The nationally renowned Cactus Café on the campus of the University of Texas in Austin may be closing later this year. Citing a desire “to minimize the impact of budgetary reductions on students and to protect student core services,” the Texas Union board of directors on Friday announced plans to “phase-out” the intimate live music venue that has attracted a wide array of local, regional, national and international touring acoustic artists since it opened in 1979. The board’s plans are slated to take effect in August.

According to a statement posted on the university’s website by The Texas Union, the Cactus Café has been largely used by non-students and in recent years required significant subsidies to remain in operation. “Although popular with some audiences, [it is] no longer profitable and do [es] not fit within the core student mission of the Texas Union and Student Affairs,” said Wm. Andrew Smith Jr., executive director of University Unions.

A Save the Cactus Café group has been established on Facebook; those wishing to express their thoughts regarding the planned closure also can contact the university’s vice president of student affairs at juan.gonzalez@austin.utexas.edu and c.c. President William Powers at president@po.utexas.edu.

Editor’s Note: I enjoyed a performance by Tom Russell at the Cactus Café several years ago during my only visit to Austin to date and am saddened to hear of its planned closing. The national reputation of the Cactus Café must be helpful to the university. I hope the Texas Union board of directors will reconsider this decision.