Students, many with painted faces, protest against tuition increases in Quebec City on Monday while riot police keep watch. (Canadian Press)One student was arrested inside Quebec City's Hilton Hotel, as thousands gathered for a protest outside a summit on university funding.

A police spokesperson said the student was arrested for disorderly conduct, as thousands of students from across the province gathered for a noon-hour protest outside the summit of government, education and union officials.

The rally comes the same day as a strike by about 60,000 university students across Quebec to protest against the plan to stop freezing traditionally low tuition fees. The proposal will be discussed during the summit.

"Students are in debt, and they are putting a greater and greater burden on them," said Louis-Philippe Savoie, president of the Quebec Federation of University Students.

Currently, most students pay around $2,415 annually in tuition, in addition to student fees. That average is for students who come from outside and inside Quebec, according to Statistics Canada calculations.

The Canadian average is $5,138.

The Quebec government said everyone must share the responsibilty for rising education costs, and schools need a solution to their chronic financial shortfall.

University rectors were invited to the Quebec City summit Monday to discuss financing.

Schools have indicated they want students to foot a large fee hike — to $3,680 per in-province student per year — by 2014.

Student strike has side-effects

The Conference of Rectors and Principals of Quebec Universities has called for a $500-a-year increase in each of the next three years.

Earlier this year, the association released a study showing post-secondary institutions in the province are underfunded by $620 million, far more than other universities across the country.

Monday's student strike is having an impact beyond classrooms.

Operation Nez Rouge, the province's popular holiday ride-home service, shut down on Sunday because its offices are located inside CEGEP Vieux-Montreal, one of the schools closed as a result of the strike.

It is the first time Nez Rouge has had to suspend services in 27 years, but it should be running again by Tuesday, officials said.

The shutdown only affects service on the Island of Montreal.

With files from the Canadian Press