A group organized to protest cuts to the Cal State University budget will hold a town hall meeting Friday at the San Bernardino campus.

The Coalition to Save the CSU, formed by university faculty in response to proposed state budget cuts, will sponsor the forum.

Organizers plan to oppose Gov. Schwarzenegger's pact this week with the leaders of both public university systems, including Cal State Chancellor Charles Reed.

Schwarzenegger is scheduled to unveil his revised state budget plan at a Sacramento news conference at 3 p.m. today.

The higher-education deal calls for more funding in coming years in exchange for cuts and higher student fees this fall.

"It seems clear that some people are accepting the cuts as a done deal," said Susan Meisenhelder of the California Faculty Association.

"This proposal institutionalizes problems ... it's a tragedy."

Meisenhelder, a professor of English at Cal State San Bernardino, said the system cannot continue to operate with crowded classrooms, part-time faculty without phones and computers and fee increases that students cannot afford.

Cal State gets "lost in the shuffle," she said.

Meisenhelder expects about 150 people, including civic leaders, students and faculty to attend the meeting.

Based on the agreement, Cal State undergraduate fees would increase 14 percent this fall.

If lawmakers approve the budget plan, Cal State undergraduate tuition would rise to $2,334 from $2,046 a year.

A similar forum is planned at Cal State Los Angeles on Friday.