[CAUT] CAUT Endorsement

[Ted Sambell]

Re: [CAUT] CAUT EndorsementIt would seem logical to first define what the duties of a CAUT should be, and come up with a job description, then aim for excellence within these limits. It is easy to rationalize a watering down  of standards, but we can never achieve perfection, at least I can't, and unless we aim high we may not even attain mediocrity. The French philosipher, Voltaire once said, 'The best is the enemy of the good'. Despite decades of educational effort, one still sees an enormous amount of truly dreadful  work being done, usually in private homes of course. It stigmatizes us all. Ours is by no means the only field which is plagued by poor quality of service. The Canadian Broadcasting Corporation just made a documentary on computer servicing. They had a small fault made in a computer, then called in ten different service companies. Five misdiagnosed what was a simple problem,  and recommended costly replacement parts, two tried to sell a new computer, and one managed to escalate the estimate to $2000, from what should not have exceeded $25. Two fixed the problem correctly, but charged over $120. One technician, who worked in Best Buy told how a woman brought her computer in and he found  that it only needed a wire to be plugged in, so he did not charge her, then was yelled at for half an hour by his manager for not charging the minimum service fee of $50. Our business is probalby lily white in comparison, but I think society needs to take a hard look at itself. I know I am preaching to the converted, but let us not be beguiled into the notion  that routine work only requires routine effort or abilities. The status quo does not exisist; one is either progressing  or lin a state of decline.

Ted Sambell
  ----- Original Message ----- 
  From: Fred Sturm 
  To: caut 
  Sent: Wednesday, October 24, 2007 7:59 PM
  Subject: Re: [CAUT] CAUT Endorsement


  On 10/23/07 8:18 PM, "David Ilvedson" <ilvey at sbcglobal.net> wrote:


    How about starting with PTG and enhancing it.  Why all this re-inventing the wheel?  Don't you guys have other things to do?David Ilvedson, RPTPacifica, CA 94044


  Hi David,
      Let’s be clear here that the caut committee is not a committee run amok, out chasing rainbows on its own. We are acting at the specific direction of the executive board of PTG. The impetus from the board has its origin in the president, Dale Probst. He draws his inspiration and direction from the Long Range Plan. The Long Range Plan was developed at the direction of Council, and was adopted by Council.
      IOW, we are doing what YOU (this being an all-encompassing you meaning the entirety of PTG, acting through its representative body) have asked us to do. (The Long Range Plan includes goals of creating various skills testing and accreditation systems beyond RPT in specialized areas of our profession, including specifically higher education).
      Over the past several years, we (the caut committee) have discussed notions having to do with credentials of one sort or another, and have tossed around various specifics and worked to more or less create a groundwork – this taking the form of creating a regular curriculum for national and eventually regional conferences. We never seriously considered anything this all-encompassing and ambitious. 
      This summer we were asked by the board to undertake the task of coming up with a practical design for a caut certification of some sort, and directed to include skills testing, written testing, and curriculum components. We are doing so. 
      Speaking for myself, I have lots of other things to do. I am doing them as well <G>.
  Regards,
  Fred Sturm
  University of New Mexico 

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