[CAUT] University based regional seminars

[Israel Stein]

On Monday, October 15, 2007 5:17:44 PM Ed Sutton wrote:

>It seems that several of the regional seminars are having trouble making the 
>tradition "hotel-based" seminars pay their way.
>A university based seminar, held perhaps on the week-end of Fall break might 
>be able to offer new ways to learn.  All those practice rooms could be used 
>for extended hands-on repair,regulation and tuning classes, maybe leaving 
>the school better off for the deal.
>Ed Sutton

It's a mixed bag, Ed. Several years ago I taught at a California State convention organized by the Sacramento Valley chapter and held on the campus of Sacramento State University. Peter Clark (with about 6 assistants) taught a three-day hands-on tuning seminar based in the music building that took advantage of the availability of teaching studios and practice room - and that was an unbelievable success. There were students practicing tuning in practice rooms and going over what the learned deep into the night... 

On the other hand, university staff and facilities are not geared to hosting trade conventions - so, many classes were delayed, shifted to different locations at the last moment and otherwise impacted because facilities were double-booked, or staff was not available to deal with unanticipated complications, or staff just wasn't there when they were supposed to be in order to open rooms. Some students in my two-day class missed sessions because of such circumstances. 

Walking from building to building between classes took up an awful lot of time. And since there was no suitable housing on campus (who wants to go to a convention and sleep in a dorm amidst 20-year olds with raging hormones)  we stayed in several motels in the area - which meant that there was no central area for post-class socializing and receptions. 

A campus might be a good venue for a specialized seminar aimed at a few dozen people. Like the Peter Clark seminar as a stand-alone event. For an entire convention - way too many downsides...

I used to attend summer workshops at Amherst College in Massachusetts - and they actively solicited conventions and seminars. Still, dealing with the college staff and administration was always an ordeal. Hotels are geared to deal with conventions and their staff is trained to deliver service. Universities simply do not have the right mindset. I am afraid that a convention with complex needs such as the PTG is simply beyond the capabilities of most campuses. 

Israel Stein