-----Original Message----- From: Fred Sturm <fssturm@unm.edu> To: caut <caut@ptg.org> Sent: Tue, 23 Oct 2007 2:49 pm Subject: Re: [CAUT] CAUT Endorsement <div id=AOLMsgPart_2_8e9af59f-101c-4b4e-a036-16faa234bc8e>On 10/23/07 3:12 PM, "David M. Porritt" <<A href="mailto:dporritt@smu.edu">dporritt@smu.edu</A>> wrote: <BLOCKQUOTE>I think college administrators have to interview, check backgrounds, do their do-diligence but I really have my doubts that any testing PTG could do would do as well as a good college football scout can do and they miss a lot.   </BLOCKQUOTE> Hi David,     The problem is that there is no animal in the music department who is the equivalent of the college football scout. Who in your music department do you think qualifies as a good scout for piano technicians? And even if they actually know what to look for, where is the opportunity for them to witness a game or two in a real life analogy? (Okay, the candidate can come and do a tuning or something, but that doesn't say a lot, even if the “scout” can evaluate it reasonably well). Not to say that the administrator doesn’t need to do the normal due diligence in any case, checking recommendations, etc. But one of the problems we face is that the person usually doing the hiring has no concept of the skills needed, and has to rely almost entirely on a best guess of what references and experience set might mean. Probably doesn’t really even know what questions to ask. Regards, Fred Sturm University of New Mexico And if the chair isn't familiar with pianos, and has to rely on the piano department faculty, which, in some cases, have no idea of what pianos are supposed to sound or play like, because of ignorance, then the whole process becomes a crap shoot. Wim </div> <div class="AOLPromoFooter"> <hr style="margin-top:10px;" /> Email and AIM finally together. You've gotta check out free <a href="http://o.aolcdn.com/cdn.webmail.aol.com/mailtour/aol/en-us/index.htm?ncid=AOLAOF00020000000970" target="_blank">AOL Mail</a>! </div>