The MSU men’s gymnastics team will perform one last routine to attempt to save its debunked program.

Members of the team will be present at the MSU Board of Trustees meeting Friday in an attempt to extend the program, which the athletics department has said will be cut after this year.

After originally deciding to cut the program after the 2000 season, the athletics department gave the program a one-year extension through this year.

Junior gymnast Jonathan Plante will speak to the board in hopes of getting a two-year extension granted to the program.

“It’s a strange situation in that the administration has no answers or refuses to give them,” he said. “Their arguments are all bogus - they have no legitimate argument.”

The athletics department decided to cut the program in April 2000 to comply with Title IX guidelines.

Title IX is a federal law prohibiting sex discrimination in education programs that receive federal financial assistance, and was later amended to help promote gender equity in athletics.

Plante said Title IX shouldn’t be a reason to cut men’s gymnastics because other women’s programs, such as track and crew, have emerged to balance the scale.

Plante said other arguments the university is making against the program include space and monetary issues.

The men’s team has to share its practice facility with the women’s team, but Plante said space hasn’t been a problem and the two teams enjoy practicing with one another.

He also said the program’s finances aren’t a problem, claiming it has made a profit.

“It can’t be Title IX, it can’t be financial, so what is it?” he said. “Is it just them simply saying we don’t want men’s gymnastics anymore? That’s basically the only thing they have to fall back on at this point.”

MSU Board of Trustees member David Porteous said he has received a letter from Plante describing what he’ll talk about at the meeting.

Porteous added the board agrees with the athletics department’s recommendation and rendering a decision to keep the program will be difficult.

“I have no doubt these athletes are dedicated young men who work hard at what they do, but the number of varsity programs has just shrunk to the level where it makes it difficult to maintain at Michigan State,” he said.

Porteous said he doesn’t believe Title IX is an issue in the case, just that men’s gymnastics programs are too sparse around the country for one to stay at MSU.

“When you have a sport where there are approximately only 21 schools competing at the Division I varsity level, that right there is unfortunately an indication that the sport doesn’t have the support across the country to compete,” he said.

Porteous also is a little skeptical of Plante’s claim that the program made a profit this year.

“I would be interested in those figures because I just don’t think they’re accurate,” he said.

A demonstration will also be organized outside the Administration Building before the board’s 10 a.m. meeting, in which gymnasts and coaches from both MSU and Michigan will be present.

Mike Burns, assistant men’s gymnastics coach at U-M, said it’s going to be different to see U-M and MSU athletes marching together for one cause, but it’s something that’s necessary for college gymnastics.

“Anytime something happens like that, it affects other programs,” he said. “It has a ripple effect.”

Burns said losing programs such as MSU’s lessens the opportunity for younger gymnasts to pursue a career in the sport, which ultimately affects gymnastics at its top level.

“If you lose a broad base of athletes in gymnastics in college, then the Olympic level gets worse,” he said.

Head coach Rick Atkinson said it’s mainly his gymnasts who are organizing the last-minute attempt to save the program with the board, and he doesn’t plan on attending.

“I busted my butt all year in coaching them and setting up places for them to go after the season,” he said. “What they’re doing now is all for themselves.”

Atkinson said he’s not ruling out the possibility of an extension and is supportive of his team’s attempt, but added he’s not very optimistic.

“I always like to think there’s hope, but didn’t think the door was open on this - is it?” he said.