[CAUT] CAUT credential vs. academic program?

[Jim Busby]

Hi,

 

2 techs. Keith Kopp and me. We kind of share all duties but Keith gets
more of the administrative.

 

JIm

 

________________________________

From: caut-bounces at ptg.org [mailto:caut-bounces at ptg.org] On Behalf Of
David Ilvedson
Sent: Thursday, November 01, 2007 5:28 PM
To: caut at ptg.org
Subject: Re: [CAUT] CAUT credential vs. academic program?

 

Your list is certainly beyond an RPT certificate, I'll give you
that...although it seems a little inflated...

Of your list #1 & #3...I guess #10 just as a matter of course, are the
only ones that apply to my position as a contract technician...we have
an administrator who does a lot of the other stuff...

 

Just out of curosity, who actually does this job at your school?   How
many technicians work there?   

 

David Ilvedson, RPT
Pacifica, CA 94044

________________________________

Original message
From: "Jim Busby"  
To: "College and University Technicians"  
Received: 11/1/2007 3:50:13 PM
Subject: Re: [CAUT] CAUT credential vs. academic program?

Paul, others,

 

Good thoughts Paul. This one sentence is what I want to comment on "If
an RPT/ CAUT is to be something "more desireable" than an RPT status,
then different standards should be established".  I don't see the CAUT
credential as something "more desirable" or higher, better than, etc. It
seems to me like it's just "different", or "in addition to" RPT. My
understanding of a "CAUT Credential" is that it will help CAUTs focus on
things that non CAUTs may not need. For example;

 

1.	Inventory management (database, how to manage, systematically
refurbish, keep at optimum state)  
2.	Managing capital budgets (Inventory replacement, This is a HUGE
deal here)  
3.	Interpersonal skills (Dealing with administration, faculty,
students, custodians, etc.)  
4.	Administrating a student employee/mentoring/apprenticeship
program (Again, BIG here)  
5.	Philanthropy/Donations (We work closely with groups here that
find us the pianos/$ we want)  
6.	Shop management (With 426 pianos we really have to schedule
ahead, have parts ready, etc. etc.)  
7.	Loaner programs (Heaven help me if I ever have to get involved
with them... but a class might help w/dos and don'ts)  
8.	Teaching piano technology (college level classes)  
9.	Humidity control/HVAC systems  
10.	Longevity in refurbishing methods (How to do things better and
last longer in the high pressure CAUT environ) 

 

David I. said "Why reinvent the wheel"... well, we're not really trying
to do that, are we? Isn't the main reason behind having this CAUT
Credential to enhance/help us AS CAUTs? Isn't it to pursue skills that
are different than "normal" (for lack of a better word) piano serving? 

 

Maybe I'm missing something here.

 

Jim Busby BYU

 

 

________________________________

From: caut-bounces at ptg.org [mailto:caut-bounces at ptg.org] On Behalf Of
Paul T Williams
Sent: Thursday, November 01, 2007 4:12 PM
To: College and University Technicians
Subject: Re: [CAUT] CAUT credential vs. academic program?

 


Jeff, 

Since we don't have a time machine to test that, then yes, it is
"impossible to measure"  How do you know what to do if the pianist says
" it's difficult to control the pedaling during the pianissimo section
of the development in the second movement" or "the presto section of so
and so's piece is nearly impossible to acheive"? This kind of musical
knowledge is crucial to make the artist happy. Some musicians attempt to
put things in layman's terms, but many don't. They do a lot of assuming
that we understand their speak. On the other side, some musicians try to
understand our lingo and many do, but most don't.  The more education on
both sides of the coin, the better the end result will be. 

At the very least, we should understand musical nomenclature even if we
can only play chopsticks. Diversity of learning involves both education
and life experiences. Where do you/we draw the line?  There is no
"formula" to do this...  Do you want a clear-cut solution? That too, is
"impossible". What is your "perfect solution" , then?  There is none,
but we have to start with something. If an RPT/ CAUT is to be something
"more desireable" than an RPT status, then different standards should be
established. So, how would you determine what that is? Or, should we
just go with the status-quo for universities to mearly know that RPT's
have reached a great level of piano technology and leave the education
learned elsewhere by the wayside? 
Paul 




Jeff Tanner <jtanner at mozart.sc.edu> 
Sent by: caut-bounces at ptg.org 

10/31/2007 01:11 PM 

Please respond to
College and University Technicians <caut at ptg.org>

 

To

College and University Technicians <caut at ptg.org> 

cc

 

Subject

Re: [CAUT] CAUT credential vs. academic program?

 

 

 

 





On Oct 31, 2007, at 8:42 AM, Paul T Williams wrote: 

 It's nice to know what they're talking about, but you can't "require"
such a diversity of learning for being a CAUT.  It just helps a bunch. 

I think whether it helps a bunch is dependent on who thinks so.  How
would you know how much it has helped since you have the education?  It
is impossible to measure that versus how much you could have learned
without pursuing the formal education the "establishment" requires. 

Yes, I'm like you.  I had several majors, beginning with Information
Technology, General Business, Risk Management and Choral Education,
studying voice and being actively involved in several performing
ensembles and other performing opportunities from the 1st day of classes
my freshman year before I finished with the Business degree.  Yes.  I
was taking major level voice instruction and representing the school at
state wide competitions and other events as a Business major. 

But to say it "helps a bunch" is difficult to measure. 

We are machine technicians.  What we actually do has little to do with
music, whether we want to admit it or not.  Music can be created when we
are finished, but it is not necessary to know much about music to do
high level piano work.  It seems that persons with high levels of
musicianship and musical training tend to pursue our craft, and also
tend to be the ones who pursue CAUT work.  But I believe it is possible
to do very high level work in our field without much musical knowledge. 

Jeff 


Jeff Tanner, RPT 
University of South Carolina 



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