget cuts that threaten to hit their campus.

Many protesters wore purple and gold, the school’s colors, and carried hand-made signs as they booed the mention of Gov. Bobby Jindal and yelled that they would not take cuts quietly.

One protest organizer Thursday, mass communication student Justin DiCharia shouted: “Silence is surrender, and today they will hear our voices!”

Because of a $1.6 billion budget shortfall, higher education is faced with slashing of up to $600 million in the fiscal year, more than 80 percent of college systems’ state financing.

Jindal has proposed tax break changes to fill part of the gap. Lawmakers assured students Thursday they are working to stop the cuts.