[CAUT] assistant position

[johnsond]

Maybe it's ultimately hard for us to really know exactly how these 
decisions are driven.  We've all seen how certain people and/or programs 
always find their funding.....   In any case,  what ironically seemed to 
help me a lot and actually got some additional funding for help was to 
show how we were struggling with some of these same issues as other 
schools around the country.    In the 80's there were lots of tech job 
openings around the country at schools just beginning a piano 
maintenance program- like us.  Good news for everybody.  At that time 
almost anything was seen as an improvement over what had been accepted 
for years.  Gradually, over the past 20 years that perspective is 
changing.  Due at least in part to newer faculty,  are actually starting 
to seriously talk about how things should be.  This has lead to another 
wave of job postings, either as assistants or as replacements of primary 
techs who burned out or retired or both.  I think it helps knowing that 
you are experiencing a situation or trend much larger than your own  
individual reality, but who knows in the end.  It can still be good news 
though.  If you are liked and your work is appreciated, and there are 
lots of offers available elsewhere, and the schools you compare yourself 
too are working on solving these issues, then that draws some 
attention.  At least it should. 

cheers~

Dennis Johnson
St. Olaf College