Show Notes
AV SuperFriends: On Topic Episode 50: Dollars and Sense
Recorded August 16, 2024
(Yes, I let AI write all this stuff - cjd)
Chris Dechter kicks off another Friday afternoon podcast adventure with the AV SuperFriends. Despite a larger panel and some absences, the team dives into the ever-thrilling topic of budgeting in higher education AV systems.Joined by a diverse panel including Marc Cholewczynski, Larry Darling, Justin Rexing, Lyle Waldron, and Donnie Merritt, the discussion revolves around the challenges and strategies of managing AV budgets across various institutions. From differing approaches to budgeting, to the impact of COVID-19 on funding, and the importance of standardization, the team explores how to stretch every dollar while maintaining functionality.They also touch on the importance of being at the table with university executives, understanding the real needs of teaching spaces, and the potential for rethinking AV standards in a post-COVID world.Whether you're dealing with a shoestring budget or trying to make the most of one-time funds, this episode offers valuable insights and practical advice for anyone involved in higher ed AV management.
Alternate show titles (from AI):The Budgeting Adventure Stretching Every Dollar AV Budget Woes Standards Are Not Brands The Art of Budgeting Article discussed: https://www.avnation.tv/2024/07/29/the-higher-ed-technology-storm-brewing/
Connect with our guests: Don Merritt - Director, Instructional Resources at the University of Central Florida https://www.linkedin.com/in/donmerrittphd/
Lisle Waldron - Manager, Multimedia and Audio-Visual Services at The University of Trinidad and Tobago https://www.linkedin.com/in/lislew/
Real alternate show titles:I’m part of Florida now Magical Money from Heaven A Wish on a Monkey’s Paw Faculty don’t care what they’re touching I’m Justin on an Island The Good News is I have No Money
We stream live on the first and third Friday every month and you can listen to everything we record over at AVSuperFriends.com
▀▄▀▄▀ CONTACT LINKS ▀▄▀▄▀ ► Website: https://www.avsuperfriends.com ► Twitter: https://twitter.com/avsuperfriends ► LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/avsuperfriends ► YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@avsuperfriends ► Email: [email protected] ► RSS: https://avsuperfriends.libsyn.com/rss
Individual Twitter links: ► Chris Dechter: @cdechter ► Jamie Rinehart: @avsfjamie ► Marc Cholewczynski: @avdiplomat ► Rachel Bradshaw: @tempurity ► Larry Darling: @lsdarling1 ► Justin Rexing: @justinrexing ► Lyle Waldron: @lylewaldron ► Donnie Merritt: @donniemerritt
Donate to AVSF: https://www.avsuperfriends.com/support
More from AV SuperFriends: On Topic
Recorded June 26, 2026 Freshly returned from the show floor at InfoComm 2026, the AV SuperFriends gather for a full-length roundtable on trade show regrets: the booths they missed, the sessions they skipped, the demos they should have recorded, and the party they may never emotionally recover from missing. This episode wanders through the aftermath of a massive conference week, including arguments over who should really be explaining AI to the AV industry, what happens when AVIXA TV is more networked than expected, why show-floor “hidden gems” are still somehow hidden behind the wrong booth wall, and how even seasoned attendees can come home realizing they saw only a tiny slice of the show. Along the way, the crew revisits booth tour challenges, suspicious conference sandwiches, tote bag logistics, USB-C mysteries, browser-based control, over-caffeinated presentations, and the now-legendary Panasonic dinner brownies. It’s part InfoComm recap, part confessional, and part warning label for anyone who thinks they can actually see everything at a trade show.
AV SuperFriends: On Topic - We won’t do anything until that form is filled out