[CAUT] CAUT Endorsement / The Guidelines

[Richard Brekne]

Grin... I can see already that my last post may ire a few feathers as I 
bring directly into question the usefulness of the guidelines.  Let me 
clarify my position.  I personally find them useful, but then having run 
festivals and schools for over 25 years now I have by and large come to 
many of the same kinds of conclusions on my own well before I ever ran 
into the guidelines.  One does need to find a way of systemization of a 
work load, and a scheme of what kinds of service is needed when.

That said... I cant get the chair, anyone on the piano section committee 
or in the Administration to even give this document more then a quick 
glance.  I actually found it in the trash bin outside one of the offices 
I shared it in a few hours after a meeting I had with them.  I wonder 
really how many schools have this kind of attitude.

I saved the thing of course.... but if there is to be anyone to refer to 
it directly at our school then it is me.  Misunderstand me correctly.  I 
feel I have quite a bit of respect locally.  Both in and out of the 
university environment.  But professors and administrators just want me 
to get my job done... they don't really want to have any more to do then 
they already have.  Setting themselves into these guidelines and 
revamping the way things are done to comprise a bonified formal CAUT 
position is a lot of work.  Actually... it just might happen here,... 
but its taken 8 years already since the first seed of thought was 
planted for them to even get the idea that a regular operating budget 
for repairs and renewals is a good idea.

As someone said earlier... we have a long way to go

Cheers
RicB



    The Guidelines are the result of hundreds of technician-years of
    experience and untold hours of work towards their production and
    revision. I don't understand how anyone could fail to find them useful
    in some way or another. The Guidelines and a potential CAUT endorsement
    are meant to be tools a technician can have at his or her disposal to
    improve themselves and their employment situation. How they will be
    useful will take many different forms depending on the institution and
    the personalities involved. Some people will have already met and
    exceeded the standards being put forth while others can have something
    to aspire towards. There are obviously some employment situations where
    these standards are beyond what is necessary and other situations where
    they will possibly not be enough. They are just guidelines after-all.