Why should I become a BU instructor?
How do I become a BU instructor?
What do the different BU instructor designations mean?
How do I get promoted to the next higher instructor designation?
Where do I find resources for teaching?
How will I get students interested in getting a diploma?
How will I make money as a BU instructor?

Why Should I Become a BU Instructor?

• You gain an additional credential.
• You will be promoted on the BU website via the online list of instructors.
• You share in diploma and DVD profits (see How will I make money as a BU instructor).
• You can market to prospective students, offering training and exam administration with clear goals, a graduation reward (an official BU diploma), and opportunities for future training, evaluation, and testing.
• You can use the provided exams to assess deficiencies and monitor progress of students and to help with their further development (as drills).
• The exams can serve as the basis for a curriculum or course outline.
• There is no cost (no application fee or annual dues) and no commitment (other than earning a diploma yourself or having a student earn a diploma).

How Do I Become a BU Instructor?

To be added to the official BU instructor list, you need to do the following:

1. Get PBIA certification, which is offered through attendance at a BU Boot Camp or via private lessons with Dr. Dave’s Pool School. The certification requirement can be waived in special cases (e.g., by special invitation from Dr. Dave).
   
2. Apply for a diploma either for yourself or a student. If you are submitting an application for a student, you do not need to post videos … you can just complete the diploma application form for your student as an instructor.
   
3. E-mail Dr. Dave your certification information (if not waived) and the name listed on the diploma application and ask to be added as a BU affiliate instructor.

There is no cost (application fee or annual membership dues) to remain on the BU instructor list. You just need to remain active in the BU (by selling a diploma or Instructional Videos at least once every 2 years).

What Do the Different BU Instructor Designations Mean?

BU cofounders David Alciatore and Randy Russell serve as the BU Dean and Registrar, respectively. They, along with eight other Founding Professors serve as the governing body of the BU.  The Founding Professors are responsible for maintaining the high standards and integrity of the BU and its reputation.  They also serve as advisors to the Dean and Registrar, who have final say on BU matters.  The Founding Professors are: Dave Alciatore (BU cofounder and Dean), Jerry Briesath, Mark Finkelstein, Randy Goettlicher, Bob Jewett, Mike Page, Randy Russell (BU cofounder and Registrar), Tom Simpson, and Mark Wilson. They were selected based on their reputations as excellent and experienced instructors and instructional authors who were also dedicated to the BU mission.

A collection of additional well-known and respected instructors were also invited to participate in the BU as Senior Instructors.  Any instructors can join the BU as an “affiliate instructor” and be promoted to the higher designations based on level of participation. Privileges among the instructor designations are as follows:

Professor:

• All Professors are featured on the BU website (with photos, bio bullets, and links), with the Founding Professors receiving top billing.
• The original list of Professors included only the Founding Professors.
• Any added BU Professor must be a PBIA Master Instructor.
• Any Senior Instructor can be promoted to the Professor level based on their participation level in the BU (see promotion requirements below).
• All Professors (founding and promoted) earn 50% profit sharing on diploma and DVD sales (see the BU instructor profit info below).

Senior Instructor:

• The list of “senior instructors” was populated originally by invitation only to respected and experienced instructors chosen by the founding professors.
• An Senior Instructor can be promoted to the Professor level based on their participation level in the BU (see promotion requirements below).
• Senior Instructors earn 40% profit sharing on diploma and DVD sales (see the BU instructor profit info below).

Affiliate Instructor:

• To be added to the list, an instructor must be certified by another organization (e.g., PBIA, BCA, ACS, CIIA, or any other reputable organization that certifies pool instructors) and submit a diploma application (either for themselves or a student). This requirement can be waived by Dr. Dave in special cases.
• Affiliate Instructors are listed on the BU website in the order that they join (in seniority order).
• An Affiliate Instructor can be promoted to the Senior Instructor level based on their participation level in the BU (see promotion requirements below).
• Affiliate Instructors earn 30% profit sharing on diploma and DVD sales (see the BU instructor profit info below).

All Professors, Senior Instructors, and Affiliate Instructors, collectively referred to as BU instructors, are listed and promoted on the BU website, with more visibility given to the higher-designation and higher-seniority members. The Professors have top billing as the featured BU instructors. Instructors are listed on the website in the order that they joined or were promoted. All BU instructors will remain on the website until they ask to be removed or until they become inactive (i.e., have no diploma or DVD sales) for more than 2 years.

How Do I Get Promoted to the Next Higher Instructor Designation?

Affiliate Instructor to Senior Instructor:

• When the total number of diplomas sold reaches 3, an affiliate instructor’s designation gets promoted to “Senior Instructor.”

Senior Instructor to Professor:

• When the total number of diplomas sold reaches 10, a senior instructor’s designation gets promoted to “Professor.” Another requirement is to be a PBIA Master Instructor.

Promoted instructors are listed on the BU website in the order that they are promoted. To remain a BU instructor, you must have at least a minimum level of activity in the BU (e.g., sell at least one diploma or DVD within a 3-year period, or be waived of the requirement by Dr. Dave).

Where do I find resources for teaching?

You can use the BU playing-ability exams for student assessment and training, and for monitoring improvement over time. There is also a wealth of instructional resources available on the Instructor and Student Teaching and Learning Resources page at billiards.colostate.edu. You can use the summary pages and handouts there to assemble training manuals for your students. The BU instructional video series, BU resources, and other instructional products available from Dr. Dave are also excellent learning and teaching resources.

How Will I Get Students Interested in Getting a Diploma?

Your job as a BU instructor is to inspire your students (or potential students) to strive for a BU diploma as a motivating goal. Here is the list of benefits you can share with a potential student to let them know what participation in the BU diploma process will provide:

• You will get better at pool in a smarter and faster way and raise your game to the next level.
• The examination process fully and impartially assesses your current rating and level of ability relative to others.
• The exam drills identify your areas of weakness.
• The exam drills can provide structure and purpose to your practice sessions.
• You can use the exam and drill scores to monitor and assess your improvement over time.
• You can set a concrete goal for improvement by working toward a diploma.
• When you earn a diploma, you can frame and display it with pride (e.g., in your office or game room) to show off your enthusiasm and excellence.
• With a diploma, you will receive official recognition of your level of ability on the BU website (with your permission).
• A diploma is a credential you can use as the first step to becoming an instructor.

How Will I Make Money as a BU Instructor?

The profits from all instructor-generated diploma and DVD sales are shared by the BU and the instructor (i.e., you get a discount) based on instructor designation as follows.

product	BU retail price	Professor price (50% off)	Senior Instructor price (40% off)	Affiliate Instructor price (30% off)
physical diploma	$100 + $3.50 S&H	$53.50	$63.50	$73.50
electronic diploma	$50	$25	$30	$35
website-only “diploma”	$25	$12.50	$15	$17.50
VEPS, VEPP, VEEB, or VENT 5-volume DVD set w/ case	$135 + $6.50 S&H	$74	$87.50	$101
BU or HAPS 3-volume DVD set w/case	$85 + $5.50 S&H	$48	$56.50	$65
SAWS DVD	$30 + $3.50 S&H	$18.50	$21.50	$24.50
TIPOPAB DVD	$25 + $3.50 S&H	$16	$18.50	$21

Each discounted amount in the table above is the total price (i.e., shipping is already included).

You can order Instructional Videos to have on hand for yourself or for direct sales to students, or you can have the BU drop-ship Instructional Videos directly to your students. You can charge whatever you want to your students, but we recommend the retail price (unless you want to share your discount with them). Here’s a good product information and purchasing advice guide that might help both you and your students in deciding what to purchase.

Physical DVDs and diplomas are not shipped internationally. For a non-US shipping address, the only options available are the stream and download versions of the videos and the electronic or website-only diplomas.

To order DVD sets:

There are two ways to order Instructional Videos or diplomas, either for yourself or for students. You can send the exact amount owed or you can first purchase what you want and then request a partial refund. The two procedures are detailed below. Use whichever method is easier for you.

Send the exact amount due, based on the discounted prices in the table above.

1. E-mail Dr. Dave indicating the product(s) you want.
2. Send the payment due using any of the payment methods listed on the Boot Camp deposit page.
3. The BU will then ship whatever you order directly to the address provided.

or

Purchase at full price and request a discount:

1. Purchase what you want at DrDaveBilliards.com (for any Instructional Videos) or on the BU purchase page (for a diploma), paying the full price.
2. E-mail Dr. Dave asking for the BU instructor discount and he will immediately issue a partial refund for the difference.
3. If you want the products sent to a student mailing address instead of yours, include the complete mailing address in the e-mail.

The unit price for each product (from the table above) is the same regardless of the number ordered unless the quantity is 10 or higher (per product), in which case you should contact Dr. Dave (970-482-8229 or e-mail) for lower prices and a combined lower S&H charge.

To order a diploma:

For a student who has completed the exams under your supervision, follow the same procedure above for sending payment, but also complete and submit the diploma application form. No videos are required.

General advice:

Instructors are encouraged to charge retail prices for the diploma and/or DVD sets; although, you are free to offer lower prices (e.g., as part of a package deal). Instructors are encouraged to include a diploma and/or DVD sets as part of the price for a lesson, workshop, clinic, or course specifically geared toward achieving a BU diploma (for example, as we do with the BU Boot Camps). You can also offer Instructional Videos and a diploma as options to your students (at additional costs above your normal fee). You can also offer a BU examination service for a fee, which would include the price of the diploma.