(CNN) -- A California movement protesting $1 billion in budget cuts to the state's university system appeared to have burgeoned into a nationwide demonstration on Thursday.



Students and professors in dozens of states were challenging administrators and state lawmakers over budget cuts and tuition increases that they say are reducing students' class options and increasing their expenses.



Some of the demonstrations turned chaotic. In Oakland, California, police arrested 160 protesters who shut down a major freeway, according to city police spokeswoman April McFarland.



The Oakland protesters had left a march from the University of California, Berkeley to Oakland City Hall and wound up on the Interstate 980/880 interchange, CNN San Francisco affiliate KGO reported. KCRA: Protesters threaten to block interstate



McFarland said the protesters brought Thursday evening rush hour traffic to a halt for an hour and 45 minutes.



One man is in critical condition after he tried to elude arrest by jumping off the freeway onto a tree, KGO reported. He fell from the tree onto the street below, a roughly 22 foot drop from the interchange, according to KGO.



At the University of California Davis, police held back student protesters who had threatened to shut down nearby Interstate 80, CNN affiliate KCRA in Sacramento reported.



Police fired rubber bullets into the ground in an effort to deter students, who made it as far as an I-80 exit ramp just south of campus.



At the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, at least 15 people were arrested in demonstrations Thursday, according to CNN affiliate WTMJ.



A University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee vice chancellor allowed a protester to drop off pamphlets in the chancellor's office, then called campus police when dozens of protesters tried to enter the building, according to WTMJ.



University police called the Milwaukee Police Department for backup, and officers spent an hour rounding up protesters.



Students yelled "Let her go!" and "What did he do?" as Milwaukee police led students into their black and white vans.



Across the country, students told of having to work second jobs and make lifestyle adjustments in the face of dramatic tuition hikes.



"I work at two jobs, go to school full time to make ends meet," said Tyler, a fifth-year senior at San Francisco State University, where students and faculty protested Thursday. She did not give her last name.



"I have been here a really long time. I struggle to keep [taking] classes to be able to keep my financial aid every semester, and I really don't know when I'm going to be able to get out of here. Every semester, something is cut, and I can't get the class I need. Who knows when I will be out of here," she said.



Many of Thursday's demonstrations focused on cuts to state-funded colleges and universities, which supporters say drive up tuition, limit classes and make higher education unobtainable to many. A blog called Student Activism, which was compiling a list of the protests, said that 122 events were scheduled in 33 states -- most on campuses, and some at state capitols.



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Professors and students say dissatisfaction, anger and an uncertain future had led to call for a "Day of Action" to defend education.



At the University of Massachusetts-Amherst, dozens of protesters gathered Thursday and chanted, "Hey hey, ho ho, these student fees have got to go."



Video submitted from the demonstration by a CNN iReporter calling himself Bowtieguy showed students carrying handmade signs with messages like "Where's Holub's pay cut?" -- a reference to university chancellor Robert C. Holub.



Another homemade sign read "Chop from the top."



At California State University-Fullerton, dozens of students marched outdoors, chanting, "Students united will never be divided." A video submitted by a CNN iReporter who calls herself MelissaF showed handmade signs saying "Protect humanities" and "What happened to our future?"



State funding for the California State University system was reduced by nearly $1 billion for the academic
how many reportedly arrested? who did they arrest What did the protestors do? in what University arrested? How many were arrest in the University of Wisonsin-Milwaukke demonstrations? what will raise tuition What have the duget cuts resulted in? what reported police?
160 police arrested 160 protesters shut down a major freeway, of California, at least 15 people budget cuts reducing students' class options and increasing their expenses. San Francisco affiliate KGO
question: how many reportedly arrested?, answer: 160 | question: who did they arrest, answer: police arrested 160 protesters | question: What did the protestors do?, answer: shut down a major freeway, | question: in what University arrested?, answer: of California, | question: How many were arrest in the University of Wisonsin-Milwaukke demonstrations?, answer: at least 15 people | question: what will raise tuition, answer: budget cuts | question: What have the duget cuts resulted in?, answer: reducing students' class options and increasing their expenses. | question: what reported police?, answer: San Francisco affiliate KGO