[CAUT] CAUT credential vs. academic program?

[Leslie Bartlett]

Who in the marketplace is screaming for some kind "credential"?  If the
market doesn't care, then all this is rather pointless, it seems to me.  I
still agree that it finally is the market where quality is established,  and
"good" is good, whether someone has acredited him or not.
les bartlett 

-----Original Message-----
From: caut-bounces at ptg.org [mailto:caut-bounces at ptg.org] On Behalf Of
Richard Brekne
Sent: Tuesday, November 06, 2007 1:56 AM
To: caut at ptg.org
Subject: [CAUT] CAUT credential vs. academic program?

Hi Jeff

         > Number one who has shown one way or the other whether there
        is any  
         > truth to this statement.


    I think the real challenge would be to prove there is no truth to the  
    statement.  The fact is that there are many very respected techs at  
    upper echelon schools who do not have music degrees.  In my mind, it  
    would be more difficult to prove their work is inferior to that of  
    someone who has a degree than to prove that it is not.

As I pointed out earlier.  All else things being equal between two techs....
it is hardly a difficult thing to imagine that a tech with the ability to
speak and understand the language of the end user is better equipped to more
efficiently solve that users needs then one who does not.  If I had two very
highly talented CAUTs in front of me who were equal in all ways except their
ability to relate to pianists use of language and perspectives... I  have no
doubt who I would choose.

The bulk of the rest of your post relies on a view about testing I have on
several occasions pointed to as flawed.  As with piano technicans, Pianists,
doctors, teachers, plumbers... virtually everyone included... 
testing is not about guarantees.  It is wrong to assume that just because
one has any particular certification one is the best qualified for any given
job.  The goal of certifications is to give the outside world a handle to
hold onto... one of several evaluation tools in their bag of hiring tricks.

With all due respect in return... you go on to make a series of assumptions
that you have really less grounds for making then the one you accuse me of
making. Of course there are many <<techs>> in the buisness who have no
interest at all for music.  That is indeed at least half our problem.
Neither do I see how you can first more or less discount the above claim,
for then to turn around an give it some small yet insignificant
acknowledgment.

I say again.  Accreditation is simply a tool, and as such it can of course
be misused like all other tools.  I gain a sense that you seem to take issue
with accreditation in general since you apply the same reasoning to both
pianists and the CAUT issue.  I think its fair to say the general
value/pitfalls of accreditations in general are well discussed in the world
and I think its equally fair to say that most, if not nearly all other
professions in the end decide to rely on them because the pros outweigh the
cons.

In our case... the problem is by far more one of ourselves coming to
agreement on the issue of what to do then it is a matter of contriving a
viable stamp of approval.

Cheers
RicB

No virus found in this incoming message.
Checked by AVG Free Edition. 
Version: 7.5.503 / Virus Database: 269.15.22/1111 - Release Date: 11/05/2007
4:36 AM