[CAUT] durability (was funding)

[Rick Florence]

Thanks for the info Fred.  Yes, I'd say it's time UNM stepped you up to full
time.  What good is a budget for parts if you have no time to install them?

Rick

____________________
Rick Florence
Senior Piano Technician
Arizona State University
School of Music

Hi Rick,
    At UNM (which considers UA and ASU as its peers, though I suspect both
Arizona schools consider UNM lower in caliber - and I would agree with the
Arizona point of view), we have an inventory I estimate as $1.8 million
replacement value. We have a total annual budget of about $100,000,
including inventory replacement, salary (with benefits), parts, etc. I am
0.5 FTE taking care of 80 pianos. I consider the budget adequate except for
staffing level - can't possibly keep up with tuning, let alone high level
maintenance in this amount of time. So I would make a strong case for a
$130,000 - $140,000 budget with the needed staffing (1.0 FTE plus maybe a
bit of contract tuning).
    Current budget is 5.5% of inventory value. My recommendation would take
that to 7 - 8%. And this is being reasonable and realistic, IMO, and for a
non-conservatory setting, middle of the road state institution. The
Guidelines give a 5 - 10%  range.

Regards,
Fred Sturm
University of New Mexico