Young Association Professionals (YAP) yapstar.org

Archive for 4/7

(14:58) ** maddie joined the room
(15:09) ** Gloria joined the room

(15:10) maddie <- maddie: ok - apparently with this one you can download the chat log afterwards, so we'll try it.
(15:10) maddie: can you see what I wrote?
(15:10) maddie: ok that was weird.
(15:10) maddie: So with this one you can download the archive
(15:11) Gloria: I am a little unclear about enviornmental scan. Where are you typing?
(15:11) Gloria: Nevermind it worked
(15:11) maddie: what specifically about env. scan?
(15:11) Gloria: Can you just explain what it is?
(15:12) maddie: basically, it's like a member survey but it surveys everyone in the industry
(15:12) maddie: so it's not just your org, it's your org plus your competing/sister orgs.
(15:12) Gloria: Now that makes sense.
(15:12) maddie: Oftentimes, someone else has done an environmental scan that you can look at without doing one yourself.
(15:13) maddie: (which is good for the budget).
(15:13) Gloria: Just a member survey regarding anything?
(15:14) maddie: yeah basically a "state of the industry" - though it can be more specific. Like "How associations are usign social media" would be an env. scan
(15:14) maddie: Crap sorry - don't use quotations :)
(15:14) maddie: how assocs use social media = env scan
(15:14) Gloria: thanks I get it now
(15:15) maddie: how MY association usues soc medi = survey
(15:15) maddie: did you have any practice questions you wanted to talk through?
(15:15) Gloria: Insubstantial is defined in the IRS Code 501 (h), the safe harbor provision. Do you know where or what safe harbor is explained?
(15:16) maddie: Wow, no. I don't remember that coming up at all!
(15:17) maddie: just looked on google, there's a bunch of random links to different things, none are very clearly what it is - I'd say you don't need to worry about it!
(15:18) Gloria: It is in a practice exam and is the correct answer - question is about 501 (c) (3) organizaiton can engage in government relations as long as expenditures are insubstantial
(15:19) maddie: ah ok - don't worry about *safe harbor*, worry about *insubstantial*
(15:20) Gloria: thanks
(15:20) maddie: there is a definition of insubstantial, can't remember what it is exactly but it's something like less than 50% of income
(15:20) maddie: But don't quote me on the 50%!
(15:20) Gloria: Great - I will research that.
(15:21) maddie: so what domain are you on now?
(15:22) Gloria: This Saturday is 2 & 7; we had 6 & 8 last Saturday.
(15:22) maddie: remind mewhat 2 and 7 are?
(15:23) Gloria: Research & Planning is 2 and Public Policy & Gov't & External Relations
(15:23) Gloria: is 7
(15:24) maddie: Hmm. don't remember too much about research and planning. There are a few testable things, I think, but nothing too heavy, right?
(15:24) maddie: If 7 is the lobbying one, we had a TON of those questions - way more than the percentage they said it would be in my opinion
(15:25) maddie: though maybe that means there won't be as many on your test! Hard to predict.
(15:25) Gloria: Not really, but 7 is about the Sherman, Martin-Lewis, Knorr-Pennington, etc
(15:25) Gloria: Doman 2 & 7 is to be 7-9% of test...
(15:26) maddie: yeah - not too much.
(15:26) maddie: So I did try hard to learn those cases - and one of them came up in one question.
(15:27) Gloria: I am finding that the key is to really read the questions carefully.
(15:27) maddie: Yes!
(15:27) Gloria: Are there many formulas?
(15:27) maddie: And they will very rarely just ask something straightforward - all the domains will be misxed up in all the questions.
(15:27) maddie: We had ZERO formulas.
(15:28) Gloria: When did you take the exam?
(15:28) maddie: December.
(15:28) maddie: (last)
(15:28) maddie: I basically could not learn the formulas - so I got lucky.
(15:29) maddie: I think though it's more important to get the general idea about the formula rather than the specific numbers.
(15:29) Gloria: You said something on Friday and was not able to access it. Something about policy - positive, etc., do you recall?
(15:29) maddie: Yes - that was about antitrust.
(15:30) Gloria: Sherman Act
(15:31) maddie: Basically, if the proposed action/program/whatever is POSITIVE (helping a segment of your members) it's good, but if it's NEGATIVE (stopping some people from doing something, dividing the market, etc it's BAD and could be an antitrust violation.
(15:32) Gloria: that is exactly what I was trying to remember!
(15:33) maddie: That's my number one best tip :)
(15:33) Gloria: Any more tips?
(15:34) maddie: none that we haven't talked about - just pay very close attention to the questions.
(15:34) maddie: there may be irrelevant info, where you need to figure out what they are really asking, or alternatively every word might make sense and you need to find the detractors
(15:35) maddie: Also the real questions, in my opinion, are easier than the practice questions.
(15:35) Gloria: that is what I have been practicing, but it is easy to get sidetracked!
(15:35) maddie: because they have thrown out all the confusing ones (hopefully)
(15:35) Gloria: That is what I heard also.
(15:36) Gloria: Maddie thanks so much; will you be on Friday?
(15:36) maddie: oh here's my other tip - If you have time, which you will, ALWAYS CONTEST questions you think are bad - they will throw them out if more than one person contests them
(15:36) maddie: Yes! I'll be here.
(15:37) maddie: I'll try and download the chat archive this time, we'll see if it works.
(15:37) Gloria: Okay, will chat Friday and thanks.
(15:38) maddie: bye!