WATERBURY, Conn. (WTNH) — Anger over plans to consolidate Connecticut State Colleges and Universities (CSCU) led to a protest Thursday at Naugatuck Valley Community College in Waterbury.

Faculty and staff from Naugatuck Valley Community College protested outside Technology Hall hoping to get the attention of Terrence Cheng, the president of the Connecticut State Colleges and Universities, who was visiting the college.

Protestors are speaking out against the plan to consolidate all CSCU into one big school, which would be known as CT State.

“It takes the decision making away from the faculty who are experts in their topics, and it moves it to a central office and gives a whole bunch of money to vice presidents and middle management, and takes it away from our students who really really need it and our faculty,” Ron Picard, Naugatuck Valley Community College’s union rep said.

“Our merger of the 12 campuses into one CT State community college is going to create more access, more equity, and give more strength and power to our students,” Cheng said.

Cheng said they have to file an accreditation application in January, and if all goes well, the first classes of the new CT State system would begin in the fall of 2023.