Pianotech

Know your audience when communicating. When discussing budgets with department financial managers (think of them as "bean counters" at your own risk), pianos are not musical instruments that require on-going maintenance to sound and play well but, instead they are a large capital investment, subject to continual depreciation, that require on-going funding to maintain their value. Every dollar allocated to inventory maintenance requires a hard-fought battle with every other university department for justification. Justification in financial (not musical) terms - i.e., capital investment, inventory value, expense budgets, depreciation, salvage value, extending usable life, replacement cost, etc. A minor case may be made that school accreditation is dependent on a minimal performance standard of instrument. Other arguments most likely will be ignored; that is the world a university technician signed up for. 

------------------------------
John Ginter
La Grange TX
(832) 722-3033
------------------------------

The one school, a California State college, I still provide service for has cut the budget for piano service every year. I get a a single, six month contract for the year, which means that for six months of the year they receive no piano service. This year they offered a six month contract for just barely enough to service the eight teaching and performance pianos only once. And, this was for a single pass fine tuning only. If I had any problems at least one piano would not receive service at all. I managed to convince them that this was not enough and the met me half way with enough to do at least a couple of the pianos a second time later in the semester. They understand that the nine practice room pianos will not be serviced, at all. And they skipped last year for all the pianos. Now they are asking for second and perhaps third service on several of these teaching and performance pianos. They have realized that the original contract was, as I told them it would be, insufficient and are now offering me an amended contract to take care of their additional requests. It doesn't extend the contract time, and it still excludes the nine practice pianos. They are, unfortunately, stuck in a bureaucratic bind with everything requiring a board approval. For the most part I like these people. But I'm not willing to give them a discount. I simply have to accept what they are stuck with and tell myself that they are not my pianos to worry about. 

The one school, a California State college, I still provide service for has cut the budget for piano service every year. I get a a single, six month contract for the year, which means that for six months of the year they receive no piano service. This year they offered a six month contract for just barely enough to service the eight teaching and performance pianos only once. And, this was for a single pass fine tuning only. If I had any problems at least one piano would not receive service at all. I managed to convince them that this was not enough and the met me half way with enough to do at least a couple of the pianos a second time later in the semester. They understand that the nine practice room pianos will not be serviced, at all. And they skipped last year for all the pianos. Now they are asking for second and perhaps third service on several of these teaching and performance pianos. They have realized that the original contract was, as I told them it would be, insufficient and are now offering me an amended contract to take care of their additional requests. It doesn't extend the contract time, and it still excludes the nine practice pianos. They are, unfortunately, stuck in a bureaucratic bind with everything requiring a board approval. For the most part I like these people. But I'm not willing to give them a discount. I simply have to accept what they are stuck with and tell myself that they are not my pianos to worry about. 

Hi All,

I'd like to add a small statistic that I think is relevant. Before 1985-ish, states funded state colleges/universities an average of 80 cents to the student dollar, some even more. After that time, states gradually (very gradually) began defunding state schools. By the early 2000's, that number had gone down to 20 cents to the student dollar. With some schools, it is even lower today to the point that some state colleges are bordering on the definition of private schools. That is the primary driver of increased tuition. It is unfortunate that many states have defunded their primary public schools a similar percentage. (WV has been hit particularly hard.) Many public schools don't have endowments; they are hurting. As has been pointed out, private schools and some public schools that have endowments will be doing better. 

I say this to point out that any future defunding will follow the path that has been ongoing for around 40 years. I'm not sure if we'll see anything sudden unless institutions use more budget cuts as an excuse to take extreme measures, as they have ALREADY done here in WV. Our schools can't handle many more cuts; some have already closed, and some have cut programs. Our local college has cut the arts as well as programs you wouldn't expect, like math. Since WV is sometimes a red-flag of things to come elsewhere, it may be wise to pay attention regardless of any current or predicted events. This isn't new!

Thanks for the heads-up Wim. This isn't a new problem, but it's going to become critical in the future unless things take a different direction. 

Maggie

Original Message:
Sent: 12/31/2024 10:38:00 AM
From: Maggie Jusiel
Subject: RE: budget cuts

Hi All,

I'd like to add a small statistic that I think is relevant. Before 1985-ish, states funded state colleges/universities an average of 80 cents to the student dollar, some even more. After that time, states gradually (very gradually) began defunding state schools. By the early 2000's, that number had gone down to 20 cents to the student dollar. With some schools, it is even lower today to the point that some state colleges are bordering on the definition of private schools. That is the primary driver of increased tuition. It is unfortunate that many states have defunded their primary public schools a similar percentage. (WV has been hit particularly hard.) Many public schools don't have endowments; they are hurting. As has been pointed out, private schools and some public schools that have endowments will be doing better. 

I say this to point out that any future defunding will follow the path that has been ongoing for around 40 years. I'm not sure if we'll see anything sudden unless institutions use more budget cuts as an excuse to take extreme measures, as they have ALREADY done here in WV. Our schools can't handle many more cuts; some have already closed, and some have cut programs. Our local college has cut the arts as well as programs you wouldn't expect, like math. Since WV is sometimes a red-flag of things to come elsewhere, it may be wise to pay attention regardless of any current or predicted events. This isn't new!

Thanks for the heads-up Wim. This isn't a new problem, but it's going to become critical in the future unless things take a different direction. 

Maggie

------------------------------
Maggie Jusiel, RPT
Athens, WV
(304)952-8615
mags@timandmaggie.net
------------------------------


Original Message:
Sent: 12-31-2024 09:10
From: Wim Blees
Subject: budget cuts

Original Message:
Sent: 12/30/2024 11:04:00 PM
From: Geoff Sykes
Subject: RE: budget cuts

The one school, a California State college, I still provide service for has cut the budget for piano service every year. I get a a single, six month contract for the year, which means that for six months of the year they receive no piano service. This year they offered a six month contract for just barely enough to service the eight teaching and performance pianos only once. And, this was for a single pass fine tuning only. If I had any problems at least one piano would not receive service at all. I managed to convince them that this was not enough and the met me half way with enough to do at least a couple of the pianos a second time later in the semester. They understand that the nine practice room pianos will not be serviced, at all. And they skipped last year for all the pianos. Now they are asking for second and perhaps third service on several of these teaching and performance pianos. They have realized that the original contract was, as I told them it would be, insufficient and are now offering me an amended contract to take care of their additional requests. It doesn't extend the contract time, and it still excludes the nine practice pianos. They are, unfortunately, stuck in a bureaucratic bind with everything requiring a board approval. For the most part I like these people. But I'm not willing to give them a discount. I simply have to accept what they are stuck with and tell myself that they are not my pianos to worry about. 

------------------------------
Geoff Sykes, RPT
Los Angeles CA

If the Department of Education is eliminated (which, if I understand correctly, is something Congress would have to do), my understanding is that the funds the D.O.E. is currently getting would be passed directly to the states, which in theory would mean that even more money could be given to colleges and universities because you essentially cut out the middleman. It's possible we may actually see an increase in the amount of funding colleges receive.

Of course, this is all 100% speculation. No one knows exactly what will be attempted, let alone done. Remember, no one person has the power to enact widespread change, not even the president. Our nation has a separation of powers for a reason, and anything money related is something that's left up to Congress. And as the saying goes, "it's going to take an act of Congress…."

------------------------------
Benjamin Sanchez, RPT
Piano Technician / Artisan
(256) 947-9999
www.professional-piano-services.com
www.FromZeroToSixFiguresBook.com
------------------------------


Original Message:
Sent: 12-31-2024 12:32
From: Wim Blees
Subject: budget cuts

Original Message:
Sent: 12/31/2024 10:38:00 AM
From: Maggie Jusiel
Subject: RE: budget cuts

Hi All,

I'd like to add a small statistic that I think is relevant. Before 1985-ish, states funded state colleges/universities an average of 80 cents to the student dollar, some even more. After that time, states gradually (very gradually) began defunding state schools. By the early 2000's, that number had gone down to 20 cents to the student dollar. With some schools, it is even lower today to the point that some state colleges are bordering on the definition of private schools. That is the primary driver of increased tuition. It is unfortunate that many states have defunded their primary public schools a similar percentage. (WV has been hit particularly hard.) Many public schools don't have endowments; they are hurting. As has been pointed out, private schools and some public schools that have endowments will be doing better. 

I say this to point out that any future defunding will follow the path that has been ongoing for around 40 years. I'm not sure if we'll see anything sudden unless institutions use more budget cuts as an excuse to take extreme measures, as they have ALREADY done here in WV. Our schools can't handle many more cuts; some have already closed, and some have cut programs. Our local college has cut the arts as well as programs you wouldn't expect, like math. Since WV is sometimes a red-flag of things to come elsewhere, it may be wise to pay attention regardless of any current or predicted events. This isn't new!

Thanks for the heads-up Wim. This isn't a new problem, but it's going to become critical in the future unless things take a different direction. 

Maggie

------------------------------
Maggie Jusiel, RPT
Athens, WV
(304)952-8615
mags@timandmaggie.net


Original Message:
Sent: 12-31-2024 09:10
From: Wim Blees
Subject: budget cuts

Original Message:
Sent: 12/30/2024 11:04:00 PM
From: Geoff Sykes
Subject: RE: budget cuts

The one school, a California State college, I still provide service for has cut the budget for piano service every year. I get a a single, six month contract for the year, which means that for six months of the year they receive no piano service. This year they offered a six month contract for just barely enough to service the eight teaching and performance pianos only once. And, this was for a single pass fine tuning only. If I had any problems at least one piano would not receive service at all. I managed to convince them that this was not enough and the met me half way with enough to do at least a couple of the pianos a second time later in the semester. They understand that the nine practice room pianos will not be serviced, at all. And they skipped last year for all the pianos. Now they are asking for second and perhaps third service on several of these teaching and performance pianos. They have realized that the original contract was, as I told them it would be, insufficient and are now offering me an amended contract to take care of their additional requests. It doesn't extend the contract time, and it still excludes the nine practice pianos. They are, unfortunately, stuck in a bureaucratic bind with everything requiring a board approval. For the most part I like these people. But I'm not willing to give them a discount. I simply have to accept what they are stuck with and tell myself that they are not my pianos to worry about. 

------------------------------
Geoff Sykes, RPT
Los Angeles CA

Hi Wim,

One can worry about what may or may not happen with any change in administration. However, I'd suggest that the real financial problem facing most colleges and universities is a long-term trend in declining enrollment. We have an aging population, just like most industrialized countries. People are choosing to have fewer children. Fewer young people are choosing to even go to college, especially young men. If they do go, they're interested more in more lucrative careers than music.

Our local university, Southern Oregon University, is a good example: Declining enrollment, especially in music, has the school hanging by a thread. It's been that way for a while. (I'm not the technician, but I do work for other area schools.) One could argue that the state of Oregon--like many other states--doesn't need more than one collegiate music program. When I taught for a year at the University of Montana (the state funding of which, even in 2002, was below the legal limit for it to be a state school, by the way), I couldn't understand why Montana needed another music program at Montana State. Why would a rural western state with no professional music opportunities need two--or indeed ANY--music progams?

 There are WAY too many US colleges and universities aspiring to have serious music programs to begin with. We have a serious problem with the overproduction of classical musicians, most of whom will never make a full-time living in music. This goes all the way up to the doctoral level. I still can't believe how many fellow doctoral candidates  were in my program at Florida State. Many schools are just doctoral mills, churning out graduates with little hope of getting a tenure track job. Many schools, I'm convinced, have big music programs simply as vanity projects.

I've taught at a number of schools, both public and private. College are not for those looking to make a lot of money--unless they are the football coach. Tenure-track music positions are both scarce and low-paying. Being an adjunct is fine for some who just love to teach (or are independently wealthy), but it's precarious and is unlikely to result in a full-time position.  

In many ways, colleges are like mid-tier professional orchestras. Constantly scrapping over a budget, and never a sure thing. Over my violin career, I probably auditioned at over 30 orchestras around the country. In retrospect, I dodged many bullets. Many of those orchestras folded, closed up during the pandemic, or had pay cuts. Most are utterly dependent on the good graces of local wealthy patrons.

If there's anything the pandemic should have taught us is, it's that it might be better to be in a kayak than the Titanic.

Perhaps we should be letting our young/new technicians in on the CAUT reality: Yes, there might be a few well-paying CAUT jobs out there with big budgets, but don't put all your eggs in one basket. Colleges are what they are, and the situation is unlikely to change radically, no matter who the president is. 

Thank you for your brilliant and insightful post, Scott!

You are spot-on about both the belt-tightening and over-abundance of higher education music programs. And it is not just students of classical music that are being trained for artistic careers that don't exist. The same is true of burgeoning singer-songwriter programs (which are in increasing demand, even while having no more professionally promising prospects than those catering to classical musicians).

In recent years, art schools of various stripes have begun closing, some so abruptly as to catch students, faculty and staff by complete surprise. One low-residence program began selling off their buildings a few years back and eventually went "nomadic," utilizing the campuses of other schools during periods in which the host schools are not in session.

As one of my older brothers astutely observed well over half a century ago, "Liberal arts education is not the way of the future." That sound advice didn't deter me from pursuing and achieving an advanced degree in music, with which I never expected to feed myself (much less a family!).

How fortunate am I to be in a music-adjacent field that allows me the luxury of being ensconced in a school where I can observe, participate with and support others, far younger than I, brimming with idealism about a musicians' life. And it is deeply fulfilling to offer them an avenue to an arts-adjacent career as a viable alternative to attempting to "eat their music," so to speak.

Happy New Year, y'all!

Alan

Hi Wim,

One can worry about what may or may not happen with any change in administration. However, I'd suggest that the real financial problem facing most colleges and universities is a long-term trend in declining enrollment. We have an aging population, just like most industrialized countries. People are choosing to have fewer children. Fewer young people are choosing to even go to college, especially young men. If they do go, they're interested more in more lucrative careers than music.

Our local university, Southern Oregon University, is a good example: Declining enrollment, especially in music, has the school hanging by a thread. It's been that way for a while. (I'm not the technician, but I do work for other area schools.) One could argue that the state of Oregon--like many other states--doesn't need more than one collegiate music program. When I taught for a year at the University of Montana (the state funding of which, even in 2002, was below the legal limit for it to be a state school, by the way), I couldn't understand why Montana needed another music program at Montana State. Why would a rural western state with no professional music opportunities need two--or indeed ANY--music progams?

 There are WAY too many US colleges and universities aspiring to have serious music programs to begin with. We have a serious problem with the overproduction of classical musicians, most of whom will never make a full-time living in music. This goes all the way up to the doctoral level. I still can't believe how many fellow doctoral candidates  were in my program at Florida State. Many schools are just doctoral mills, churning out graduates with little hope of getting a tenure track job. Many schools, I'm convinced, have big music programs simply as vanity projects.

I've taught at a number of schools, both public and private. College are not for those looking to make a lot of money--unless they are the football coach. Tenure-track music positions are both scarce and low-paying. Being an adjunct is fine for some who just love to teach (or are independently wealthy), but it's precarious and is unlikely to result in a full-time position.  

In many ways, colleges are like mid-tier professional orchestras. Constantly scrapping over a budget, and never a sure thing. Over my violin career, I probably auditioned at over 30 orchestras around the country. In retrospect, I dodged many bullets. Many of those orchestras folded, closed up during the pandemic, or had pay cuts. Most are utterly dependent on the good graces of local wealthy patrons.

If there's anything the pandemic should have taught us is, it's that it might be better to be in a kayak than the Titanic.

Perhaps we should be letting our young/new technicians in on the CAUT reality: Yes, there might be a few well-paying CAUT jobs out there with big budgets, but don't put all your eggs in one basket. Colleges are what they are, and the situation is unlikely to change radically, no matter who the president is. 

Lots of wisdom here, thanks. The handwriting has been on the wall for quite some time.

Looking at the situation tactically, perhaps one response might be to propose that the institutions mothball some of their inventory and apply the funds to properly maintain what remains. Rather than being put in a position of simply doing triage, one could concentrate on optimizing the higher quality, more essential instruments. That wouldn't make us more money (which isn't there anyway) but would probably save some time and energy.

Looking to the long term, technicians should be acquiring skills to maintain hybrid instruments and the current generation of reproducing pianos. 

Thank you for your brilliant and insightful post, Scott!

You are spot-on about both the belt-tightening and over-abundance of higher education music programs. And it is not just students of classical music that are being trained for artistic careers that don't exist. The same is true of burgeoning singer-songwriter programs (which are in increasing demand, even while having no more professionally promising prospects than those catering to classical musicians).

In recent years, art schools of various stripes have begun closing, some so abruptly as to catch students, faculty and staff by complete surprise. One low-residence program began selling off their buildings a few years back and eventually went "nomadic," utilizing the campuses of other schools during periods in which the host schools are not in session.

As one of my older brothers astutely observed well over half a century ago, "Liberal arts education is not the way of the future." That sound advice didn't deter me from pursuing and achieving an advanced degree in music, with which I never expected to feed myself (much less a family!).

How fortunate am I to be in a music-adjacent field that allows me the luxury of being ensconced in a school where I can observe, participate with and support others, far younger than I, brimming with idealism about a musicians' life. And it is deeply fulfilling to offer them an avenue to an arts-adjacent career as a viable alternative to attempting to "eat their music," so to speak.

Happy New Year, y'all!

Alan

Hi Wim,

One can worry about what may or may not happen with any change in administration. However, I'd suggest that the real financial problem facing most colleges and universities is a long-term trend in declining enrollment. We have an aging population, just like most industrialized countries. People are choosing to have fewer children. Fewer young people are choosing to even go to college, especially young men. If they do go, they're interested more in more lucrative careers than music.

Our local university, Southern Oregon University, is a good example: Declining enrollment, especially in music, has the school hanging by a thread. It's been that way for a while. (I'm not the technician, but I do work for other area schools.) One could argue that the state of Oregon--like many other states--doesn't need more than one collegiate music program. When I taught for a year at the University of Montana (the state funding of which, even in 2002, was below the legal limit for it to be a state school, by the way), I couldn't understand why Montana needed another music program at Montana State. Why would a rural western state with no professional music opportunities need two--or indeed ANY--music progams?

 There are WAY too many US colleges and universities aspiring to have serious music programs to begin with. We have a serious problem with the overproduction of classical musicians, most of whom will never make a full-time living in music. This goes all the way up to the doctoral level. I still can't believe how many fellow doctoral candidates  were in my program at Florida State. Many schools are just doctoral mills, churning out graduates with little hope of getting a tenure track job. Many schools, I'm convinced, have big music programs simply as vanity projects.

I've taught at a number of schools, both public and private. College are not for those looking to make a lot of money--unless they are the football coach. Tenure-track music positions are both scarce and low-paying. Being an adjunct is fine for some who just love to teach (or are independently wealthy), but it's precarious and is unlikely to result in a full-time position.  

In many ways, colleges are like mid-tier professional orchestras. Constantly scrapping over a budget, and never a sure thing. Over my violin career, I probably auditioned at over 30 orchestras around the country. In retrospect, I dodged many bullets. Many of those orchestras folded, closed up during the pandemic, or had pay cuts. Most are utterly dependent on the good graces of local wealthy patrons.

If there's anything the pandemic should have taught us is, it's that it might be better to be in a kayak than the Titanic.

Perhaps we should be letting our young/new technicians in on the CAUT reality: Yes, there might be a few well-paying CAUT jobs out there with big budgets, but don't put all your eggs in one basket. Colleges are what they are, and the situation is unlikely to change radically, no matter who the president is. 

Hi Wim,

One can worry about what may or may not happen with any change in administration. However, I'd suggest that the real financial problem facing most colleges and universities is a long-term trend in declining enrollment. We have an aging population, just like most industrialized countries. People are choosing to have fewer children. Fewer young people are choosing to even go to college, especially young men. If they do go, they're interested more in more lucrative careers than music.

Our local university, Southern Oregon University, is a good example: Declining enrollment, especially in music, has the school hanging by a thread. It's been that way for a while. (I'm not the technician, but I do work for other area schools.) One could argue that the state of Oregon--like many other states--doesn't need more than one collegiate music program. When I taught for a year at the University of Montana (the state funding of which, even in 2002, was below the legal limit for it to be a state school, by the way), I couldn't understand why Montana needed another music program at Montana State. Why would a rural western state with no professional music opportunities need two--or indeed ANY--music progams?

 There are WAY too many US colleges and universities aspiring to have serious music programs to begin with. We have a serious problem with the overproduction of classical musicians, most of whom will never make a full-time living in music. This goes all the way up to the doctoral level. I still can't believe how many fellow doctoral candidates  were in my program at Florida State. Many schools are just doctoral mills, churning out graduates with little hope of getting a tenure track job. Many schools, I'm convinced, have big music programs simply as vanity projects.

I've taught at a number of schools, both public and private. College are not for those looking to make a lot of money--unless they are the football coach. Tenure-track music positions are both scarce and low-paying. Being an adjunct is fine for some who just love to teach (or are independently wealthy), but it's precarious and is unlikely to result in a full-time position.  

In many ways, colleges are like mid-tier professional orchestras. Constantly scrapping over a budget, and never a sure thing. Over my violin career, I probably auditioned at over 30 orchestras around the country. In retrospect, I dodged many bullets. Many of those orchestras folded, closed up during the pandemic, or had pay cuts. Most are utterly dependent on the good graces of local wealthy patrons.

If there's anything the pandemic should have taught us is, it's that it might be better to be in a kayak than the Titanic.

Perhaps we should be letting our young/new technicians in on the CAUT reality: Yes, there might be a few well-paying CAUT jobs out there with big budgets, but don't put all your eggs in one basket. Colleges are what they are, and the situation is unlikely to change radically, no matter who the president is. 

Wouldn't it be best if the original poster (or moderators) move this thread to CAUT?
Best regards,

Wouldn't it be best if the original poster (or moderators) move this thread to CAUT?
Best regards,

Patrick --

No!

While I do service pianos in schools I am by no means a CAUT technician so I seldom visit that group. I think isolating this thread to the CAUT group would be a disservice to many of us. I know that my reply, here, is taking this conversation off in an unrelated direction, and I apologize. But there are already too many groups for too many specialized conversations that, in my opinion, actually prevent us from learning and participating in conversations that we could all benefit from. Like this one about school funding. Cross posting is not the answer because it essentially creates two different conversations that demand visiting two different groups in order to get the full benefit of what amounts to two different threads about the same thing. Yes, my comments here should be a different thread in a different group, but if it were not for the example of this thread the context would be lost. The organization of the PTG forums is greatly in need of simplification. 

Wouldn't it be best if the original poster (or moderators) move this thread to CAUT?
Best regards,