Cactus Cafe Fans Hold Rally on Campus

by Ben Wright

Austin Citysphere Contributor

A little talk could save a lot of music

Political leaders, students and Austinites gathered at the foot of the UT tower, Friday, to protest the threatened closure of the Cactus Cafe.

Over a hundred people attended the lunch time rally which included speeches by state Rep. Elliott Naishtat, D-Austin and music from David Garza and Sara Hickman.

Speaking after the rally to Austin Citysphere, Naishtat said a “meeting of minds” was the solution and that both students and local community members should have a hand in deciding the cafe's future.

“Initially it would appear that the university was not interested in any type of meaningful input form the community,” he said. “I think they are changing their position encouraging participation.”

The university has said the closure of the cafe and the informal classes program is part of a larger push to cut costs at the university. The money needed to keep run both the Cactus Cafe and the Informal Classes program is $122,000 – or 2.39% of Mac Brown's salary after it was increased in December.

Naishtat said the money could be raised by the local community if necessary.

“This can all be worked out,” he said. “We are able to raise the money to keep the Cactus Cafe open and that is something that needs to be discussed.”

Naishtat said that the university's current plans for “re-purposing” the space, “is not the Cactus Cafe that all these people have come to love and support.”