They wanted (and eventually got) FREE tuition. One problem Chile is now having is a surplus of colleges. The logic is "get a degree, get a better job". Now there is an over-supply of unemployed recent graduates.

Our hotel was 2 blocks from Universidad de Chile. Coming home from the project site one evening the wind was blowing from that direction. Now I can scratch "Get Tear-gassed" from my Bucket List. Nasty stuff.