<!DOCTYPE HTML PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD HTML 4.0 Transitional//EN">
<HTML><HEAD>
<META http-equiv=Content-Type content="text/html; charset=iso-8859-1">
<META content="MSHTML 6.00.2800.1528" name=GENERATOR>
<STYLE>@page Section1 {size: 8.5in 11.0in; margin: 1.0in 1.25in 1.0in 1.25in; }
P.MsoNormal {
        FONT-SIZE: 12pt; MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt; FONT-FAMILY: "Times New Roman"
}
LI.MsoNormal {
        FONT-SIZE: 12pt; MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt; FONT-FAMILY: "Times New Roman"
}
DIV.MsoNormal {
        FONT-SIZE: 12pt; MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt; FONT-FAMILY: "Times New Roman"
}
A:link {
        COLOR: blue; TEXT-DECORATION: underline
}
SPAN.MsoHyperlink {
        COLOR: blue; TEXT-DECORATION: underline
}
A:visited {
        COLOR: purple; TEXT-DECORATION: underline
}
SPAN.MsoHyperlinkFollowed {
        COLOR: purple; TEXT-DECORATION: underline
}
SPAN.EmailStyle17 {
        COLOR: windowtext; FONT-FAMILY: Arial
}
DIV.Section1 {
        page: Section1
}
</STYLE>
</HEAD>
<BODY lang=EN-US vLink=purple link=blue bgColor=#ffffff>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>Friend Paul, </FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2> As you posted this on the CAUT list, I would
at least like to hear some small airing of this important issue.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2> So my feeling is that this is upside down and
backwards. Think professional organization and forget the rest. This comes under
the category of "trying to be all things to all people," not "bread on the
water." If this organization gets any more spread out there will be no value
left for the people who need it the most, the professional piano technicians. I
believe we should let the schools, manufacturers, apprentice employment
opportunities, and correspondence courses handle the education
business. They are professionals after all. In my over thirty years in this
"Guild," and I use the term loosely, I have seen countless classes given in what
you should or could learn but very few actual skill improving learning
opportunities. Most of that is manufacture originated, and they go on anyway,
and in most cases you have to already be a professional to get what they are
giving. So what extra value can these students hope to gain? You say they will
stay in the organization and be able to go pass the test right after they
graduate, well they can join and do that anyway or before graduation now. If
they don't plan on passing the test and becoming a fully enabled member will
they pay more to get little as Associates? I don't think so. They will probably
quit. At this point being a PTG member or a RPT means almost nothing to the
piano playing/owning public so again, where is the value in
membership?</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2> These are broader issues than your propsal,
but certainly related. In the end it is all about MARKETING, but we have not
clarified what (the RPT brand) we are marketing so we are not even to
the point of developing a realistic (BIG) budget to implement
anything. It is difficult to consider any of this without asking over
and over what is the value in being an RPT member of the PTG?</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2> I think there should be one membership dues,
at least double what they are now, so that we can develop some value for
membership for "Certified Piano Technicians." If anyone else wants to be a
member they can be an Allied Tradesman and pay the same or more, and an
Apprentice category could cover anyone who really wants to be a CPT and pass the
test but hasn't arrived at that skill level. Just because someone is enrolled in
a full time 2 year program seems very narrow for a membership category. How
many people would this actually apply to? very few I think. Won't there be a
ruckess from those not enrolled but who consider themselves serious students?
There may be better ways to reach out to these people, such as offering
scholarships or discounting conventions (some things we already do at MARC) or
something yet to be proposed that can give these admitedly serious students
a helping hand, although I should point out, there are many of these folks who
enter this organization and pass the RPT minimum standard test and do just
fine under the present system. How many actual numbers does that leave that will
improve things through this proposal? Less than my doubted very few
mentioned earlier. The hobbyists, all includers, and education
organization people, and I'm not saying you are one of these, are diluting
what could be a great Guild that sets standards and maintains them for the
greater good of the musical world. Too many missions leads to no value or
mission dilution. This kind of thing is ruining the Guild. Forget it.
JMHO.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2> BTW<EM> I have looked over my Council
book and don't see such a proposal before Council. I do see Proposals 1, 2, 6
& 8 as positive steps to improving member value and I hope they will all
pass.</EM></FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>Chris Solliday</FONT></DIV>
<BLOCKQUOTE dir=ltr
style="PADDING-RIGHT: 0px; PADDING-LEFT: 5px; MARGIN-LEFT: 5px; BORDER-LEFT: #000000 2px solid; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0px">
<DIV style="FONT: 10pt arial">----- Original Message ----- </DIV>
<DIV
style="BACKGROUND: #e4e4e4; FONT: 10pt arial; font-color: black"><B>From:</B>
<A title=pkupeli1@twcny.rr.com href="mailto:pkupeli1@twcny.rr.com">Paul
Kupelian</A> </DIV>
<DIV style="FONT: 10pt arial"><B>To:</B> <A title=Caut@ptg.org
href="mailto:Caut@ptg.org">Caut@ptg.org</A> </DIV>
<DIV style="FONT: 10pt arial"><B>Sent:</B> Saturday, May 20, 2006 2:58
PM</DIV>
<DIV style="FONT: 10pt arial"><B>Subject:</B> [CAUT] Student Membership
Proposal</DIV>
<DIV><BR></DIV>
<DIV class=Section1>
<P class=MsoNormal><FONT face="Times New Roman" size=3><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 12pt">STUDENT MEMBERSHIP
PROPOSAL </SPAN></FONT></P>
<P class=MsoNormal><FONT face="Times New Roman" size=3><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 12pt">By </SPAN></FONT>Paul Kupelian, RPT</P>
<P class=MsoNormal><FONT face="Times New Roman" size=3><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 12pt"></SPAN></FONT> </P>
<P class=MsoNormal><FONT face="Times New Roman" size=3><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 12pt">As Council approaches in </SPAN></FONT>Rochester, I
would like to ask your opinion concerning the feasibility of a student
membership category. This category would only apply to individuals
enrolled in a <B><SPAN style="FONT-WEIGHT: bold">full time</SPAN></B> course
of study in piano technology at an accredited institution and would be valid
for a two year period or until the student completes the course work whichever
is less.</P>
<P class=MsoNormal><FONT face="Times New Roman" size=3><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 12pt"></SPAN></FONT> </P>
<P class=MsoNormal><FONT face="Times New Roman" size=3><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 12pt">The student membership category would offer the
student the opportunity to join PTG at a reduced dues rate of $100.00.
In order to be eligible for this dues rate, the student would have to have
approval in writing of the dean or chair of the institution he or she is
attending.</SPAN></FONT></P>
<P class=MsoNormal><FONT face="Times New Roman" size=3><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 12pt"></SPAN></FONT> </P>
<P class=MsoNormal><FONT face="Times New Roman" size=3><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 12pt">If the application fee proposal is passed, I would
also encourage a reduced application fee for students. Chapter dues would be
waived at the discretion of the chapter.</SPAN></FONT></P>
<P class=MsoNormal><FONT face="Times New Roman" size=3><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 12pt"></SPAN></FONT> </P>
<P class=MsoNormal><FONT face="Times New Roman" size=3><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 12pt">The rational behind this proposal is to give the
student a chance to join PTG while engaged in piano technology. I view it as
‘casting bread upon the water’. This way the student becomes an active
participant in PTG and will most likely stay in the organization once he/she
completes the coursework. This would also allow the student to upgrade to RPT
immediately following graduation if not before thereby providing PTG with more
skilled technicians and future instructors.</SPAN></FONT></P>
<P class=MsoNormal><FONT face="Times New Roman" size=3><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 12pt"></SPAN></FONT> </P>
<P class=MsoNormal><FONT face="Times New Roman" size=3><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 12pt">I am inviting your comments both pro and con on the
merits of this proposal so please contact me at <A
href="mailto:NERVP@ptg.org">NERVP@ptg.org</A>, or 315-623-9484.
</SPAN></FONT></P>
<P class=MsoNormal><FONT face=Arial size=2><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Arial"></SPAN></FONT> </P></DIV></BLOCKQUOTE></BODY></HTML>