[CAUT] piano in pit

[Jeff Olson]

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Exactly.  Well-said.  Those are the kinds of questions that need to be =
answered before lynching the guy.  (Semi) Innocent until proven guilty =
and all that.

JO
  ----- Original Message -----=20
  From: Dorothy Bell=20
  To: College and University Technicians=20
  Sent: Monday, September 05, 2005 10:55 AM
  Subject: Re: [CAUT] piano in pit



    Dear Cauts:
    What would you do if you were the department head?
    Ed S.

  Having worked as the administrator in a science department, where =
accidents/errors/safety problems were always occurring, I was wondering =
about some questions of fact:
     =20
          How was it known that this student was the one responsible? =
Was he found aghast (or not) at the site, did he run and tell someone =
immediately, did he leave the scene and was identified only by having =
left his cellphone behind, and so on? Each different scenario shows a =
different degree of willingness to take responsibility --

          What switch did he push to lower the pit floor? Was it secured =
in any way? How distinguishable was it from other switches in the area? =
Did he take his action in darkness or with lights on?

          Was the piano customarily left partly on the pit floor and =
partly on the stage floor?  Were there any safeguards against that =
happening?

          Were there any signs or rules against students playing this =
particular piano? Was the piano locked? Was the hall locked?

  I guess I have two extreme scenarios in my head: thoughtless kid =
behaving with absolute entitlement, prying open the locks to the hall, =
the piano, and the labelled pit-floor switch in order to play on the =
piano -- or kid new to the campus, a little disoriented, wanting to play =
a really good piano, trying to find the light switch, horror-struck as =
the thing begins to tilt , shouting for help, pulling desperately on the =
left cheek block as the piano slides into the pit --

  So if I were the department head I would want more information before =
making a decision. And at least he didn't catch a lab on fire, and there =
was no death.

  Dorrie Bell
  Boston, MA

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