[SBE] Great news

[Dan Rapak]

Gentleman,

Excellent work! This is a tremendous step forward and I will contact my 
legislators to urge them to support the measure.

However, I must agree with John's posting The language as stated requires 
the electrical engineer to have a degree, but it does not require the 
"computer scientist" to hold a degree. Nowadays a kid who writes software 
for video games can be classified as a computer scientist. Personally, I'd 
rather see the "... or computer scientist." phrase deleted entirely.

Even if someone does hold a degree in computer science, that knowledge is of 
only limited benefit in an organization like the FCC. This new technical 
position will, or at least should, require the technical person to advise on 
a wide range of engineering issues, both digital and analog. It will require 
the person to be at least somewhat knowledgeable in computer systems and 
networking to be sure, but they will also have to understand audio, video, 
microwave, radio propagation, telephone, cable television, fiber optics, 
satellite communications and many, many other disciplines.

I am NOT suggesting that this person need be an expert in all of these 
areas. Rather, they will need to be someone like a broadcast engineer, with 
at least a passing knowledge of each type of system. I submit that someone 
with a general Electrical Engineering degree would be FAR better able to 
understand these systems than a non-degreed individual with only a computer 
background.

Just as importantly, I believe the individual with a general Electrical 
Engineering degree would be far better equipped to explain these technical 
matters to non-engineering people. The ability to express complex technical 
issues in layman's terms will be - or at least should be - a key component 
of this person's job.

Again, congratulations to those who have labored to produce this bill. I 
will certainly support this measure as it stands. Nevertheless, if there are 
any changes made as it progresses through the legislative process, deleting 
the reference to "computer scientist" would be my only suggestion.

Regards,
Dan Rapak - CPBE, CBNT, 8VSB


----- Original Message ----- 
From: "John L Merrill" <johnn1jm at gmail.com>
To: "sbe member discussion mail list" <sbe at sbe.org>
Sent: Wednesday, December 16, 2009 12:27 PM
Subject: Re: [SBE] Great news


I hope the position "computer scientist" is a rather broad category as far 
as qualifications go. A computer scientist can be rather dumb about the 
hardware end as opposed to a computer engineer or electrical engineer that 
will be savvy about both.

John
Phoenix AZ


On Dec 16, 2009, at 10:15 AM, Vinny Lopez wrote:


> SBE Members,

>

>     The SBE issued the following press release today. Please share it with 

> your fellow members. This is a long-awaited development for the SBE that 

> fits perfectly with a standing legislative agenda item. The SBE has always 

> advocated technical accuracy in the FCC's work, and adding this level of 

> technical expertise to the FCC commissioner's staffs benefits us all.  We 

> will be working to push for a companion bill in the House.

>

>     As SBE members, we can provide grass-roots support of this. Contact 

> your senators and congressmen to request their support of this bill.

>

>

> Senate Bill S. 2881 would add technical expertise to FCC Commissioners’ 

> offices

>

> December 16, 2009 Indianapolis, IN - A bill introduced on Monday in the 

> U.S. Senate would potentially add one electrical engineer or computer 

> scientist within each of the offices of the five FCC Commissioners.

>

> Introduced by Senator Olympia Snowe (R-Maine) and co-sponsored by Senator 

> Mark Warner (D-Virginia), Senate Bill 2881 would authorize each FCC 

> Commissioner to add one staff assistant position to the three that are 

> currently authorized. The new position of “staff engineer” would require 

> that the holder either have a degree in electrical engineering or be a 

> computer scientist. If eventually passed, the new authorization would 

> affectively undo a loosening of requirements for technical staff at the 

> highest level of the FCC that began more than 25 years ago.

>

> Vinny Lopez, CEV, CBNT, president of the Society of Broadcast Engineers 

> (SBE), remarked, “Ensuring the technical integrity of the FCC 

> decision-making is perhaps our most important legislative goal. This 

> legislation will go a long way toward returning technical expertise to the 

> FCC Commissioner's offices."  Lopez added, “We encourage other members of 

> the Senate to support this well-crafted legislation. SBE will seek the 

> introduction of a companion bill in the House and we will urge rapid 

> passage of both Bills in the House and the Senate.”

>

> The proposed legislation, which would amend Section 4(f)(2) of the 

> Communications Act of 1934 (47 U.S.C. 154(f)(2)), explains that the “staff 

> engineer” would provide each commissioner with technical consultation when 

> appropriate and interface with the Office of Engineering and Technology, 

> Commission Bureaus and other technical staff of the Commission for 

> additional technical input and resources. The staff engineer would need to 

> hold an undergraduate or graduate degree from an institution of higher 

> education in their respective field of expertise.

>

> The last serious attempt to increase the technical resources within the 

> Commissioner’s offices was in October of 1991 when then Rep. Don Ritter 

> introduced HR. 3501, which would have required that at least one member of 

> the Commission be skilled in the engineering sciences.

> Senator Snowe’s bill would not seek to replace any of the existing staff 

> assistants in each Commissioner’s office but rather authorize each 

> Commissioner to add one assistant.

>

> The Society of Broadcast Engineers is the professional organization of 

> television and radio engineers and those in related fields. SBE has more 

> than 5,500 members in 114 chapters across the United States and in Hong 

> Kong. SBE members can also be found in more than 20 other countries. Most 

> chapters meet monthly and offer educational programs and an opportunity to 

> network with other engineers. SBE offers the largest and most recognized 

> certification program for broadcast engineers, operators and technicians, 

> with more than 5,000 certifications currently active. The SBE also offers 

> a growing number of on-line and traditional educational courses and 

> seminars for the technical broadcasting community.

>

> For more information about SBE, contact John L. Poray, CAE, Executive 

> Director, at 317-846-9000 or visit the SBE web site, www.sbe.org 

> <http://www.sbe.org/> .

>

>

> Vinny Lopez,

> President- SBE

> vlopez at sbe.org

>

> _______________________________________________

> The SBE Roundtable, SBE at sbe.org

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>

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