jawz

While on a business trip, John Hayes, CFA, found a notebook that had apparently been left in the waiting area of an airport. Hayes opened the notebook and read the title: Confidential: Level II CFA Examination. Before returning the notebook to CFA Institute, he made a copy and gave it to Linda Sacket, one of his firm's analysts, who was a candidate for Level II of the CFA examination. Hayes reasoned that CFA Institute would not use these questions and that Sacket would benefit from reviewing these questions. Sacket read the questions and guideline answers before taking the Level II examination. According to the CFA Institute Standards of Professional Conduct:

A) Hayes violated the Standards, but Sacket did not.

B) Sacket violated the Standards, but Hayes did not.

C) both Hayes and Sacket violated the Standards.

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Both violated Standard VII(A) because they committed an act that compromised the validity of the examinations leading to the award of the right to use the CFA designation.

jawz

Stephanie Irons, Level II CFA candidate, regularly posts in Internet chat rooms dedicated to candidates studying for the Level II exam. Throughout the season, she and other candidates discuss curriculum content in great detail. Three days after the exam, she returns to the site and vents her frustrations over complicated exam questions by posting questions she remembers on the site, and asking others for their responses and reasoning. Other candidates follow suit and post the questions they remember. Within a week, Irons and her fellow candidates are able to reconstruct about 85% of the exam from their collective memory. Finding the exercise cathartic, she is then able to return to her job and personal life and wait for her results. Irons and her fellow candidates are most likely:

A) in violation of Standard VII(A) "Conduct as Members and Candidates in the CFA Program" for providing confidential information about the exam.

B) in violation of Standard VII(A) "Conduct as Members and Candidates in the CFA Program" for discussing curriculum content in a public forum prior to the exam.

C) not in violation as the information about the actual exam contents was posted after the conclusion of the exam.

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Standard VII(A) "Conduct as Members and Candidates in the CFA Program" prohibits members and candidates from providing confidential information about the exam – even after the conclusion of the exam.

jawz

Which of the following is least likely an appropriate use of the CFA designation?

A) Jeremy Salyers, CFA.

B) Jeremy Salyers has earned the CFA designation by passing three exams, all three on his first attempts.

C) Jeremy Salyers, as a CFA charterholder, expects to outperform the market because CFA charterholders have on average outperformed their peers.

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Members may not over-promise their performance as CFA charterholders. They may follow their name with the designation and describe, factually, the requirements for becoming a charterholder.

jawz

Jason Jones, a stock broker who has completed Level I of the CFA program and is registered for the next Level II CFA exam, may:

A) use the Level I CFA designation since he has passed the Level I exam.

B) not mention that he is involved in the CFA Program until he has passed all three levels.

C) state that he is a Level II candidate in the CFA Program.

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Jason may refer to his participation in the program but must state that he is a candidate and specify the level of the exam for which he is registered. There is no partial designation.

jawz

Ralph Lim and Susan Bland have both passed Level I of the CFA Program. Both are currently enrolled to sit for Level II. Lim's business card reads, "Ralph Lim, CFA Level I." Bland's resume states, "Level II Candidate in the CFA Program." According to CFA Institute Standards of Professional Conduct involving use of the professional designation:

A) Both Lim and Bland violated the Standard.

B) Bland violated the Standard, but Lim did not.

C) Lim violated the Standard, but Bland did not.

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There is no designation for someone who has passed Level I, Level II, or Level III of the CFA examination. Candidates may state, however, that they have completed Level I, II, or III, as the case may be, in the CFA Program. Thus, Lim violated the Standard, but Bland did not.

jawz

When using the CFA designation, which of the following is appropriate?

A) "I am a CFA charterholder."

B) Jones CFA's, Inc.

C) "I am a CFA."

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The only appropriate use of the designation is “I am a CFA charterholder.” You cannot use the designation as a noun (as in “I am a CFA”) and you cannot use the designation in the company name.

jawz

Which of the following is an appropriate statement for a Level II CFA candidate to make?

A) I passed the Level I CFA exam last year.

B) I am a Level II CFA.

C) I am a Level I CFA charterholder.

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The only appropriate statement is “I passed the Level I CFA exam last year.” It is a factual statement and does not imply a partial designation, which does not exist.

jawz

Janet Olson, CFA, is an analyst at Quantech Associates. Olson attended a conference at which Brian Wright presented several proprietary computerized spreadsheets that he had developed to value high-tech stocks. While at the conference, Olson copied the spreadsheets without Wright’s knowledge. Later, Olson made several minor changes to Wright’s initial model. After testing the revised model, Olson was impressed with the results. As inputs for the model, she used factual materials supplied by Moody’s Investors Service, a recognized financial and statistical reporting service. Olson wrote a research report describing the revised model and its results and distributed the report to Quantech’s clients. According to CFA Institute Standards of Professional Conduct, which of the following actions is Olson required to take? Olson is:

A) required to seek authorization from Wright to copy the spreadsheets and acknowledge Wright for developing the initial model and Moody's Investors Service as the source of the data.

B) required to seek the authorization from Wright to copy the spreadsheets, acknowledge Wright for developing the initial model but is not required to acknowledge Moody's Investors Service as the source of the data.

C) required to acknowledge Moody's Investors Service as the source of the data but is not required to seek authorization from Wright to copy the spreadsheets or to acknowledge Wright for developing the initial model.

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To comply with Standard I(C) Misrepresentation, Olson should have gotten the authorization from Wright to copy the spreadsheets. The prohibition against plagiarism requires that Olson identify Wright as the source of the initial model. However, the Standard permits publishing factual information from Moody's Investors Service without acknowledgment because Moody's is recognized as a source of factual materials.

jawz

Anderson, Baker and Chang all received their CFA charters and ordered new business cards.  Their business cards are as follows:

G. J. Anderson, CFA

B. K. Baker, Chartered Financial Analyst

M. S. Chang, C.F.A

Which of the business cards use the CFA marks improperly?

A) Chang.

B) Anderson and Chang.

C) Baker and Chang.

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Consistent with Standard VII(B), members must use the CFA marks in a proper manner. Members may indicate “CFA” or “Chartered Financial Analyst” after their names, but the designation should not be given more prominence than that used in printing the name itself. Also, periods should not be used to separate the letters.

jawz

All of the following situations violate Standard VII(B), Reference to CFA Institute, the CFA Designation, and the CFA Program, EXCEPT:

A) Karen Wright received her CFA charter in 1980. In 2001, she stopped paying her annual CFA Institute dues. During her retirement speech in 2002, Wright said, "Although I am no longer an active CFA charterholder, I was awarded the right to use the CFA designation in 1980 and maintained active membership in CFA Institute for 20 years."

B) Barney Latrell, when introducing himself to a prospective client, says, "I completed my CFA in 1995, which required passing three six-hour examinations over a three year period."

C) John Cabell has satisfied all the requirements imposed by CFA Institute for the right to use the Chartered Financial Analyst designation. His business cards say: John Cabell, C.F.A.

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Wright’s statement did not violate Standard VII(B). Her right to use the CFA designation was suspended when she stopped paying dues but her statement is a matter of fact. Cabell’s violated Standard VII(B) because he improperly used the CFA designation on his business card. Proper usage of the CFA designation on his business card would be: John Cabell, CFA or John Cabell, Chartered Financial Analyst. Latrell violated Standard VII(B) by using the CFA designation as a noun. The CFA mark must be used as an adjective. Latrell could have stated, “I was awarded the CFA charter in 1995.”