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Ted Willis received his CFA designation in 1998 and was employed as an investment counselor until 2003.  During the past several years, Willis has been out of work because of a serious illness.  He also failed to pay his annual CFA Institute dues during the current year.  Willis has now recovered and accepted a position with an investment advisory firm.  His new business card says, “Ted Willis, CFA.”  As part of his job with his new firm, Willis uses PowerPoint® to make presentations to groups of prospective clients.  He obtained some of these PowerPoint® slides from web sites, but removed the copyright notice before showing the slides to prospective clients.
Which of the following statements about Standard VII(B), Reference to CFA Institute, the CFA Designation, and the CFA Program, and Standard I(C), Misrepresentation, is most accurate? Willis:

A) violated both Standard VII(B) and Standard I(C).

B) violated Standard VII(B) but he did not violate Standard I(C).

C) did not violate either Standard VII(B) or Standard I(C).

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Willis violated Standard VII(B) because his right to use the CFA designation was suspended when he stopped paying CFA Institute dues. Thus, he can no longer use the CFA designation on his business card. Willis also violated Standard I(C) because he was guilty of plagiarism. He inappropriately used copyrighted material, which provided the impression that such material was his own.

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Lucy Ackert and Chris Brown prepared the following information to be included in the promotional materials of their employer, Lofton Securities.

• Lucy Ackert is one of five CFAs at Lofton Securities. She satisfied all requirements for the CFA designation in 1998.
• Chris Brown holds a CFA Level I designation, which he passed in 2001. He is registered to take the next scheduled Level II examination.

Are the promotional materials prepared by Ackert and Brown fully consistent with the Standards of Professional Conduct?

A) Ackert: Yes. Brown: No.

B) Ackert: No. Brown: Yes.

C) Ackert: No. Brown: No.

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Neither statement is fully consistent with Standard VII(B), Reference to CFA Institute, the CFA Designation, and the CFA Program. The CFA designation must always be used as an adjective and never as a noun as Ackert used in her promotional description. Correct use of the CFA designation would be: “Lucy Ackert is one of five CFA charterholders at Lofton Securities.” No designation exists for someone who has passed Level I of the CFA examination. Thus, Brown’s statement saying that he “holds a CFA Level I designation” represents incorrect use. A correct statement would be: “Chris Brown passed Level I of the CFA examination in 2001.”

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A CFA Institute member puts the following statement on her resume: “I passed each level of the CFA exam on the first try.” Is this a violation of Standard VII(B)?

A) Yes, because she incorrectly refers to the CFA exam.

B) No, because it is a statement of fact.

C) Yes, because saying she passed exams on the first try is not appropriate.

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The statement is not a violation because it is a fact. However, the member must not go on to claim superior performance.

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Julie Stades retired several years ago and relinquished her membership in CFA Institute. She had the CFA designation up until then. She has decided to go back to work and puts the following statement on her resume: “I earned the CFA designation 10 years ago.” Is this a violation of Standard VII(B)?

A) No, as long as she does not indicate she currently has the designation.

B) Yes, she has used the letters "CFA" in an undignified manner.

C) Yes, because she uses "CFA" as a noun.

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Stades is allowed to state that she earned the designation as long as she does not infer that she currently has the designation. The letters “CFA” are only to be used as an adjective, and she does that.

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All of the following are required for a CFA Institute member to maintain his or her active status EXCEPT:

A) Passing each exam in no more than two tries.

B) remit a completed Professional Conduct Statement on an annual basis.

C) paying membership dues to CFA Institute on an annual basis.

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Passing each exam in two or fewer tries is not required to maintain active status as a member of the CFA Institute. CFA Institute imposes both of the other choices.

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Which of the following statements is a violation of Standard VII(B) if it is included on a CFA charterholder’s resume?

A) Both of these are violations of Standard VII(B).

B) My earning the CFA designation indicates my superior ability.

C) My earning the CFA designation indicates my desire to maintain high standards.

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A CFA charterholder may not make claims about how earning the designation proves superior capabilities. Saying "my earning the CFA designation indicates my desire to maintain high standards" is allowed because it is a factual statement

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When Wes Smith first joined Advisors, Inc., he was excited that all the analysts at the firm had the CFA designation. In letters to prospective clients, he states that this ensures that Advisors can provide better service than their competitors. With respect to Standard VII(B), Reference to CFA Institute, the CFA Designation, and the CFA Program, this is:

A) a violation because he mentions the CFA designation in the letter.

B) a violation for both mentioning the CFA designation and saying the firm can guarantee better service.

C) a violation because he cannot guarantee better service.

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According to Standard VII(B), the analyst cannot guarantee better service. Smith can mention the fact that all analysts have the designation, but he is limited in what he can say with respect to this fact. He could say, for example, that this means the analysts all had to take and pass three rigorous exams.

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For the past 5 years, Karen Beckworth, CFA, has served as a proctor for the CFA exam. Beckworth tells her assistant, a CFA Level III candidate, that she normally receives the examinations on the Thursday before the exam. Given the low pass rate at Level III, Beckworth asks her assistant if he would like an advance copy of the next exam. Beckworth’s assistant declines the offer.
Beckworth’s assistant has been very vocal about expressing his opinions about the low pass rate. The assistant claims, “there are too many charterholders and CFA Institute is deliberately failing candidates because the prestige of the CFA charter is becoming diluted.”
Which of the following statements concerning Beckworth’s and her assistant’s behavior is CORRECT?

A) Both Beckworth and her assistant are in violation of Standard VII(A).

B) Neither Beckworth nor her assistant is in violation of Standard VII(A).

C) Beckworth is in violation of Standard VII(A), but her assistant is not in violation.

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Beckworth is in violation of Standard VII(A), Conduct as Members and Candidates in the CFA Program. Beckworth compromised the integrity of the exam by offering her assistant an advance copy. Beckworth’s assistant is allowed to express his opinion without violation of any Standards.

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Lindsay Gordon is a CFA Level II candidate living in San Francisco. Gordon’s best friend, Steve Haney, also a Level II candidate, is living in Munich. Because of the time difference between Munich and San Francisco, Gordon suggests that Haney call Gordon during the Munich exam lunch break to discuss the morning exam. Haney makes the call on exam day.

Which of the following statements regarding Gordon and Haney is CORRECT?

A) Gordon is in violation of Standard VII(A), but Haney is not in violation.

B) Neither Gordon nor Haney is in violation of Standard VII(A).

C) Both Gordon and Haney are in violation of Standard VII(A).

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Both Gordon and Haney violated Standard VII(A) by compromising the integrity of the exam. Gordon now has an unfair advantage.

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All of the following are violations of Standard VII(A), Conduct as Members and Candidates in the CFA Program, EXCEPT:

A) disregarding the rules related to the administration of the CFA examination.

B) improperly using the CFA Designation to further professional goals.

C) expressing opinions in disagreement with CFA Institute advocacy positions.

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Members and Candidates are allowed to express their opinions about the CFA Institute and CFA Program without violation of any Standards. Both of the other choices are in direct violation of Standard VII(A).