February Newsletter
CPE vote and electronic Level I examinations are on the horizon
The Western Region Conference, a meeting of 16 CFA societies from across the Western United States, finished on Saturday. We thought the following news would be of interest to our members:
  • CPE requirement: CFA Institute has been considering requiring charterholders to participate in continuing professional education on an annual basis in order to maintain their charter. The board of directors recently formally voted to support a mandatory CPE requirement. This change requires a member vote, which is expected to occur in a few years. New IT infrastructure for delivery of educational materials and tracking of credits would be necessary, and CFA Institute will be working on developing this platform. Watch for more information about this vote to come from CFA Institute in the coming years.
  • Electronic Level I examination: CFA Institute anticipates offering the Level I examination electronically beginning in approximately 2021. CFA Institute is reconsidering the future of delivery of the CFA exams, with the goals of managing risks to the integrity of the exam, improving accessibility and convenience, and maintaining fidelity to practice. The tentative plan is to offer the Level I exam electronically (at dedicated test centers) in June 2021, with expansion to the Level II and Level III exams to follow. Specific details are still being considered. With the move to electronic testing, it is likely that the exam will be offered multiple times per year, although that decision has not been finalized.
Research Challenge presentations scheduled for February 27
Students from colleges across Idaho have prepared research presentations about Schnitzer Steel for the 2019 Research Challenge. The deadline to submit written research reports has passed, and the teams are now finalizing their oral presentations. Oral presentations will be at 5 p.m. on February 27 at the Micron Business and Economics Building at Boise State University. We hope that you can attend and support these students. Park in the Brady Garage and come to the Executive MBA center on the fourth floor. A light dinner will be served. Contact Skye Root for more information.
CFA Society Spokane leads Finance Forecasting Challenge
Our neighbors at CFA Society Spokane are currently leading the Finance Forecasting Challenge hosted by the CFA Societies of the Western United States. Even if you haven't registered, there is still plenty of time to see how your forecasts stack up and help CFA Society Idaho move up the leaderboard. The challenge helps professionals become better decision makers while sharpening forecasting skills in a fun and interactive way. The challenge is based on the principles of the popular book Superforecasting: The Art and Science of Prediction. Participants respond to 30 questions over the course of a year, including questions about the PDVSA sanctions and legislative intervention by the State of California following the PG&E bankruptcy. Click here for more information and click here to see the leaderboard.
CAIA to continue pilot program -- and you can win a Level II textbook
The CAIA Association is continuing a pilot program that allows CFA charterholders to skip the Level I Chartered Alternative Investment Analyst exam. CFA charterholders instead jump directly to the Level II CAIA exam if they have no CAIA exam history, are a CFA charterholder in good standing, and have a CFA digital badge. Registration for the September 2019 exam opens on April 1. Information about the stackable exam is available at http://www.caia.org/stackable-pilot. For more information, email candidate@caia.org.

CAIA is offering one copy of the Level II textbook to a member of CFA Society Idaho. To enter, email Jim Steele at steelejim@att.net by February 26; we will draw one name at random.
Links
Calendar
February 27: Research Challenge oral presentations begin at 5 p.m. at Micron College of Business and Economics building at Boise State University
June 15: North America CFA exam date