[CAUT] University Budgets and Payroll

[nevin essex]

Hi Ben, Aren't you gonna say Hello to me?  I'm with you. I resent the fact
that university pay scales for piano technicians are such that it seems they
assume we will work two jobs and 12 hours a day.  I wish I didn't have to.
That said, I feel pretty well treated here, and my hours are flexible. I
just have a lot of them.  N

On Wed, Jun 10, 2009 at 5:27 PM, Sloane, Benjamin (sloaneba) <
sloaneba at ucmail.uc.edu> wrote:

>   Hello Rob and Ron,
>
>  First of all, I need to make clear that I am a very fortunate person and
> piano tech. to be employed at CCM; I am genuinely lucky. That having been
> admitted, I have an observation about the following statement:
>
>   "We have the unique ability among many educational employees
> of being able to generate income on our own - outside of
> the system"
>
>    Actually, the people we work with most consistently, Piano Profs, can
> make a tidy sum with a piano gig. Some of the ones I've talked to do on a
> regular basis. E.g., all expense paid trip to Buenos Aires for a
> performance, 5000 dollars in cash after only one performance to fly back
> with. And at most institutions the piano profs get the time off to do it,
> winter, spring break, summers, sabbatical for the tenured profs, artist's in
> residence. In addition, many of the instrumental instructors at CCM play for
> the orchestra as well. Set design, lighting, sound, electronic media, all
> metropolitan areas have a variety of performance areas where these tech
> people find contract work beyond the university. Dance instructors can teach
> private lessons at better hourly rates than us, theatre faculty have the
> opportunity to work beyond the school in acting. Computer tech people have
> lots of opportunities beyond the confines of the Conservatory.
>   I am not too sure we are unique in the conservatory arena with the
> opportunity we have to do work elsewhere. Just in the unwarranted reputation
> for abusing the privilege, and not being given the time to do it. It is to
> an extent most in piano technology that the pay in the institutional setting
> carries with it the assumption that we will pace ourselves for outside work.
> Absolutely no reason to feel guilty about it.
>   I already feel like I am too busy just to do what I do at the school. I
> am of the conviction that more time off would help.
>
>   Concerning the rubric "University Budgets and Payroll," I look at it less
> like a budget and more like a food chain. The question, who is at the top,
> the parasites or the host? Wilkipedia uses this pertinent description of the
> relationship:
>
> "Parasitism is a type of symbiotic relationship between two different
> organisms where one organism, the parasite, takes favor from the host,
> sometimes for a prolonged time. In general, parasites are much smaller than
> their hosts, show a high degree of specialization for their mode of life,
> and reproduce more quickly and in greater numbers than their hosts."
> http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Parasite
>
> I suppose being the parasite has its disadvantages too. I am also concerned
> the fervor for a CAUT certification will turn out to be another opportunity
> for parasitism. Last thing I need is another expense. In fact, I gave up
> self-employment for employment at a University to cut back on expenses, not
> create new ones. Though in many disciplines knowledge in the field must
> remain current, when is the education over? How many piano profs are still
> taking piano lessons?
>
>    Respectfully, and maybe too sardonically,
>     - Ben
>
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: caut-bounces at ptg.org [mailto:caut-bounces at ptg.org] On Behalf Of Ron
> Koval
> Sent: Tuesday, June 09, 2009 4:09 PM
> To: caut at ptg.org
> Subject: [CAUT] University Budgets and Payroll
>
>
> Rob, you caught me at "the right place at the right time"...
>
> WTF?  You take potshots at California, seemingly espousing
> fiscal responsibility and then try and find a way to
> game the system?!?
>
> Shame on you.
>
> We have the unique ability among many educational employees
> of being able to generate income on our own - outside of
> the system.  Suck it up, help them save some money and
> make some calls.  I'm sure you can make up the lost income.
>
> By the way, my system cut my summers a few years back...
> (It makes the fall rush that much more 'exciting'!)
>
> Ron Koval
> Concordia University
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