Seth Leigan will work Saturday shifts on construction sites. Shannon Shutts will take out more loans. And no more going to the movies for Rachelle Kam.

These Cal Poly students said their pocketbooks would suffer if California State University trustees vote to increase undergraduate tuition this fall by $132 per quarter due to the state's budget crisis.

It would be the largest tuition increase in CSU history, based on dollar amount.

Trustees will discuss the 25 percent hike Wednesday -- the same day Gov. Gray Davis is expected to release his May revision to the 2003-04 fiscal year budget.

That's why trustees have delayed the vote -- likely until their next board meeting in July -- when they'll have a better idea of the state's financial picture.

The potential tuition hike could actually be greater than 35 percent (about $200 per quarter) if the governor slashes more than the currently proposed $260 million net reduction from the $3 billion the CSU received this year.

School officials are bracing for an additional $70 million to $200 million in cuts, which would almost certainly mean enrollment reductions and employee layoffs.

No new services would be added with the fee increase -- it would simply replace money that was once provided by the state government.

"For tuition fees to constantly go up -- increase after increase -- it really hurts everybody," said Kam, a senior studying art and design. "It's sad it has to come out of our own pockets."

If the 25 percent increase holds, quarterly tuition at Cal Poly would rise to $1,127 for most undergraduate students -- more than a $400 jump from what they paid last summer.

Cal Poly students last year passed a college-based fee initiative, increasing their fees by $125 to $200 to pay for additional professors, course offerings and classroom equipment.

Last month CSU trustees approved a $48 per-quarter increase to help soften a $60 million midyear budget shortfall.

Meanwhile, trustees this week will discuss boosting graduate student tuition by 20 percent, or $116 per quarter.

Cal Poly President Warren Baker said while the university's budget is cut, raising tuition will help ensure that classes are available and more students will graduate on time.

Had students not passed the college-based fee initiative, he said, the university would have struggled more with state budget cuts.

That money is "not intended to backfill what we're not able to get from the state due to budget reductions," Baker said. "But no doubt, the students are better off."

Executives with the CSU -- the nation's largest public university system with 23 campuses and 407,000 students -- noted that the system's fees are among the lowest in the nation.

"It is never pleasant to raise student fees, but if we are to continue to provide access to California's students, they must increase," CSU Chancellor Charles Reed said in a statement.

Hundreds of students are expected to rally against the fee increase Wednesday when CSU trustees meet in Long Beach.

Two Cal Poly freshmen studying electrical engineering said Monday they didn't mind a fee increase if it prevents laying off teachers and canceling classes.

As bowling balls and pins clanged around them at the campus McPhee's bowling alley, Chris Louie and Mike Wolfe said they won't feel the tuition hikes because their parents pay for college.

"As long as I can get my lectures and labs, I think it's OK to pay more," Louie said.

Meanwhile, Kam said if fees increase she would have to make more brown bag lunches and buy less fancy art supplies for her school projects.

"It's just going to be cutting back on things you want to do, but can't, because of the (lack of) money," she said.