Description: This article is a review and analysis of the article “The Statistician as Expert Witness,” by Joseph G. Van Matre and William N. Clark, from the Feb. 1976 issue of “The American Statistician.” The author of this article notes that the article he is reviewing has general application to anyone serving as an expert witness in a court of law, especially in its remarks about the ethical responsibilities of such a person and in its advice on preparing to give testimony. Written from the viewpoint of a statistician, it has equal applicability to an actuary serving as an expert witness. The SOA has reprinted this article with permission from The American Statistical Association.

Description: Professionalism focuses on “how” actuarial activities are done. It is entrenched in the values of the profession and its members.

Description: The author describes what he thinks actuaries’ responsibilities to the public are.

Description: Edward Robbins, FSA and Christian Mora, Member of the Colombian Actuarial Association (ACA) gave a 3-hour course on actuarial professionalism to ACA members.

Description: This article gives an example of how a proposed change to Actuarial Standard of Practice No. 4 would decrease the quality of work done by the actuary of a pension plan or increase misunderstanding.

Description: This panel discussion is from the 1991 Meeting of the Society of Actuaries, held May 16-17 in New York. The panelists start their discussion with an overview of the history of actuarial standards, and the operations of the Actuarial Standards Board, ‘ASB,” the autonomous body responsible for setting standards of practice. The discussion covers standards affecting insurance company actuaries and consultants, and the value and impact of standards on the actuary's work. Panelists also suggest areas where additional standards are needed. Discussion from participants is included. From the Record of Society of Actuaries, Volume 17, No. 2.

Description: Describes “think tank” sessions where the Committee on Professional Development recognized the elusiveness of the concept of “professionalism” and sought to define it for the actuarial profession.