Students who are angry at the university's latest legal arguments in the discrimination case against Lady Lions basketball coach Rene Portland announced plans to march at the team's last home game Feb. 26.

Last week, Portland, Athletic Director Tim Curley and the university supported a motion to dismiss charges of discrimination based on gender, race and sexual orientation filed last December by former Lady Lions player Jen Harris.

The university's brief said the claims were invalid because the university's nondiscrimination policy is not a legally binding contract.

"They are calling [the nondiscrimination policy] a mere provisional policy that employees can chose whether or not to adhere [to]," said Allies President Ed Rowe, who is not organizing the march but said he will attend.

The nondiscrimination and harassment clause, policy AD42, has included sexual orientation since 1991, Rowe said.

"It was a long, hard battle to get that included," he said. "For the last 15 years, students, faculty and staff alike have depended on policy to protect against discrimination."

By arguing it is not an enforceable contract, the administration is promoting an environment where any employee can discriminate, Rowe said.

Penn State spokesman Bill Mahon said the brief is a legal document in an active lawsuit, and he could not comment on the points of the legal response.

The march is being prepared by about two dozen rally organizers from various student groups, said Eric Patridge, a co-director for the coalition of lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and allied (LGBTA) graduate students.

Many groups decided not to associate their official group titles with the protest for fear of punishment from the university, he added.

Patridge added that the demonstration is expecting about 200 participants from University Park campus and surrounding areas as it marches from the HUB-Robeson Center to the Bryce Jordan Center for the 2 p.m. game.

Darryl Watson, a rally organizer, said he is expecting participation from other Pennsylvania and Big Ten universities including Ohio State University -- the Lady Lions' opponents in the home game.

Although the rally was being planned prior to the university's response to the lawsuit, the administration's recent remarks have added to the demonstration's significance, Patridge said.

The primary concern now, fellow rally organizer Kat Sinclair added, is to show dissatisfaction with the administration's recent decisions.

Rowe also lodged formal complaints Tuesday with the Penn State Office of Affirmative Action against Penn State President Graham Spanier, Curley, the university's former legal counsel Wendell Courtney and the university at large.

"The university is in violation of its own policy," Rowe said.

Spanier, Curley and Courtney were unavailable for comment yesterday, and Ken Lehrman, director of the Office of Affirmative Action, said he could not discuss complaints on file.

Patridge said they expect an explanation from the administration to the community.

"They should have communicated with the community to express that they know it's going to hurt the community, but it's something they had to do to protect themselves," Patridge said.

Sinclair, who said she originally chose to attend Penn State because of its nondiscrimination policy, now feels that the protection she was expecting does not exist.

"I feel as though I was lied to," she said. "I am here under false pretenses."

Collegian staff writers Devon Lash and Kevin Horan contributed to this article.