[CAUT] CAUT Endorsement

[Porritt, David]

Eric:

 

I agree with about all that you've said below.  I'm just not sure how a
test can be created that will truly test the skills that a successful
CAUT will need.  This is especially true since so many jobs are so
varied.  I wish you success in your efforts to create a test.  Perhaps
I'm just not creative enough to see how it's going to happen.  I can
envision a test for minimum skills - i.e. a person who can't pass this
test has no chance at a successful CAUT career.  But moving to the other
end of the success ladder is far more difficult.

 

In many cases the high school football coach might have the exact same
training and background (played college/pro ball etc.) as the successful
NFL coach but the differences are un-testable, un-quantifiable personal
qualities.  The qualities that make the successful CAUT are difficult to
even describe let alone test.  Possibly the first step should be to
describe in words what makes a successful CAUT then try to determine how
to test for those skills and qualities.  I don't know.  I do know that
you have been given a really tough job to come up with a test that will
actually do what you want it to do!!

 

dave

 

David M. Porritt, RPT

dporritt at smu.edu

 

From: caut-bounces at ptg.org [mailto:caut-bounces at ptg.org] On Behalf Of
Wolfley, Eric (wolfleel)
Sent: Wednesday, October 24, 2007 8:56 AM
To: College and University Technicians
Subject: Re: [CAUT] CAUT Endorsement

 

Dave,

 

I guess I'll be the "angel's advocate" here and change the scenario a
bit. Say you had two candidates with fairly equal qualifications,
experience, references, etc., but one had taken the time and effort to
be an active member of the PTG and had passed the "CAUT test" (whatever
form that may take), which one would you choose? Showing a commitment
towards gaining and improving skills is a definite plus in my book and
would tip the scales for me, credit history and personal grooming issues
aside. (Do they really check credit history when reviewing a job
applicant's application?) There will also be quite a bit of material
specific to CAUT work included in the curriculum which will help a CAUT-
trained candidate be prepared to suggest possible improvements to the
institution's piano maintenance program in an interview situation.

 

It sounds like you have an excellent relationship with your faculty
which tells me you are doing a great job at SMU and a candidate for your
position would probably be able to slip in, "get with the program" 

and continue your good work. Your 21 years experience has a lot to do
with that. There are many programs out there however which are in
desperate need of somebody either with a whole lot of experience in an
institutional setting or some good training. This is the issue we are
trying to address with the CAUT curriculum and the CAUT endorsement.

 

Eric

Eric Wolfley, RPT 
Director of Piano Services 
Cincinnati College-Conservatory of Music 
University of Cincinnati 

________________________________

From: caut-bounces at ptg.org [mailto:caut-bounces at ptg.org] On Behalf Of
Porritt, David
Sent: Wednesday, October 24, 2007 7:51 AM
To: College and University Technicians
Subject: Re: [CAUT] CAUT Endorsement

 

Of course all of our experience comes from a fairly small segment of the
world.  Even if one has had a job a 2 or 3 music schools, that's not
universal knowledge of academia.  My experience in that regard is pretty
limited. Here our head of the Keyboard Studies area is a quite
knowledgeable pianist whose father was a piano technician.  The other
three of the piano faculty have had or still have their performing
careers and have worked with piano technicians a lot to get what they
each want in a piano.  I really think they could work together to find a
replacement for me.  I'd love to think that they did that job well 21
years ago but having read the interesting article on incompetence I'm
reluctant to say anything!  

 

In other words, the committee has to find a warm body that seems to have
the qualifications, references, documented education and character to do
the job.  Even if a test were conceived that actually could measure a
person's aptitude for this work, how much weight should it have in the
hiring decision?  Candidate A has passed the CAUT test but has a poor
credit history.  Candidate B has a good work record and good references
(happy musician customers) but never bothered to take the CAUT test.
I'd bet credit history would trump CAUT test.

 

dave

 

David M. Porritt, RPT

dporritt at smu.edu

 

From: caut-bounces at ptg.org [mailto:caut-bounces at ptg.org] On Behalf Of
Fred Sturm
Sent: Tuesday, October 23, 2007 7:50 PM
To: caut
Subject: Re: [CAUT] CAUT Endorsement

 

On 10/23/07 3:12 PM, "David M. Porritt" <dporritt at smu.edu> wrote:

I think college administrators have to interview, check backgrounds, do
their do-diligence but I really have my doubts that any testing PTG
could do would do as well as a good college football scout can do and
they miss a lot.  


Hi David,
    The problem is that there is no animal in the music department who
is the equivalent of the college football scout. Who in your music
department do you think qualifies as a good scout for piano technicians?
And even if they actually know what to look for, where is the
opportunity for them to witness a game or two in a real life analogy?
(Okay, the candidate can come and do a tuning or something, but that
doesn't say a lot, even if the "scout" can evaluate it reasonably well).
Not to say that the administrator doesn't need to do the normal due
diligence in any case, checking recommendations, etc. But one of the
problems we face is that the person usually doing the hiring has no
concept of the skills needed, and has to rely almost entirely on a best
guess of what references and experience set might mean. Probably doesn't
really even know what questions to ask.
Regards,
Fred Sturm
University of New Mexico 

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