[CAUT] Rating schools

[Aaron Bousel]

A good idea, but a lot of work. Why not just gather some information 
and put it all in one place? For example, if one school has 100 
pianos, one full time technician and a total piano maintenance budget 
of, say, $80,000. (salary included) and another school  also has 100 
pianos, a contract technician and a piano maintenance budget of 
$30,000, I think people will figure it out. How many pianos and how 
much is spent on them each year will speak volumes. Giving schools a 
rating could get messy, especially if done by us.

Aaron

At 11:39 AM 8/25/2008, you wrote:
>This is an excellent idea.
>
>My opinion, though, is that it would have more credibility coming 
>from Larry than from the PTG CAUT.  Coming from him, it would have a 
>better chance of appearing to be independent and unbiased.  Ratings 
>from the CAUT group alone could project a self-serving appearance.
>
>If you wanted to go a step deeper, you could have students and 
>faculty take part in a survey every x years.
>
>Ed Sutton's idea of the schools taking it and running with it is a good one.
>
>Now where can we find a school that would earn a top ranking to 
>start the ball running?
>
>On the other hand, if schools know they are deficient, how would we 
>get them to agree to participate?
>
>Tanner
>----- Original Message -----
>From: <mailto:DCyr141833 at aol.com>DCyr141833 at aol.com
>To: <mailto:caut at ptg.org>caut at ptg.org
>Sent: Sunday, August 24, 2008 11:04 AM
>Subject: [CAUT] position announcements, etc
>
>Well, here's my 2 cents......
>When Larry Fine came out with The Piano Book, he, in effect, was 
>looking to educate the consumer, who then would know what to look 
>for, and what questions to ask, which then put the manufacturers on 
>notice, and in the end made the manufacturers more responsible for 
>their end product.  Why can't something similar be done with schools 
>of music?  I put this to Larry, asking if this was something he'd be 
>interested in adding to his book.  He thought it was an excellent 
>idea, but probably should be undertaken as a separate project, by 
>CAUT.  His thoughts...
>My suggestion would be that CAUT should come up with -- to the 
>extent reasonably possible -- precise, objective criteria for piano 
>condition, maintenance, budget, etc. that music schools should 
>ideally have, and then give each school a numerical rating based on 
>those criteria.  These ratings, along with comments, could then be 
>published and offered to music educators and others who influence 
>student and parental decisions concerning choice of school to 
>attend.  It could be updated every few years.  I would be interested 
>in publishing such a book, or perhaps PTG would like to.
>I truly believe that the educated consumer - the music degree 
>seeking  student and their parents - knowing what questions to ask, 
>knowing what to look for, guided by some sort of "Handbook on Music 
>Schools" in which could be "ratings" of schools according to CAUT 
>guidelines - they will demand and cause more change among music 
>schools, more quickly, than all of our foot-stomping, rants, and 
>emails could ever do.
>All we need is someone willing to do the leg-work.
>
>
>Debbie Cyr
>Registered Piano Technician
>508-202-2862 cell
>
>
>
>
>----------
>It's only a deal if it's where you want to go. Find your travel deal 
><http://information.travel.aol.com/deals?ncid=aoltrv00050000000047>here.


------------------------------------------
Aaron Bousel
Registered Piano Technician, Piano Technicians Guild
abousel at comcast.net
(413) 253-3846 (voice & fax) 
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