[CAUT] Moonlighting; was Louisiana State SOM Position

[Jeff Tanner]

  ----- Original Message ----- 
  From: Mitch Staples 
  To: College and University Technicians 
  Sent: Tuesday, June 17, 2008 2:08 PM
  Subject: Re: [CAUT] Louisiana State SOM Position


  I think musicians and artists in general gain a lot of satisfaction from their work as well as their compensation so we end up working for less.  This may not be right, we don't deserve to be under paid just because we enjoy our work, it's just the way it is.  The situation isn't limited to us piano techs, most of the faculty need to do gigs on the side also. 

  I noticed, though, that the music faculty supported each other in their gigs on the side.  They all acknowledged it was a part of their work, and in a real sense, was almost like it was a part of their job description.  Their workloads are practically adjusted around their needs to moonlight because they know it is necessary.  Any outreach from the university faculty is beneficial to the visibility of the school.  The faculty ensembles that pair a member here with a member from Colorado builds credibility to our faculty, nevermind that the faculty member is touring frequently away from the university.  And so, when a piano faculty member spends hours each week in their studio practicing for an outside gig (which is technically illegal use of state property and increases the deterioration rate), it was just a part of their job and had full support.

  But when it came to my work outside, that took me away from the university and away from serving the university's needs.  And even if I had put in all my hours at the university, whether that meant 4 am or 10 pm on a Friday night to be able to gain access to some of the spaces or finish a group of bulk tunings in time for some weekend event, if I was away from the university at other times when somebody thought I should be there, then I was perceived as not putting in my full time, and that moonlighting was interfering with my university work.  That became a problem.  Never mind that if you staff 125 pianos in a building with horrible climate control with one person, the result is going to be disappointing, but because the understaffing was beginning to show its head as "new" pianos became not so new and old pianos got older with no money budgeted for rebuilding the first 9 years I was there, it was perceived that my moonlighting was the cause for the deteriorating condition of the pianos.

  It is my position that any need for moonlighting, whether music faculty or piano technician, immediately presents a conflict of interest. If only to the degree that it affects our sleep patterns that is enough to affect the quality of our work.


  Jeff
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