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Student members of the University Unions Board of Directors issue statement
The student members of the University Unions Board of Directors, which makes recommendations regarding use of the University of Texas unions, including the Texas Union, issued a statement Thursday night clarifying the board’s role in plans to close the Cactus Cafe. The statement was sent out to UT’s student body.
“The board members in attendance did review and support the proposal after careful consideration, but did not vote,” reads the statement. “… The student members of the board expressed support for management’s decision to repurpose the Cactus Cafe and cancel informal classes effective August 2010. The student members respect and appreciate the Cactus Cafe and what it has meant to the UT and Austin communities. The room, however, will go back into the room inventory, and student organizations will be able to reserve and utilize the room for their own performances and programs.”
The statement reiterates that the student members of the union board endorsed — but otherwise had no active role in — the decision, made by Wm. Andrew Smith Jr., executive director of University Unions, and his staff. Student Government President Liam O’Rourke said late Thursday, after the statement was released, that there are no plans to alter or modify the room itself. While the immediate plan for the Cactus Cafe is to include it in the inventory of rooms available for student use, O’Rourke said, student leadership is planning to develop a plan that will keep the space music-oriented. What direction that will be, however, is still up for discussion.
“We’re very committed to keeping it primarily a music venue,” O’Rourke said. “The union board supported the management decision to address the operational issues to meet budget needs, but we have not come up with procedures, rules, or plans for the room just yet. We wanted it to be a space for student musicians and performances.
“The big change will be that the people setting the agenda for the room will be primarily students.”
You can view the full statement here.
Update: SaveTheCactusCafe.org, the official Web site of the now 20,000-strong Facebook group, will hold an informational meeting tomorrow, Saturday Feb. 6, from 2 to 4 p.m. at Maria’s Taco X-Press. Organizers plan to “provide the background to the planned closing of the Cactus Cafe, announce a plan for saving the legendary listening room and enlist volunteers to begin organizing and mobilizing to urge the university to reverse its decision.”
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By burly
February 5, 2010 6:40 AM | Link to this
With such a large inventory of successful musicians in this town it might be time for them to band together (fund) and create a cooperative venue, that is a musical incubator that will not be subject to the kind of decision making that is closing the Cactus. Our musicians do so much in this community for other causes why not do something for the future of music in this town.