Notice To Members 84-61

PLATO Learning Centers to Close Thanksgiving Week, November 19–23, 1984

Published Date:

TO: All NASD Members and Interested Persons

ATTN: Registration, Training and Compliance Personnel

During the above period, the NASD will install and test new software for its qualification examination delivery system in the PLATO network. In order to preclude the possibility of disruptions during candidate testing sessions as this new software is installed, all Control Data Learning Centers will be closed from November 19th through November 23rd. This week includes the seasonal holiday closing schedule and thus involves a minimum interruption to the flow of testing in the PLATO learning centers. In order to compensate for this interruption, the expiration dates of all candidate enrollments originally scheduled to expire between November 19th and December 14th have been extended through December 31, 1984.

Change in Calculator Use Policy During All Testing Sessions

Current NASD policy permits the use of calculators by candidates during both written and PLATO testing sessions. Recent technological advances have resulted in a number of small computing devices coming to market which have limited word processing capabilities and provide for semi-permanent storage of data. In a testing environment, these devices present the potential for compromising the security of the questions used in the qualification examination program. Effective immediately, therefore, the NASD is instituting a policy limiting the use of computing devices during testing sessions to those which are capable of executing mathematical functions only. Candidates will NOT be allowed to use computing devices which provide the capability of entering alphabetical data. The new policy will permit candidates to continue to use calculators which operate silently, utilize a self-contained power source, have no print devices and no alphabetical key pads.

Questions regarding this notice should be directed to David H. Uthe at (202) 728-8138.

Sincerely,

Frank J. McAuliff
Vice President
Qualifications Department