NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) -- Students at Tennessee Board of Regents schools are protesting planned cuts in higher education.

About 250 students met at the Tennessee State University campus in downtown Nashville and marched to Legislative Plaza, where they held a rally Tuesday morning.

Students are upset that the board in December approved a change in how tuition is charged by eliminating the 12-hour tuition "cap."

Beginning fall 2009, all students will pay an hourly rate for each semester hour of classes. Currently, anything above 12 hours per semester is essentially free to students.

Governor Phil Bredesen has told state colleges they will have to signficantly cut their budgets to meet a state budget shortfall.

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