[QuadList] Help save the Napa Valley College Broadcast Television Engineering Technology (BTET) program

[Ted Langdell]

This just in from the Sacramento area chapter (43) of the Society of  
Broadcast Engineers, reposted from the San Francisco SBE Chapter 40:

Begin forwarded message:

> From: SBE Chapter 43 <sbechapter43 at comcast.net>
> Date: April 27, 2011 12:00:46 AM PDT
> To: Undisclosed Recipients <SBEChapter43 at comcast.net>
> Subject: SBE Chapter 43 Urgent Message
>
> The Broadcast Television Engineering Technology (BTET) program at  
> Napa Valley College has been scheduled for termination. Please  
> contact Dane Ericksen, SBE Chapter 40 Secretary, with any  
> information you have that will help to save the Napa Valley College  
> BTET program.
>
> ----- Original Message -----
>
> For years there has been talk about starting an SBE student chapter  
> at Napa Valley College.  Napa Valley College has had a Broadcast  
> Television Engineering Technology (BTET) program since at least  
> 1985, and is an SBE-certified school, meaning that students who  
> graduate from that two-year program with a B or better grade point  
> average are entitled to receive the SBE Certified Broadcast  
> Technologist (CBT) certification without taking the SBE CBT  
> examination.
>
> On April 6, 2011, myself, SBE Chapter 40 Chairman Art Lebermann, and  
> former SBE Chapter 40 Treasurer/Certification Chairman/Newsletter  
> Editor Roy Trumbull visited the Napa Valley College campus for a  
> kick-off student chapter meeting.  Nine new student members were  
> signed up, with SBE Chapter 40 picking up the cost of those  
> memberships, and six students who had already submitted their  
> student membership applications were reimbursed for their membership  
> dues.  After two more meetings with at least five student members  
> are held, Napa Valley College will be established as an SBE student  
> chapter.
>
> That's the good news.
>
> The bad news is; we learned that due to budget cuts, the BTET  
> program at Napa Valley College has been scheduled for termination.
>
> Chapter 40 doesn't want to see that happen, and is launching an  
> effort to see if the Napa Valley College President, Dr. Edna  
> Kolovani, and the Napa Valley College Board of Trustees, can be  
> convinced that the BTET program is not one of the programs that  
> should be cut.  Art, Roy and I came away from the kick-off meeting  
> feeling that the Napa Valley College administration may not  
> appreciate what a gem they have with the BTET program--one of a few  
> remaining in the whole country, as far as I can ascertain, based on  
> my service on the SBE Certification Committee, which includes  
> reviewing the course offerings of SBE-certified schools.
>
> Our goal is to have Napa Valley College BTET program graduates who  
> have obtained jobs at Bay Area TV stations (or elsewhere) respond to  
> this posting, and also to collect statements from the Chief  
> Engineers/Directors of Engineering of Bay Area TV stations, stating  
> how they have benefited from a source of entry-level technical  
> employees.  Armed with this information, Chapter 40 can send a  
> letter to Napa Valley College, documenting success stories of Napa  
> Valley College BTET graduates.
>
> Any program that results in its students being selected for six of  
> the ten NAB Education Foundation (NABEF) Technology Apprenticeship  
> Program (TAP) slots has got to be saved.  Please contact Art, Roy or  
> me if you are a Napa Valley College BTET alumni with a success  
> story, or in an engineering management position for a TV station,  
> cable system, or related industry that has benefited from hiring a  
> Napa Valley College BTET graduate.
>
> Dane Ericksen, P.E., CSRTE, 8VSB, CBNT
> SBE Chapter 40 Secretary
> SBE Certification Committee
> c/o Hammett & Edison, Inc.
> San Francisco
> 707/996-5200 (work)
dericksen at h-e.com

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