[CAUT] CAUT credential

[Thomas Russell]

Eric, your points are all well made.  I suppose in part I  have  
always resisted increasing buearaucracy.  One other point to  
reiterate is much of what a CAUT is expected to do will be learned  
working in the field.  It seems to me that tests trying to simulate  
real life situations could get at only a small subset of skills  
needed. To give a somewhat analogous university example, when faculty  
members go up for promotion or tenure their work over a period of  
time is evaluated by a committee of their peers and letters of  
recommendation are solicited from outside evaluators.  Promotion  
(increased credential such as associate or full professor) is granted  
based on their demonstrated ability to do the job successfully.  It  
seems to me that part of a credentialing procedure would need to be  
based on resume/vita and references from musicians/administrators  
that are familiar with the work of the applicant.  Maybe this has  
been addressed already and I missed it.  I hope I am not drawing out  
the discussion unnecessarily.


Thomas Russell RPT
Iowa State University

On Nov 2, 2007, at 1:38 PM, caut-request at ptg.org wrote:
>
>
> From: "Wolfley, Eric \(wolfleel\)" <WOLFLEEL at ucmail.uc.edu>
> Date: November 2, 2007 1:38:48 PM CDT
> To: "College and University Technicians" <caut at ptg.org>
> Subject: Re: [CAUT] CAUT credential
> Reply-To: College and University Technicians <caut at ptg.org>
>
>
> Thomas,
>
>
>
> A number of people have responded the way you have and I’ll do some  
> chiming in here myself. I think we need to think beyond our selves  
> on this issue. It sounds like you are doing a good job for Iowa  
> State and I assume they are paying you enough to make it worth your  
> while. You’re right, a CAUT credential probably wouldn’t help you  
> in your position unless Iowa State decided that they needed to do a  
> national search for a full-time technician because the “aging  
> inventory maintained on a limited budget” had deteriorated to a  
> point where it needed some serious attention. Or perhaps the  
> Guidelines might help you persuade them to spend more money  
> contracting outside rebuilders to upgrade the inventory. You do  
> have a lot to do with the budgeting. Charging your rate and  
> identifying priorities defines and affects the piano maintenance  
> budget. Also, what happens when you retire? Are there other  
> technicians in Ames with your abilities willing to take over? How  
> could one of them achieve a level of trust approaching that which  
> you have built up over a number of years? This is all pure  
> conjecture of course, but I’m sure situations exist where a  
> credential might come in handy for both institution and technician.  
> At this point in my career a CAUT credential wouldn’t be very  
> useful to me either and I’m sure there are lots of other people out  
> there who are secure and happy in their present positions thinking  
> the same thing. If we look beyond ourselves and into the future  
> though, I believe a CAUT curriculum and endorsement will be able to  
> help a lot of technicians improve their lot and give them some  
> tools to provide better service for institutions. It will hopefully  
> help them get paid more too!
>
>
>
> Also, if you go back and follow the discussion closely you will see  
> that the CAUT committee has been charged not only with developing  
> an endorsement but also the curriculum and training opportunities  
> to accompany it. We are actively doing this and if you attend the  
> Anaheim institute next June you will find ample training  
> opportunities for CAUTs.
>
>
>
> Eric
>
> Eric Wolfley, RPT
> Director of Piano Services
> Cincinnati College-Conservatory of Music
> University of Cincinnati
>
> From: caut-bounces at ptg.org [mailto:caut-bounces at ptg.org] On Behalf  
> Of Thomas Russell
> Sent: Thursday, November 01, 2007 11:38 PM
> To: caut at ptg.org
> Subject: Re: [CAUT] CAUT credential
>
>
>
> I have been following this discussion but haven't chimed in until  
> now.  As was pointed out recently, CAUT encompasses a wide variety  
> of positions.  My position at Iowa State University is a contract  
> position that requires high level concert preparation and tuning  
> for international orchestras, solo pianists, and touring chamber  
> ensembles several times a year.  Other than that I am asked to  
> maintain approximately 30 aging Steinway grands (and 30 various  
> uprights) in studios, on stages, and in practice rooms on a limited  
> budget.  I give advice about what I see as priorities and hope they  
> can come up with the money to pay for what is needed.  I am paid my  
> rate for the work I provide.  I have nothing to do with  
> administration, budgeting, HVAC, or supervision.
>
>
>
> I am asked to do the work at Iowa State University because, over  
> the years, I have been able to consistently provide quality work on  
> demand.  I built up a level of trust over time.  Although I haven't  
> seen any data on hiring practices or types of contracts, I would  
> guess that my situation is fairly typical of universities and  
> colleges that don't have national level music programs.  In my  
> position, a CAUT credential as described by many on the list  
> wouldn't be useful to me or Iowa State University.  The musicians  
> and concert venue managers that request my work and the  
> administrators that agree to pay me do so because I provide the  
> specific services at the level they require.  From what I have seen  
> on this list, every university has a different set of needs for the  
> technician.  Their best hiring process would be references, vita,  
> and a trial over time prior to a long term contract.
>
>
>
> As a working technician, I would agree with the sentiments  
> expressed by Richard West.  I think PTG efforts would be best  
> expended in creating training materials and providing training  
> opportunities for CAUTS in all the areas where needs have been  
> expressed in these discussions.
>
>
>
>>
>
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