Students who want to take action against rising tuition have the opportunity to learn how tonight at an information session for this year's Rally in the Rotunda.

The annual rally will be held at 1 p.m. March 15 in Harrisburg so students can lobby their state representatives for increased state appropriations.

The information session, held at 6:30 p.m. in 111 Chambers, will be the second time rally organizers have met to prepare students. Only three students attended last Tuesday's meeting, said Council of Commonwealth Student Governments (CCSG) Governmental Affairs Director Kathleen Streaker. "[The last information session] wasn't advertised," she said. "We are hoping for more [tonight], and we are hanging up fliers."

Streaker said tonight's meeting will address fundamentals of lobbying legislators and the history of Penn State's appropriations. "Basically we will be answering any questions and clearing up any misunderstandings [about lobbying]," she said. "It also is very effective if you meet with legislators face-to-face, and we are trying to push students to set up meetings in advance."

Undergraduate Student Government (USG) Governmental Affairs Director Kyle Metzgar said the sessions will include information about the budget. He said students will have the opportunity to examine the same reports as Penn State President Graham Spanier.

"If you go to the administration they have material available -- graphs that Spanier used before he went to the appropriations hearing," Metzgar said.

The implementation of the sessions is one way organizers are trying to increase student involvement. Last year, only four students from University Park participated.

Streaker said there will be at least three representatives from the state speaking on students' behalf at the rally.

State Sen. Jane Orie, R-Allegheny and Butler, State Rep. Lynn Herman, R-Centre, and State Rep. Jewell Williams, D-Philadelphia, will speak on the steps of the capitol about the importance of funding higher education.

Students will stand behind the speakers so the legislators can see who is directly affected by their funding decisions, Streaker added.

"Legislators can see the personal faces of the problem," she said. "It's a lot more personal than writing a letter, and students can have the opportunity to share their personal stories."

Metzgar said that as of today, there is no definite number of participants from University Park who are planning to attend the rally.

The Interfraternity Council and USG are funding the free transportation for about 50 students. A bus is tentatively scheduled to leave at 9 a.m. on the day of the rally from the HUB-Robeson Center. Other interested students can carpool.

Streaker said while professors ultimately decide whether to excuse their own students for the Rally in the Rotunda, the University Faculty Senate approves any absences. "We have not had any problem with the faculty supporting students," Streaker said. "We plan to e-mail all faculty so they know about the rally."

Several professors are offering extra credit for attending the rally, and some classes are even being cancelled, she added. "A lot of faculty are pushing students to go because tuition also funds their paychecks," Streaker said. "The faculty has been jumping on board."

Fixed-term English composition lecturer Albert Holtzinger, a 1964 Penn State graduate, said he offered his students an excused absence to attend the rally, but so far only one student has elected to go.