food & beverages

[Frederick G Scoles]

On Wed, 21 Jun 1995, Joel A. Jones wrote:

>         Here's our picture. Our practice pianos are locked. Posted on the
> door is a sign stating loss of practice priviledges with food & beveragesin
> the room.  This does not seem to eradicate the problem.  My most famous
> incident this year was a student with the big bottle of evian water sitting
> on a 7'Baldwin.  After my usual introduction she retorted that she was a
> 'voice major' and needed water for her throat.
>
> Joel Jones
Hello all,  Thought I should reply about this problem since we have
similar situations but with different equipment.  I am an RPT member, and
have done piano servicing and rebuilding nights, weekends, and on vacation
days
for past 10 years.  I am Instrument Specialist with SUNY Oswego, Chem.
Dept where the various instruments (NMR's, UV-VIS, GC-MS, etc.) need lots
of care and won't stand abuse.  We have always had a written, one page
policy which is taped to each user log book.  The policy is enforced
which gives me or any facutly the right to permanently remove anyone from
an instrument.  Thankfully, the policy is enforced by administration and
we have thrown a few students off instruments over the years.  One major
disadvantage with pianos might be that everyone thinks they are an expert
about piano care.  (Not many high school graduates are proficient with a
mass spectrometer.)  Not all is perfect with our department, either, but
I feel it is essential that a use policy must be posted and that it must
be enforced by everyone in a department.

Fred Scoles,  Oswego, NY