1A1 SPORTS PAGE LIFE&ARTS PAGE 12 Bar-hopping revolutionized Horns fall to No. 1 Kansas NEWS PAGE 5 ‘Sexting’ could lead to emotional abuse TOMORROW’S WEATHER High Low THE DAILY TEXAN 45 36 Tuesday, February 9, 2010 Serving the University of Texas at Austin community since 1900 www.dailytexanonline.com Friction arises over future of Cactus Cafe and advanced and special screen- Three separate entities ings to the University. The cafe’s propose varying shifts bar could only be opened for cer- tain events and whenever cash in venue’s management donations are available. By Ana McKenzie O’Rourke and SEC officials will The Daily Texan present their plan to the Texas Members of the University and Union Board meeting on Feb. 26. Austin community cannot seem to Wiley Koepp, creator of the agree on propositions that would “Save the Cactus Cafe” Facebook maintain the Cactus Cafe, in some group that had 22,457 members as form or another, since the Union of press time, says removing the Board announced on Jan. 29 that current professional management it was phasing out cafe operations would challenge the “essence” of and informal classes. the landmark music venue and Tamir Kalifa | Daily Texan Staff The proposal that Student Gov- would potentially repel out-of- Mathematics junior Michael Schwartz and five other community members discuss the possibilities of organizing public events to ernment President Liam O’Rourke town performers. bring attention to the issue of domestic partner benefits at UT and other Texas public universities. A lack of support at Monday’s addressed in his University-wide “If [the proposal] means wiping meeting stalled attempts to organize a rally for domestic partner benefits at the upcoming Board of Regents meeting. e-mail would shift management the slate clean and departing from of the Cactus Cafe. His plan has the musical offerings ... then that’s some questioning the venue’s au- what’s destroying the brand, and thenticity if put into the hands of [it] doesn’t make sense,” Koepp the suggested student committee. said. GLBT group pushes for benets O’Rourke and members of the The group’s Web site, saveth- Student Events Center board are ecactuscafe.org, filed legal docu- By Gabrielle Cloudy Though the organization vide an employee’s spouse with “It’s really an issue,” Cloud proposing that the cafe remain ments Monday that would es- Daily Texan Staff didn’t officially organize a pro- domestic partner benefits, the said. “My spouse can’t get ben- open and still feature a stage and tablish a nonprofit group called Campus issues including test at the meeting, Corwin said spouse must be legally married efits.” bar structure but fall under the Friends of the Cactus Cafe to use proposed tuition hikes and the joining forces with other advo- to the employee. Under Tex- No public schools in Texas management of an SEC commit- donations to finance Cactus Cafe closure of the Cactus Cafe may cacy groups on campus, includ- as law, marriage is defined as a are allowed to provide domes- tee. O’Rourke did not say who operations. Student involvement have been the reason a Monday ing those who focus on tuition heterosexual relationship. The tic partner benefits to same-sex would serve on the committee but would still be possible under this public meeting aimed at orga- hikes, would help his group’s state does not recognize same- couples, making it illegal for compared it to an SEC committee, organization, Koepp said, and nizing a March 4 protest in sup- cause. sex marriages performed legal- the University to grant domes- similar to the Texas Union’s Film port of domestic partner bene- The University currently ly in another state. tic partner benefits. According Committee that brings movies CAFE continues on page 2 fits saw such a small turnout. does not provide a faculty or Dana Cloud, associate profes- to the faculty and staff associ- “It’s been kind of slow,” said staff member’s domestic part- sor in the Department of Com- ation’s report, five private uni- Michael Corwin, meeting at- ner, who is of the same or op- munication Studies, is an active versities in the state offer ben- tendee and UT’s LAN adminis- posite sex, with the same ben- member of the Pride and Eq- efits to same-sex couples: Bay- trator, at the meeting in Mezes efits it offers a faculty or staff uity Faculty and Staff Associa- lor College of Medicine, South- Hall attended by six people. “It’s member’s spouse, including in- tion, an organization that pro- western University, Trinity Uni- not on the radar of what people surance and sick leave. motes equality for the GLBT Austin musician have been talking about so far.” In order for the state to pro- community. BENEFITS continues on page 2 laments closure UT upgrades facilities of historic venue Songwriter Slaid Cleaves wanted to work and partly be- to save water, nances cause I wanted to insinuate my- recounts early days of self into that scene.” By Audrey White The University uses about 800 playing, working at cafe The Texas Union Board is shut- Daily Texan Staff million gallons of water provid- ting down operations at the Cac- The University is stepping up ed by the Austin Water Utility By Ben Wermund tus Cafe and phasing out informal its water conservation efforts per year, Walker said. Although Daily Texan Staff classes as part of a request by UT with a series of ongoing initia- some large, local commercial Before singer-songwriter Slaid President William Powers Jr. that tives that would save UT hun- companies, like Samsung, use Cleaves moved to Austin from all UT departments cut their bud- dreds of thousands of dollars more water than the University, Maine in 1991, he knew three gets to accommodate a 2-percent and millions of gallons of water, Austin Water spokesman Kevin things about the city: it was the merit raise for faculty. UT officials said Monday. Buchman said UT is one of the home of “Austin City Limits,” The Cactus Cafe was Cleaves’ Programs range from the re- utility’s top 10 clients in overall South by Southwest and the Cac- introduction to Austin’s live-mu- placement of showerheads and water use. tus Cafe. sic world, so the decision to close faucets with low-flow units in “We have a good relationship “When I told someone I was the venue came as a shock. campus dorms — a process that [with the University],” Buchman moving to Austin, they said ‘You “I went through a series of emo- began in 2007 — to the installa- said. “They’re a good steward have to go play the Cactus,’” tional reactions when I heard the tion of a reclaimed water pipe of our water, and we work very Cleaves said. “I sent a demo tape news,” he said. “Anger at the Uni- on campus, set for completion in closely with them.” before I even moved down — versity and anger that they don’t spring 2011. These and other de- When Austin went under didn’t get a gig for a long time af- seem to understand the value of velopments represent what Jim Stage 2 mandatory watering re- ter that. It was the one gig I knew the place — value to a lot of peo- Walker, UT director of sustain- strictions during fall 2009, UT about before I hit town.” ple who look to the Cactus as the ability, called a change in cam- complied with many aspects of Soon enough, Cleaves was center of the songwriting com- pus consciousness. the regulations, even though it opening for acts including Butch munity. Honestly, I was really de- “UT recognizes that we are was not required to because the Hancock, before becoming a reg- pressed, too. I remember think- not in a wet part of the world, University is a state rather than ular headliner himself. ing — why live in Austin? It’s one and water awareness is going to city entity, Buchman said. “It’s been a venue that I’ve of the jewels of the Austin music be a big deal,” Walker said. “We To minimize water usage dur- played when I first got here and scene.’” could always do more. Short- ing the height of the drought, the was a nobody and still play now Cleaves said his initial attraction er showers in the dorms would University did not run its eight that I have an audience,” Cleaves to the Cactus Cafe was its historical have a visible impact. It takes landmark fountains. This is sig- said. “I even worked as a sound students, faculty and staff to all nificant, Walker said, because man there — partly because I VENUE continues on page 11 be more water conscious. For us, the fountains use about 9 million Fanny Trang | Daily Texan Staff it means more efficient irrigation UT fountains use roughly 9 million gallons of water every year. The and upgrading our equipment.” WATER continues on page 2 University is currently working to conserve water and cut costs. Student prepares to enter graduate school at age 17 By Priscilla Totiyapungprasert In the fall, she took 21 hours, moved more than six hours away have while they’re still in high Daily Texan Staff though this semester she is giv- to Austin, where dual-enrollment school,” said Lorena Dominguez, While other teenagers are fret- ing herself a “break” by tak- classes, AP credit and summer Gonzalez’s adviser in the College ting about college choices this ing 19. Most people who don’t school at UT-Brownsville allowed of Communication.