Students are planning to protest Kent State’s new $440-credit-hour charge to be held at University Library, the first beginning at 9 a.m. Monday outside of Lester Lefton’s offices.

John Liptak, junior theatre studies major and spearhead of a group protesting the new fee, said another, different protest is being planned for “sometime later this week.”

“There is definitely going to be a physical protest,” Liptak said. “We don’t exactly know what date yet, but it’s going to happen.”

Liptak said physical protests will be held both outside the library and on its second floor near President Lester Lefton’s office. In addition to the protests, Liptak said a physical petition is in the works.

Liptak said he hopes the protests will occur sooner rather than later, but he does not want the university’s administration to know when to expect them.

Liptak said he has contacted media outlets — including Channel 19 News, Channel 8 News and WKSU — to be present during the protests.

Other students are not waiting to take action.

Lucy Merriman, freshman exploratory major, said she will be sit-in protesting from 9 a.m. Monday to 9 a.m. Tuesday outside Lefton’s office.

The new fee is unacceptable, Merriman said. She posted a Facebook status to attract other protesters.

“There are a lot of people who are interested on Facebook, but I’m not totally sure how many are going to show up,” Merriman said. “If I’m the only one doing it, then I’m the only one doing it … I know there are other people out there who are upset about this.”

Merriman said she is uncertain if the sit-in will last its intended 24 hours, but she is optimistic about the protest.

“I feel like I can afford to miss one day of classes to do something that, in the long run, will make classes more attainable for everyone,” Merriman said.

Contact Rex Santus at [email protected].