Andy, I think the "we" is the member institutions & their staffs.  I have
always perceived the AAM as our "organized group" and in many ways it does
a fine job, particularly in the MAP and accreditation programs and also by
periodically setting forth solid position papers on museums in general.
There are some great workshops for those who can afford to attend and, of
course, there is considerable collegiality emanating from its national
conferences.  Put another way, if AAM doesn't try its hand at setting
benchmarks, does another group need to be organized that will see this as
one of its services to members?  Benchmarks simply are reports on current
conditions, not standards, not mandates, not projections.
----------
> From: Andy Finch <[log in to unmask]>
> To: [log in to unmask]
> Subject: Re: salaries
> Date: Tuesday, July 22, 1997 1:35 PM
>
> OK, here's another unofficial response.
>
> What does "we" mean, in terms of telling AAM (or anybody else) what "we"
> want?  There isn't any organized group that reflects this particular "we"
> with which AAM (or anybody else) can deal.
>
> Somebody has to take some initiative, perhaps by organizing a
> program session at Annual Meeting, perhaps through Standing
> Professional Committees.  I can suggest to our meetings department that
> there might be some interest in a seminar on HR issues, but requests from
> the field would carry much more weight.
>
> It's hard to imagine a comprehensive salary benchmark system that would
> apply across the whole museum universe, it's also hard to imagine the
> amount of work that it would require! -- but perhaps the above ideas
might
> start to get some AAM involvement that does some good without necessarily
> being a magic bullet.
>
> Andy Finch
> [log in to unmask]
> AAM Government Affairs
>
> Disclaimers apply
>
>  > I noticed a complaint about Museum umbrella organizations like AAM
> > not being involved. Perhaps if we tell them clearly what we want, and
make
> > reasonable suggestions how to achieve it, something can be done.
> >