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

[lists at chicagoaudio.com]

While I am not in the Napa Valley area (wish I was!), the loss of any  
engineering program is certainly cause for concern. A recent article  
in the Wall Street Journal once again pointed up how far the U.S. has  
fallen behind when it comes to basic engineering programs.

It would seem as that Napa Valley College should tout their program as  
a strength in an era of diminished focus on engineering by many  
schools. The fact that Dane and others in the local SBE chapter were  
successful in signing students should also give school cause to not  
only maintain their program, but advertise it's success. But what the  
hell do I know..

Scott D. Smith
Chicago Audio Works, Inc,

Quoting Ted Langdell <ted at tedlangdell.com>:

> 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
>
>