My experience has been rather limited as a CAUT (about 16 mo now) here at Southern Illinois University. Though the initial salary was posted a bit low and equivalent to the swimming pool tender that was posted at the same time my offer from the Music Director was seemingly at par with other university postings. My time is "flex time" so I am free to come and go as appropriate as long as I put in my time and get the work done. I am free to decide what piano needs work and as long as there is funds I can order parts. I do go in early, late, and on weekends as well as attend recitals to asses my work and enjoy the company of faculty and students. The faculty have been appreciative and have interest in the expertise I provide as a piano technician. I started this position at a young 59 and have enjoyed other careers while tuning/rebuilding full and part time since my late teens and early twentys. I enjoy and am thankful for the opportunity that I have at SIU. Maybe it shows not only in attitude but in the work that is done. Yes, I wish my salary was higher and that I did not feel compelled to do private work to "make ends meet" (though they seemingly never do). However, that is the way it is at the present. It is also frustrating to know that the guy that drives the truck for the piano moves and etc. makes union scale for truck drivers...maybe twice what I make in a year! But what skill he must have to be able to back that truck into a loading dock! I still can look with satisfaction on all that I have done and what I am doing presently. And yes, I do believe CAUTS should have higher salaries and more rapid opportunities for advancement. How that comes about, well that's another story. I continue to read with interest, some dismay, and knowledge that with all this there are better days ahead. Henry Nicolaides Piano Technician, School of Music Southern Illinois University > Date: Mon, 4 Jan 2010 19:13:11 -0500 > From: paul at pmpiano.com > To: caut at ptg.org > Subject: Re: [CAUT] Piano juries on concert instruments > > As someone new to this list (4 months), new to being a CAUT (started last > February), and relatively inexperienced as a technician (5 years), I have > been following this thread with great interest and considerable dismay. I > don't know any of you on this list personally, but now I feel compelled to > say a big "Thank You" to Dave Porritt for expressing so clearly and > succinctly what I have been wanting to say for some time now. I agree with > and echo his views wholeheartedly. > > At Howard University, I am being treated with the utmost respect. My rather > radical departures from previous techs in everything from instrument > allocation to the types of work performed are welcomed with interest and > enthusiasm. I am accorded great deference and freedom in terms of my work > schedule, and the goals and priorities I set for the work I perform. They > have, for the first time, set aside a practice room that I use as a > shop/office, and provided funds for the necessary shelving, etc. Yes, I > choose to work plenty of evenings and weekends, when access is easy and I am > relaxed. I voluntarily attend recitals to assess my own work and the needs > and talents of our faculty and student body, and to enjoy fellowship with > others who love music. > > As I've read this thread, I have sometimes thought that the reason things > are working so well for me is that I am a reasonably accomplished pianist, > and that helps me to earn the respect of the music faculty and students. > But I'm not sure that's really the reason. I believe it has more to do with > my attitude, and with my willingness to give freely of myself, my time, and > my knowledge and skills -- my enthusiasm. Yes, I'm probably one of those > who could be accused of giving things away, but I'm happier for it. And > there is no end to the explicit expression of appreciation I am shown, by > both faculty and students. Priceless. > > At this point, I look forward to a long, enjoyable and productive > relationship with HU. I know that expectations may change as music chairs > and college deans come and go, but for now, at least, I've found a very > fulfilling role to play in a musical community. > > Paul > -- > Paul Milesi, RPT > Staff Piano Technician (Part-Time) > Howard University Department of Music > College of Arts and Sciences, Division of Fine Arts > 2455 Sixth Street NW > Washington, DC 20059 > University: (202) 806-4565 > Home: (202) 667-3136 > Cell: (202) 246-3136 > E-mail: paul at pmpiano.com > Website: http://www.pmpiano.com > > > > From: "Porritt, David" <dporritt at mail.smu.edu> > > Reply-To: <caut at ptg.org> > > Date: Mon, 4 Jan 2010 16:42:17 -0600 > > To: Jeff Tanner <tannertuner at bellsouth.net>, "caut at ptg.org" <caut at ptg.org> > > Conversation: [CAUT] Piano juries on concert instruments > > Subject: Re: [CAUT] Piano juries on concert instruments > > > > This general subject has been kicked around for years now under various > > threads but the same theme. Jeff, you project that all music departments, all > > faculty, all deans everywhere are clones of what you experienced at the > > University of South Carolina. They are not. I would not have stayed at SMU > > for 23+ years if I had been treated as you say you have been there. Life's > > too short. My dean, Music Director, and faculty are genuinely lovely human > > beings who treat me with respect and affection. I'm sorry yours didn't. I > > have tried - with my modest social skills - to return that respect and > > affection. > > > > When I was a contractor for 18 years, I was treated well and what I charged > > them was up to me. When they created the full-time position there were > > advantages for me and I took that. Now in 27 days I'm retiring they have > > treated me well in that (health benefit assistance in retirement.) > > > > Cynicism when cultivated becomes bitterness and bitterness does not become us. > > I'm sorry that there are bad places to work with haughty people, no respect, > > difficult budgets and skimpy pay. One needs to avoid those places. > > > > While there may be other places like U. South Carolina, I don't think that > > most are. There are too many CAUTS who seem happy in what they are doing and > > enjoy the people with whom they work. I happen to think that in the CAUT > > world I might have the best situation out there. I have no way to know, but > > that's what I feel. I have been truly blessed. > > > > dave > > > > David M. Porritt, RPT > > dporritt at smu.edu > > > > > > -----Original Message----- > > From: caut-bounces at ptg.org [mailto:caut-bounces at ptg.org] On Behalf Of Jeff > > Tanner > > Sent: Monday, January 04, 2010 11:15 AM > > To: caut at ptg.org > > Subject: Re: [CAUT] Piano juries on concert instruments > > > > Fred, > > Actually, this is what I wrote (addressing Israel): > > > > "I would be 100% in favor of every CAUT situation in the country not > > answering > > directly to music admin, but to a similar type of situation as what you > > have." > > > > But, I'll have to say I don't see how such a setup couldn't also fall under > > physical plant type maintenance departments. The negotiation between the > > level of service paid for and the level of service received would still > > require some sort of interdepartmental mediation. > > > > Now, I'm going to address what the real cause is for budget cuts to > > situations where CAUTs answer directly to music. There are too many of us > > who are willing to "make up the difference" for what music departments are > > willing to pay for and for what they need. And this is not a reference to > > low skilled technicians undercutting higher skilled ones. It is a direct > > accusal of highly skilled technicians who for whatever reason agree to > > undervalue theirs and every other piano technician's skills for the benefit > > of the faculty and students, I guess because they think if they don't do it, > > the students will suffer, as if it is somehow our responsibility to make up > > for what the administration is not providing. If I have heard one thing > > (not from this list) over and over from RPT level technicians in the private > > sector, it is this: "I don't do college work because you can't make any > > money at it." You want to improve the skills of CAUTs? Folks, a PTG > > endorsement isn't the answer. That's just another step in the direction > > we're already going. Fix the money problem. "If you build it, they will > > come." > > > > In Israel's situation, he's got somebody else on his side who has some clout > > to stand up and say, "If you want this level of maintenance, it's going to > > cost you this, and these are the conditions, or you don't get it." In other > > situations, they say, "the piano technician does what we want or we will get > > someone else." > > > > If it is indeed true that piano maintenance is a higher priority than > > photocopier maintenance, then, why, tell me, do departments pay more for > > photocopier maintenance than piano maintenance? It's because if they don't > > pay market value for photocopier maintenance, the copiers don't get fixed. > > Copier repairmen work for a supervisor who undertands maintenance of > > copiers. If the repairman doesn't know what he's doing, the supervisor fires > > him and gets someone who does. In a system where the technician answers to > > the user, even if he is highly skilled, an understaffed situation, or just > > plain difficult people who don't like him can make him look like an idiot. > > There are all kinds of advantages to such a system where the technician > > doesn't answer directly to the user. > > > > Folks, if we want what's best for the future of CAUTdom, we need to find > > some tool that works that stops the cycle of devaluing our skills. > > Otherwise, the future CAUT will be less and less and less respected. > > > > Jeff > > > > > > > > ----- Original Message ----- > > From: "Fred Sturm" <fssturm at unm.edu> > > To: <caut at ptg.org> > > Sent: Monday, January 04, 2010 10:38 AM > > Subject: Re: [CAUT] Piano juries on concert instruments > > > > > >> Hi Israel, > >> My characterization was in response to Jeff Tanner's posts, which > >> emphasized the notion of caut as doing physical maintenance work, and > >> endorsed having supervision by someone who understood that kind of thing. > >> Your setup in SF is far different, obviously. And it makes perfect sense, > >> though I suspect that budgetary issues might put pressure on to "reduce a > >> level of management" and do away with an "unnecessary bureaucracy." That > >> is certainly how many bean counters might see the situation. > >> Here at UNM, the tech folks in theater are faculty: wardrobe, scene > >> design, lighting, even the technical manager is a faculty position (and > >> those skills are taught to students, who actually do a good deal of the > >> work). So it is very much integrated. I don't know about "plastic arts" > >> department (painting, sculpture, etc). In music, we have a recording > >> engineer who also teaches a couple classes, same thing with a person who > >> oversees the computer lab, a full time bands assistant, etc. IOW some > >> integration of tech support into "quasi- faculty," though on a lower level > >> than theater. > >> Regards, > >> Fred Sturm > >> University of New Mexico > >> fssturm at unm.edu > >> On Jan 3, 2010, at 11:20 AM, Israel Stein wrote: > >> > >>>> Personally, I'd far rather be a part of the department than, say, an > >>>> adjunct of physical plant, which sends people over to fix plumbing, > >>>> HVAC and lighting, etc. > >>>> Regards, > >>>> Fred Sturm > >>>> > >>>> > >>> Fred, as I wrote before - Creative Arts Technical Services technicians > >>> are not building maintenance people. That's Facilities Management. We > >>> are concerned with the technical aspects of the disciplines being taught > >>> at the schools. > >>> We work closely with the departments whose technical needs we serve - > >>> but in a relationship that is not subordinate to them and which > >>> generally results in much better working conditions that those > >>> prevailing in places where technical personnel is not generally > >>> respected. The consultative nature of the relationship is built in and > >>> is fostered by the administrative setup. That does not mean that such a > >>> relationship cannot be created under the standard administrative setup - > >>> but there are certain built-in protections under our setup from some of > >>> the difficulties that can be imposed when direct Music Dept supervision > >>> is in place. > >>> > >>> Israel Stein > >> > >> > >> > >> > >> > >> > >> > > > > > > _________________________________________________________________ Hotmail: Trusted email with Microsoft’s powerful SPAM protection. http://clk.atdmt.com/GBL/go/177141664/direct/01/ -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: <http://ptg.org/pipermail/caut.php/attachments/20100105/9442f638/attachment-0001.htm>
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