CAS Update
Where We’ve Been, Where We Are, and
Where We’re Going
Meeting of the Casualty Actuaries of the
Southeast
Presented by :
Robert F. Wolf, FCAS, MAAA
Mercer Oliver Wyman, Inc.
312-930-0648 Office
rwolf@mow.com
September 23, 2004
Agenda
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Two Important Task Forces
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Task Force on ACAS Vote

Task Force on Classes of Membership
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Education Initiatives
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Your Input
Two Important
Task Forces

Task Force on the ACAS Vote
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Should Associates have voting rights?
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All ACAS? After N Years as an ACAS?
Stand for election to the Board?
 Hold officer positions, e.g., Vice President?
 Serve on and chair committees? Which ones?
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Task Force on Classes of Membership
How many classes should the CAS have?
 How should these classes be defined?
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Historical Perspective
of Associates
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Since 1914, two classes of membership.
Associate/Fellow designations have changed
over the years:
Initially, based on company responsibilities.
 Beginning in 1915, based on exams:
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Number and content of exams has varied.
 Currently a two exam educational difference.
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Currently little distinction between FCAS and
ACAS in the ability to perform professional
actuarial services.
Task Force on ACAS Vote
Why are we considering this issue?
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Voting rights have not changed since inception and
represent a time when there was a much clearer
distinction between Fellows and Associates.
A significant minority (25-30%) of Associates have
stopped taking exams. We need to recognize the
career Associates.
Lack of true representation for Associates, despite
the fact that they pay full dues.
Approval of Mutual Recognition.
Task Force on ACAS Vote
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Right to vote should be given to members upon
attainment of Fellowship or five years after they are
recognized as Associates, whichever comes first. Right
to vote should be unrestricted.
All voting members should be allowed to stand for
election to the Board of Directors.
Voting Associates may hold all officer positions, with
the exception of:
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President / President Elect
Vice President - Admissions
Committee membership is to remain restricted to
Fellows for Discipline, Education Policy, Syllabus.
Task Force on
Classes of Membership
Why are we considering this issue?
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Current structure reflects a time when there was a
much clearer distinction between FCAS and ACAS.
Educational differences do not restrict an ACAS from
completing assignments like those done by a FCAS.
Associate designation connotes lesser standing, even
though the ACAS is fully qualified to sign statements
of actuarial opinion.

Two designations that each mean a fully qualified
actuary is confusing.

CAS organizational structure has not been widely
adopted worldwide.
Task Force on
Classes of Membership
The Task Force recommended:
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Only one class of membership - Fellow.
Certificate of Achievement in Casualty Actuarial Science.
All candidates under the Code of Professional Conduct.
ACAS continue to be awarded for a limited time.
Existing ACAS’s awarded FCAS after completing exams
or after five additional years have passed.
Ideal number of exams for Fellowship is eight;
necessary material can be reorganized to fit.
Task Force on
Classes of Membership
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In May 2004, the Board discussed the various
transition options in the Task Force Report.
Options ranged from
Immediately granting FCAS to ACAS and
discontinuing ACAS
 Completion of additional requirements
 Discontinuing ACAS after a transition period and
putting the ACAS into run-off.
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Under no circumstances would current Associates
lose their status as members of the CAS.
Task Force on
Classes of Membership

Additional information was requested for the
Board’s consideration during the discussion at
September Board Meeting.
Survey of the Membership Advisory Panel (MAP).
 Feedback from Regional Affiliate Presentations.
 Interviews with recruiters on the effects of one class
of membership on attracting candidates.
 Feedback submitted by members.

Task Force on
Classes of Membership
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Summary of additional feedback received:
Over two-thirds (70%) of the MAP agreed with TF
recommendation of one class.
 More than three-fourths (77%) disagreed with the
TF recommendation to grant all ACAS the FCAS
designation without additional requirements.
 Most of the feedback has indicated that one class of
membership will not create a competitive
disadvantage for students.

Task Force on
Classes of Membership
Board Motions at September Board Meeting:
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That the Board instruct the Executive Council to
establish a TF to propose within the next year a set of
learning objectives by which FCAS can be attained:
 with less material than the current exams,
 with fewer than the current 9 exams,
 while meeting the requirements of the IAA,
 while being consistent with the Centennial Goal.
It is the Board’s sense that this can be accomplished
with eight exams (or seven exams with a workshop or
seminar).
Task Force on
Classes of Membership
Board Motions at September Board Meeting:

Inform the CAS membership of the foregoing action,
with an indication that the Board supports a move to an
eventual single class of credentialed membership, with
no more new Associates, concurrent with the
movement to a shorter syllabus; and will seek
membership reaction to this plan. (It is expected that
the then-current Associates will either complete their
remaining exams and become Fellows, or remain
Associates until they cease their membership in the
CAS.)
Membership Involvement
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Board is committed to obtaining member input.
Granting voting rights requires an amendment to
the Constitution approved by Fellows, however,
the Board agreed to postpone further action on
the ACAS Vote, pending resolution of the
Classes of Membership issue.
Moving to one class of credentialed member may
not require a change to the Constitution, but
there will be a thorough exchange of ideas.
Changes to Preliminary
Education
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Current
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Prerequisites: Linear Algebra and Statistics
Exam 1: Calculus and Probability (4 hours)
Exam 2: Interest, Economics, Finance (4 hours)
Exam 3: Actuarial Models– NOT JOINT (4 hours)
Exam 4: Actuarial Modeling (including applied stats)
(4 hours)
Changes to Preliminary
Education
Approved March 2004 Board Meeting
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Starting Spring 2005
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Prerequisites: Linear Algebra and Calculus
Exam 1: Probability with Calculus (3 hours)
Exam 2: Interest (2 hours)
Exam 3: Actuarial Models & Statistics (4 hours)
Exam 4: Actuarial Modeling (4 hours)
Verification by Educational Experience:
Economics, Finance, Applied Stats
Validation by Educational
Experience
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Option 1: Submit a course syllabus for approval, and then a grade
of B- or better in the course.
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Micro and Macro Economics
Intermediate Corporate Finance
Regression and Time Series (could be separate courses)
Option 2: Pass an acceptable exam, such as the AP exams for
Micro and Macroeconomics, CFA exams, etc.
Option 3: Pass college-level exams offered by the CAS. CAS
committed to offering these for at least 2 years.
Option 4: Other experiences.
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Courses/seminars designed specifically for VEE credit
Transition
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2000 Syllabus
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Exam 1  Exam 1
Exam 2  Exam 2 + VEE for Econ & Finance
Exam 3  Exam 3
Exam 4  Exam 4 + VEE for Applied Stats
Pre-2000 Syllabus
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Part 3A  VEE for Applied Stats
Part 4A  Exam 2
Part 4B  Exam 4
Part 5A  VEE for Economics
Part 5B  VEE for Finance
Why VEE?
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Most candidates take Econ and/or Finance
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No need to examine topics that require background
but not mastery.
But verification is needed to meet international
standards.
Test questions for Applied Stats stress
memorization rather than application.
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Our candidates need to learn how to appropriately
apply regression and time series models to real data.
This competency cannot easily be validated in a
timed paper-and-pencil exam.
Impact on Travel Time
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Actuarial Science majors currently graduate
with exams.
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Unlikely to have much effect on these candidates.
Other majors who take VEE courses in
school benefit from learning experience.
Candidates who did not have VEE courses in
school:
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Can tackle VEE while studying for Interest exam.
Or between exam “seasons.”
VEE pass rates on first attempt should be very high.
Other Ways to
Reduce Travel Time
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Computer Based Testing
Targeting 2005 pilot for Exam 1.
 Expand to 4-6 computer-based administrations in
2006.
 Candidate will receive results immediately
(beginning in 2006).
 Will expand to other exams if successful.
 Approved at May 2004 Board Meeting. Awaiting
approval by SOA.
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Other Ways to
Reduce Travel Time
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More Efficient Study Material
Too much material not written for study purposes.
 Institute of Actuaries (UK) hired one vendor to
produce all study material.
 Material written specifically for study purposes.
 Enabled increased pass rates despite expanded
syllabus breadth.
 CAS Task Force determined that this approach
could work for us.
 Syllabus Committee charged with implementing.
 Targeting 2005 pilot for Exam 1.
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Education Consultant
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Hired Education Consultant to help:
Construct appropriate learning objectives.
 Train to develop good thinking questions.
 Help with methods for setting pass score.
 Provide input on evaluating exam length and
difficulty.
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CAS Policy: Pass marks reflect sufficient grasp
of material. No predetermined pass mark.
Modeling Workshop

Education in risk integration techniques is
consistent with Centennial Goal.
DFA added to Syllabus in 2000.
 DFA taken off Part 8 in 2003 due to inability to test
in a paper-and-pencil environment.
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Modeling Workshop Task Force established.
Pilot a hands-on workshop experience in late 2004.
 Consider adding this as a future FCAS requirement
and/or continuing education opportunity.
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I welcome your input
regarding . . .
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ACAS Task Forces
Education Initiatives
CAS Centennial Goal
International Issues
CAS Role Outside Traditional P/C Insurance
Membership
Research and Publications
What’s On Your Mind?
Questions?
Thank You!
Robert F. Wolf, FCAS, MAAA
Mercer Oliver Wyman, Inc.
312-930-0648 Office
rwolf@mow.com
Member of the CAS Board of Directors