RIN:96 The Faculty Adviser: A Prostituting Educator?

It is an "open secret," repeatedly set forth in the FOCUS REPORT, that over 90% of violin teachers, orchestra and band directors, and music administrators are secretly employed, on a commission basis, by at least one -- sometimes more than one -- musical instrument dealer. In public and private schools, in music schools, and in universities they operate as dealers' matchmakers -- as influential figures who, for their commission (i.e., kickback), induce others to purchase goods and services from a specific dealer. Does someone need a new instrument, a set of strings, or repair work? The matchmaker guides the person to his partner, the dealer who pays his "commission," and the colleague's or student's need is transformed. For the matchmaker, the need is an opportunity soon to be realized. When a new instrument is paid for, he (or she) gets a cut. When repair work is paid for, another kickback appears... and so on.

2. Where practices of this sort are concerned, greater Chicagoland's foremost "dens of ill repute" are probably the music schools of Northwestern University, the University of Wisconsin, and Roosevelt University. For decades, Roosevelt University enjoyed the distinction of employing Karl Fruh. Professor Fruh is one of the finest and most celebrated cello teachers in the world. Yet, so far as we can discover, Roosevelt University never knew of nor enforced any code of ethics upon its employees. Such a code (this seems like a reasonable assumption) would have prohibited faculty from involvement in "conflict of interest" dealings. As already indicated, in music schools and departments, these dealings tend to assume a specific form: "on-commission" teachers fleece, so to speak, their captive students.

3. Professor Fruh, however, took this procedure to an even higher level. He was "self-employed." That is, he was himself the dealer for whom he worked! He was what we have frequently characterized as a musician/dealer -- a musician who deals in violins, and who stands in contrast to the authentic violinmaker/dealer. Through the development of his sideline, Professor Fruh was able to make a fortune as he sold instruments and bows directly to his students -- much to the chagrin of every tax-paying violin dealer.

4. Or let us move slightly north, to the University of Wisconsin at Milwaukee. This institution's School of Music hosts the Fine Arts Quartet as its quartet-in-residence. Outstanding as this quartet is, however, it is worth acknowledging that it has also been on the payroll of one of Chicago's best known musician-dealers: XXXXX. In this capacity, the Fine Arts Quartet has provided its "silent employer" with a steady flow of instrument-purchasing students. Thus, in addition to paying their hard earned monies as University of Wisconsin tuition, these students have been purchasing instruments at inflated prices... and doing so in order to subsidize the luxurious life style of the faculty quartet's members. To the best of anyone's knowledge, these esteemed musicians have used their positions of trust to oversee the fleecing of those innocent purchasers whom they directed to XXXXX. This gives a new meaning to the title, Faculty Advisor!

5. And closer to home, the School of Music of Northwestern University -- situated on the staid North Shore of Chicago (Evanston) -- has a special place in the history of the arrangements mentioned above, and a uniquely distinctive place within the annals of our firm. Rather than tell the story at length, we have chosen simply to reproduce a single document. The following letter was mailed more than fifteen years ago. It will, no doubt, explain the situation to the satisfaction of even the most sheltered soul.

September 3rd, 1969
Mr. C. Smitson, Administrative Assistant School of Music
Northwestern University Evanston, Illinois
Attn.: String Faculty and Students

6. As of September 1st, 1969, we at Fritz Reuter & Sons have established a policy of not servicing the instruments and bows belonging to anyone affiliated with the School of Music, and without regard to the individual's standing as a faculty member or a student. Only those instruments which have been purchased from us are exempt from this policy.

7. There is a reason for this policy: the unprofessional and unethical conduct of members of the string faculty of the School of Music.

8. We have been servicing the School of Music, both faculty and students, since we established our shop in the United States. For some time now, it has been evident that faculty members have been urging their students to purchase instruments exclusively from dealers paying kickbacks -- kickbacks which sometimes go as high as 50%.

9. This fact was brought to the attention of the administration, faculty, and university legal counsel, Mr. Alvin Weber. All of our efforts were without result.

10. Paying a faculty member up to 50% of the price charged to the student, whether in cash or merchandise, is a practice we believe to be highly unethical -- for any teacher. It is plain thievery. We have no intention of inflating our prices in order to promote a practice wherein teachers take advantage of their students. And we have no intention of providing considerable "unearned" income to teachers that knowingly steer students to businessmen who offer kickbacks.
FRITZ REUTER & SONS
Fritz Reuter, Jr.

P.S. To give our policy circulation, please post this letter on the bulletin board of the School of Music.

RIN:096	homepage: www.fritz-reuter.com	.
REUTER'S FOCUS REPORT English Report Summaries-Available German Titles