convincing physical plant on need for climate control

Mark Story mstory@ewu.edu
Mon, 18 Dec 1995 16:24:27 -0800 (PST)


Hi Gordon,

On Wed, 13 Dec 1995 PNOTNR@aol.com wrote:

> I need some help in how to present to the director of the physical plant at
> the college where I work (Colby College in Waterville, ME) the need for
> consistency in temp. and humidity in the music building.  The music faculty

> to pay to have them fixed.  Can anyone suggest how to convince the
> maintenance dept. that _they_ have an interest in preventing such damage?

The only possible interest anyone in the physical plant or maintenance
department would have in this is keeping their job.  So, you have to go a
different route.  Make your case instead to your department chair, dean
or provoist.  They can then negotiate with the physical plant director's
boss (VP or whatever) to get the problem rectified.

When you make your case, use the "quality facilities=enrollment" angle.
I've found that in dealing with administrators, enrollment talks -
everything else walks.  Another lever is accredidation.  Nothing drains
the color from an administrator's face like having their school's
accredidation threatened.  Most music schools are accredited by NASM.
NASM has very specific criteria for piano quality and maintenence.  Every
school is periodically reviewed by a committee and if the pianos are not
up to snuff, they can withold accredidation renewal.

Mark Story, RPT

mstory@ewu.edu
Eastern Washington University Music Department
Cheney, Washington, USA




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