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Rising student residence fees and a hike to international student tuition prompted a noisy protest Wednesday and calls for the University of Alberta’s board of governors to revisit its budget.

Students, staff and faculty filled a 300-seat lecture theatre Wednesday, and more poured into an overflow room on campus, to hear university president David Turpin deliver an update on the institution’s finances.

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“The board has made some very, very challenging decisions. And they’ve worked extraordinarily hard to balance out the competing needs at play,” Turpin said.

Toting signs that “Friends don’t let friends get exploited,” and “Not for the public good,” protesters began shouting over Turpin’s presentation after 25 minutes, asking him to take their questions.

The hour-long town hall ended with protesters following Turpin across campus to his office, where they banged on the walls and chanted, “U of A — not OK,” and, “Cut your salary” for more than an hour.