Humboldt State social work student Linda Souza knows what it takes to make political change.

In 1983, she helped fight a development plan on top a scenic ridge in the city of Sunol. Working with other concerned citizens, Souza had 30 days to collect the 35,000 signatures needed to block the plan. And they did.

“It taught me the impossible is possible,” she said.

So when her social work professor gave students the option to work on a bill or a campaign for class, she chose the later. Now she’s a part of a tide surging across the state to freeze tuition increases.

The Tuition Relief Now campaign is working to put on the November ballot a proposition to freeze tuition increases for five years, for both the California State University and University of California systems. After the five years, increases would be tied to inflation. It would be funded by a tax increase.

“There’s a huge burden put on (the students’) backs without our representation,” said student and lead campaign organizer for Humboldt State University Matthew Herrera. “It’s a direct confrontation.”

The campaign, which has more than 70 organizers in all the state’s campuses, needs to collect 434,000 signatures by April to get the initiative on the ballot.

Greenlining Institute Director of Special Projects Chris Vaeth said its difficult to tell how many signatures there are to date, but is confident they’ll get enough.

“It’s a really strong start,” he said.

The institute, a multiethnic public policy organization, leads the campaign in what could be the first student-led ballot initiative in California history.

Student energy is high on campus in the face of more budget cuts, Herrera said. In the three to six hours a week he puts in, he gets about 50 signatures an hour. With 12 volunteers a week, and other student organizations supporting the campaign, he thinks they will reach their mark.

For example, the California State Student Association pledged to get 10,000 signatures.

Unlike most ballot measures, petitioners are not paid per signature or backed by big government or business interests, he said.

To pay for the freeze on tuition increases, the initiative calls for a 1 percent tax to be placed on those making more than a $1 million a year. The tax is expected to bring in about $2 billion a year, according to the California Legislative Analysis Office. Sixty percent of the money would go to the CSU and UC systems, while the remaining 40 percent would go to both K-12 schools and community colleges, due to state law.

“That’s a lot of new revenue for the university,” Vaeth said.

Spokesperson for the California Taxpayers’ Association David Kline said they won’t take a position until the measure is on the ballot.

CSU spokesperson Paul Browning said the university system hasn’t taken a position at this point.

Over the past six years, tuition at California State Universities increased from $1,428 to $2,520 over the past six years. Another fee increase is expected in May.

The CSU system is looking at a possible $319 million decrease in funding next budget year from what was expected, Browning said. Humboldt State’s share of that could be $4-$6 million.

As massive budget cuts are expected for next budget year statewide, Vaeth said, “This initiative becomes even more important.”