Clipboard listing a Open Enrollment to-do list, including choosing benefits for your family, reviewing updates and reminders, visiting the MSU Benefits Fair, and making any changes by October 31.

Time to Choose Your Benefits for 2027: Your Open Enrollment Checklist

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October is just around the corner, which means the MSU Benefits Open Enrollment period is about to begin for benefits-eligible employees. Please use the following checklist to help guide you through Open Enrollment and be sure to make your benefit selections for the 2027 plan year between October 1 and 31, 2026.  
 

STEP 1: Determine your benefit needs.  

During Open Enrollment, you may enroll in, change, or cancel coverage in the following benefits:  

  • Health  
  • Dental  
  • Flexible spending accounts (health or dependent care)  
  • Health savings account  
  • Life or accidental death and dismemberment insurance  
  • Voluntary accident, critical illness, legal, or vision insurance.  

Carefully review your Open Enrollment guide and choose the best benefit plans for your family. You may not change the above benefits outside of the Open Enrollment period unless you have a qualifying life event, so please review your options and take action in October.  
 

STEP 2: Review important updates and reminders for the 2027 plan year.  

We encourage you to review all important updates and reminders.  Learn more about the highlighted updates below on page 6 of your  Open Enrollment guide.   

Important Highlights: 

  • As a reminder, you no longer need to complete the spouse/other eligible individual (OEI) to continue coverage for your spouse/OEI. If you currently cover a spouse/OEI on your health plan, their coverage will automatically continue in 2027 without any action.  
    • However, the spouse/OEI premium threshold requirement still applies. To enroll your spouse/other eligible individual (OEI) in MSU coverage, your spouse/OEI must enroll in coverage through their own current or former employer (e.g., a retiree health plan), if the annual premium cost for single-person coverage is $1,850 or less. You may still cover your spouse/OEI on your MSU health coverage as a secondary plan. Please review the  Open Enrollment FAQs  for more information about. If you and your spouse/OEI both work at MSU, the premium threshold does not apply. 
  • Please note the minor change to access the Open Enrollment application within the EBS portal. Review Open Enrollment Instructions for more information. 

STEP 3: Participate in the MSU Benefits Fair or an HR Site Lab.  

  • MSU Benefits Fair: Join us on Thursday, October 22, from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. at the Jack Breslin Student Events Center on campus. MSU benefit providers and HR staff will be available to answer questions and help you enroll in your benefits on-site. Flu shot appointments are available by appointment only. Find a link to make a flu shot appointment.   
  • HR Site Labs: MSU HR will offer in-person and virtual site labs throughout October. Consider attending if you have questions about your benefit options or need assistance with enrollment.   
     

STEP 4: Make your changes online before October 31.  

You must participate in Open Enrollment between October 1 and 31 (view enrollment instructions) to change your benefit selections.  

We hope this checklist is helpful as you prepare for and participate in Open Enrollment this year. You can find all the details about Open Enrollment on the HR website, including links to the appropriate Open Enrollment guide, enrollment instructions, and detailed benefits information from our providers.  

Questions? We’re happy to help! We encourage you to attend the  MSU Benefits Fair or an  HR Site Lab to ask questions. You may also contact MSU Human Resources at SolutionsCenter@hr.msu.edu or 517-353-4434 (toll free: 800-353-4434). 

Process flow

September is Self-Improvement Month

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This September, make yourself a priority and celebrate Self-Improvement Month! From learning something new to maximizing your strengths to focusing on your physical or emotional well-being, there are endless ways to grow. Celebrate this month and the months ahead by exploring these MSU resources. 

Breathe In, Branch Out – Explore MSU’s Campus

Explore our beautiful campus or take a stroll through the East Lansing area. Walking is great exercise, but it can also improve your mental and emotional well-being. Opportunities include: 

Sign Up for a Professional Development Course

  • Identify and Maximize Your Strengths: Tap into your unique talents and complete the CliftonStrengths Assessment. Learn more about your natural patterns of thinking, feeling, and behaving, and how they apply to your role in the workplace. This workshop will take place on September 24. 
  • The Power of Habit: Learn how habits are created and how to replace undesirable habits with productive ones. You will learn how to spot your habit loop, turn bad days into good data, and create habits that get the results you want. This virtual course will be held on October 27. 
  • Breaking Free From Stress:  This four-part series explores how becoming aware of your own thoughts can bring your personal and work life together. Become a wise leader of your personal and work life, move beyond anxiety and depression, stay steady in difficult times, embrace change, and more in this series.
  • Strengths-Based Leadership Course: Looking to maximize your strengths and become a more supportive leader? Join HR’s Organization and Professional Development team on Thursday, October 29 to learn new ways to manage more effectively, meet your goals, and improve your team’s success. 
  • Find books, videos, courses, and more on elevateU, a free online learning resource for MSU employees.
  • MSU IT Educational Technology offers a variety of valuable resources and technology training for the MSU community.

Desk Decompress

Join University Health and Well-being on Mondays for full-body and Thursdays for upper-body Desk Decompress. From now through December 17th, take a few minutes to join one of these sessions to stretch and strengthen your neck, spine, wrists, and shoulders, all from the comfort of your own desk! 

Mindfulness and Meditation Resources

Join University Health and Well-being on September 9 for Mindful STATE Day, an opportunity to develop or strengthen your mindfulness practices around some of MSU’s beloved landmarks. Whether you drop in during a midday break, access a webinar from your desk, or participate in a full movement session, you can invest in your well-being for the new academic year. 

Spartan Resilience Courses

From September through December, University Health and Well-being is offering various virtual Spartan Resilience courses at no cost and open to anyone! These courses invite you to build your own framework for resilience, recognize elements of burnout and stress cycles, understand shame, and build resilience skills overall. 

Job of the Week graphic for Senior Compensation Specialist

Job of the Week: Senior Compensation Specialist

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This week’s featured job is for a Senior Compensation Specialist/ Senior Human Resources Professional I for MSU Human Resources (1164474). If you thrive in a fast-paced environment and have experience resolving complex situations, collaborating, and paying close attention to detail, this may be the job for you.

The Senior Compensation Specialist/Senior Human Resources Professional I allows a hybrid work schedule. You will serve as a knowledgeable HR resource who is skilled at partnering with leaders and HR professionals. This role interprets complex compensation concepts, recommendations, and decisions to varied audiences.  

In this position, you will conduct position reviews, desk audits, and analyze survey results and market data to determine percentile positioning. As a Senior Compensation Specialist/Senior Human Resources Professional I, you will join a dedicated group of HR professionals, partner with leaders on meaningful workforce initiatives, and help shape programs that support thousands of employees. You’ll also work closely with department leaders and HR partners to gather information and develop well-supported classification recommendations. Find a complete list of responsibilities in the job posting.

This position requires a bachelor’s degree in human resources administration, business statistics, or a related field. Three to five years of work experience is required in a related field or experience in compensation and job classification administration. You should also have experience conducting compensation assessments, benchmarking positions, and analyzing and interpreting market data. Find a complete list of required and desired qualifications in the job posting.

Learn more about MSU Human Resources here. To learn more or apply for this position, please visit the MSU Careers Website. Applications require a cover letter and resume/CV and should be submitted by September 15, 2026.

Job of the Week Graphic for the Admissions Visit Coordinator with the top of Beaumont Tower in the sun on the right.

Job of the Week: Admissions Visit Coordinator

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This week’s featured job is an Admissions Visit Coordinator/Project/Event Coordinator for the Office of Admissions (job posting 10051016). If you are experienced in event planning, communication, and/or public relations and are interested in a unique way to support students, this may be the role for you.

The Admissions Coordinator assists in the planning, coordination, execution, and evaluation of Admissions programming. You will serve as liaison for key campus constituents who participate in and contribute to admissions programs. This role collaborates with marketing to prepare event publications, evaluations and post-event notes, so event planning experience and attention to detail are desired qualifications. 

In this position, you’ll examine data and current research to evaluate program needs and results and use those findings to help create and execute training for staff participants at campus events. You’ll also maintain inventory levels and order supplies as necessary while acting as liaison between vendors and users to obtain requested materials. Find a complete list of responsibilities in the job posting. 

This position requires a bachelor’s degree in public relations, communication, business, or a related field. Work experience required includes at least one year of related work experience in event planning or admissions and will also require experience in word processing, database, spreadsheet, desktop publishing, and/or presentation software.  Find a complete list of required and desired qualifications in the job posting. 

Learn more about the Office of Admissions here. To learn more or apply for this position, please visit the MSU Careers Website. Applications require a cover letter and resume/CV, and should be submitted by September 8, 2026

Broad art museum at night, lit up from the inside

September Events Round-Up

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September is here and campus has come roaring back to life! If you and your family are looking for activities to kick off the academic year in style, you’ve come to the right place. Check out these upcoming events for you and your family, and use the links below to learn more and register where required.

Campus Events

September 9 – MSU Museum Fall Opening Celebration: Celebrate the start of the fall semester at the MSU Museum from 4:00-7:00 p.m. with the opening of new exhibitions including Reality Check and Gaawii Eta-Go Aawizinoo Gaawiye Mkakoons / It’s Not Just a Quill Box. Register for free!

September 17 – BealFest: Mark your calendars from 4:00-7:00 p.m. for Beal’s annual fall celebration! Details are TBD, but you can count on a fun day full of activities in a beautiful campus space. Check back for updates.

September 18 – MSU Broad Art Museum Fall Opening Party: Join MSU’s Broad Art Museum and MSU Federal Credit Union from 6:00-10:00 p.m. for a museum-wide party that’s perfect for all ages. Check out our newest exhibitions while enjoying live performances, art-making activities—like screen printing your own tote bag—lawn games, and more. Register for free!

September 23 – Beal Footprints: Fall Blooms and Foliage: Join Beal in a walk, exploring the garden as it begins its transition from summer to fall. The event is from 12:10-1:00 p.m. What a great way to spend your lunch break! Register for free!

Ongoing – Spartan Athletics: There are plenty of opportunities to cheer on the Spartans at home events all month, including women’s and men’s soccer, football, field hockey, women’s volleyball, cross country, and women’s golf. Ticket purchases are required for most athletic events.

Learning Opportunities with MSU HR

The following courses are available through the MSU Human Resources Organization and Professional Development team. Register through the EBS Portal using the “Courses for Employees at MSU” tile and leverage your Ed Assist benefit!

September 16 – Bystander Intervention: This one-hour interactive course, meeting virtually from 1:00-2:00 p.m., is designed to provide participants with strategies to prevent and interrupt problematic behavior associated with gender-based discrimination or harassment in the workplace.

September 17 – Roadmap to Retirement: If you are an MSU faculty or staff member and you have decided to retire within a year or two, you may want to consider attending the Roadmap to Retirement class. This half-day workshop, meeting in person from 8:30 a.m. to noon, covers a range of topics critical to your successful retirement.

September 23 – Everything DiSC Agile EQ: Available in person from 8:30 a.m. to noon, this course teaches participants to read the emotional and interpersonal needs of a situation and respond accordingly. Register through the EBS Portal and leverage your Ed Assist benefit!

September 29-October 1 – Getting Things Done: Getting Things Done is a three-day virtual program meeting from 9:00-11:30 a.m. each day, teaching skills to manage the constant flow of requests, tasks, and interruptions that face employees at all levels of an organization.

Greater Lansing Family-Friendly Events

Find dozens of family-friendly events happening in the Greater Lansing area in September and all year long at Lansing.org, where you’ll find farmers markets, festivals, car shows, and more.

September 9-13 – Charlotte Frontier Days: This annual event offers a variety of fun activities including a parade, rodeo, arts and crafts show, and more. View the full festival schedule and plan to check it out!

September 16-19 – Michigan BluesFest: Michigan BluesFest is an annual festival held in Old Town Lansing, bringing people together through the shared love of Blues Music. This festival has been a Lansing staple for over two decades and continues to be a Lansing favorite. Enjoy a weekend of energy, excitement, music, and coming together again as a community, where we can reconnect with old friends and make new ones.

September 17-20 – 517 Hispanic Heritage Weekend: Head to Downtown Lansing for a weekend of culture, community and celebration! All weekend long, Downtown comes alive with events, including a Wellness & Financial Empowerment Seminar, Latin Dance Class & Mixer, and a soulful Jazz Night—activating the corridor with energy, pride, and cultura. View the full schedule and RSVP for free!

September 25 – Movie Night in the Park: Bring your blankets and chairs to Towner Road Park in Haslett to watch a movie, spend time outdoors, and maybe indulge in a food truck treat! Event starts at 6:00 p.m. with the screening starting an hour before sunset.

September 26-27 – Dance by the River Powwow: More than an annual event, the powwow, a free event at Adado Riverfront Park in Lansing, brings Native families, elders, youth, artists, vendors, and community members together to reconnect, build relationships and strengthen cultural ties.

An indigenous family taking a walk on a wooded trail in the fall, without using screens.

Internet Self-Care Day: Try a Digital Detox!

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Phones, laptops, tablets – we all use them, and they have practically become part of us. The internet, social media, and endless online tools can be extremely helpful and effective in our everyday lives, but excessive screen time has become a growing concern. A study published by PubMed Central investigated the effects of reduced smartphone screen time on mental health indicators and concluded that mental health can improve through reduced smartphone use. The Mayo Clinic shares additional benefits of reduced screen time, including improved physical health, more free time, more social connection, boosted mood, and community building. 

There are plenty of ways to stay off your screen and regain your mental and physical well-being. In honor of Internet Self Care Day, we’ve compiled some resources and tricks we can all try to get a break from our screens. 

Slim your screen time – Try Mayo Clinic’s at-home, self-guided program designed to improve your health by reducing screen time over the next two months. Simply complete at least 30 of their 100 suggested activities in the next 60 days. Try their warm and sunny activities as we end summer and move into the cooler weather of fall. 

Commit to a screen-free bedroom – According to the National Alliance on Mental Illness, screen time within an hour of bedtime can negatively impact sleep. To help reduce screen time before bed, remove chargers from the bedroom and set up a charging station elsewhere, such as the kitchen. Then find a good book to read and put that in your phone’s place by the bed instead! 

Set limits on your smartphone – Try scheduling downtime, setting screen time limits, or limit certain smartphone applications to help reduce overall screen time. Setting limits before bed or during times when you should be focused on other tasks, like during the workday or family dinnertime, would be a great place to start. Review this article from Apple to schedule downtime on an iPhone, or this article from Google to set up Digital Wellbeing. 

Challenge yourself to an outing without your phone – The Newport Institute shares tips for a digital detox, including planning tech-free activities. Start small and build up over time. Try taking a walk around your neighborhood without your phone. Then try running an errand, going to an appointment, or even going out with friends without your phone. You might find that you don’t miss it as much as you’d think! 

Leverage available mental health resources at MSU – As an MSU employee, you have access to the Employee Assistance Program through University Health and Wellbeing. The Employee Assistance Program offers Michigan State University free, confidential support for mental health, work-life concerns, and life challenges. EAP services are available to faculty, staff, retirees, and graduate assistants, as well as their spouses, partners, and benefits-eligible children.

Your EAP benefit includes one to six sessions of counseling per event. Appointments can be in-person or virtual, and the choice is always yours. The EAP uses a HIPAA-compliant Zoom account to maintain confidentiality for our clients.

Join the conversation and tell us how you’re recognizing Internet Self-Care Day!

Job of the Week: Talent Pipeline Training Program Manager

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This week’s featured job is a Talent Pipeline Training Program Manager for University Advancement (job posting 1155079). If you are a collaborative, detail-oriented, and innovative professional with a background in developing and implementing experiential learning programs, this may be the role for you.

The Training Program Manager is responsible for the planning, coordination, implementation, and continuous improvement of talent pipeline programs designed to introduce and develop future fundraising professionals. This role serves as the central coordinator for program operations and participant development, ensuring a high-quality experience that supports recruitment, onboarding, professional growth, and retention of emerging advancement talent.

In this position, you will partner with University Advancement leaders, subject matter experts, and participating units to create meaningful learning experiences, coordinate program activities, track participant progress, and evaluate program outcomes. You will utilize research and benchmarking of other similar institutions and professional organizations (i.e., CASE, ALN, etc.) to create and implement first-year onboarding and/or probationary success measures. You will also continually improve, envision, and implement new components and assess opportunities to strengthen and expand the onboarding, student internship, and mentoring programs. Find a complete list of responsibilities in the job posting. 

This position requires a bachelor’s degree in educational systems development, instructional technology systems, instructional science, or a related field, along with three to five years of related experience. Advanced degrees and professional fundraising experience are preferred. Experience in developing and implementing experiential learning programs, as well as in designing and implementing internship, onboarding, leadership development, or talent pipeline programs, is also desired. Find a complete list of required and desired qualifications in the job posting. 

Learn more about MSU University Advancement here. To learn more or apply for this position, please visit the MSU Careers Website. Applications require a cover letter and resume/CV, and should be submitted by September 17, 2026.

A woman taking notes and using a laptop.

New Academic Year, New Professional Development Opportunities

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Fall is almost here, and HR’s Organization and Professional Development (OPD) team has spots open in the following courses to support your learning and development. Class enrollment is completed within the EBS Portal, and employees may use available educational assistance funds toward course fees (if any).

Personal Development

Bystander Intervention Training | September 16 | Virtual  
Learn strategies to prevent and interrupt problematic behavior associated with workplace harassment or discrimination. 

Getting Things Done | September 29 – October 1 | Virtual 
By learning how to capture, clarify, and organize incoming requests, participants are more likely to make strategic decisions about where to invest their time and energy in ways that improve results and decrease missed deadlines, mistakes, and stress. 

The Power of Habit | October 27 | Virtual
Discover how habits are created and how to replace undesirable habits with productive ones.

Breaking Free from Stress | Various Dates | In-Person 
Learn how to be less reactive to people and events in your life and form a deeper perspective of common sense and wisdom.

Roadmap To Retirement| September 17 | In-Person 
If you are an MSU faculty or staff member and you have decided to retire within a year or two, this half-day workshop covers a range of topics critical to your successful retirement.

Everything DiSC: Agile EQ | September 23 | In-Person
Discover your EQ strengths, recognize your EQ potential, and commit to customized strategies for building agility. You will take an assessment to better understand your personal responses to conflict. Pre-work must be completed before taking this course.

Leadership

Strengths Based Leadership | October 29 | In-Person   
Understand manager-specific strengths using the newly released CliftonStrengths for Managers Report. Your top strengths — the things you naturally do best — can help you manage more effectively, meet your goals, and improve your team’s success.

Culture, Connection, and Engagement

Building Awareness and Understanding Using the Intercultural Conflict Style Inventory (ICS) | November 3 and 4 | In-Person
Learn to recognize and effectively respond to cultural differences in communication and conflict styles.

MSU Foundations for Employee Excellence | Various Dates | In-Person
Recognizing that our greatest assets are the talented faculty and staff within our Spartan community, this program provides a highly interactive, creative, and intentional space for meaningful reflection and authentic dialogue to foster a culture of care, respect, and dignity.

Operational Excellence

Introduction to Process Mapping | September 16 | In-Person  
Learn how to define key process improvement terminology, reduce barriers to success, and create a process map.

Promapp Interactive Process Creation | September 23 | In-Person  
Learners will continue their process improvement journey and build upon the knowledge and skills learned in Introduction to Process Mapping.

You can find all current Organization and Professional Development courses on the HR website.

Job of the Week: Laboratory Technologist

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This week’s featured job is a Laboratory Technologist for the Veterinary Diagnostic Laboratory within the MSU College of Veterinary Medicine (job posting 1151223). If you have a background in laboratory science, enjoy working with animal health and diagnostics, and are interested in supporting veterinary research and care, this may be the role for you.

The Veterinary Diagnostic Laboratory (VDL), a service unit within the College of Veterinary Medicine, is a full-service and accredited laboratory for companion animals, horses, livestock, laboratory, zoo, and wildlife species. Additionally, the lab performs more than one million tests per year on samples submitted from all around Michigan, the United States, and more than 25 countries. 

In this position, you will process and test animal and environmental specimens to detect pathological bacteria and fungi. You will identify organisms, perform antimicrobial susceptibility testing, conduct laboratory assays and quality control testing, and enter and retrieve information using the Laboratory Information Management System. You will also communicate with clients and other laboratory personnel, operate and maintain laboratory equipment, and review standard operating procedures. Find a complete list of responsibilities in the job posting. 

This position requires a bachelor’s degree in microbiology, medical technology, clinical laboratory science, or a related field, along with one to three years of related experience in a diagnostic laboratory. MT, CLS, MLS (ASCP), or equivalent certification is preferred. Experience in diagnostic clinical bacteriology, antimicrobial testing, mycology, PCR, quality control, equipment maintenance, customer service, and Laboratory Information Management System is also desired. Find a complete list of required and desired qualifications in the job posting. 

Learn more about the Veterinary Diagnostic Laboratory. To learn more or apply for this position, please visit the MSU Careers Website. Applications require a cover letter, resume/CV, and contact information for three professional references and should be submitted by August 25.

Aerial view of MSU campus in the fall, featuring Beaumont Tower at the center.

From the AVP of HR: Welcome to a New Academic Year!

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Dear Spartan Colleagues,

As the fall semester begins, I want to extend a warm welcome and my sincere appreciation for all you do. Each new academic year brings fresh energy and opportunities, and it also offers a chance to reflect on what makes Michigan State such a remarkable institution.

What defines MSU is the extraordinary work happening every day across our campus and communities across the state and beyond. The education, research, outreach, and service carried out by our faculty and staff continue to make a meaningful difference in the lives of countless people, and that is something we can all be proud of.

As we begin a new academic year, we have an opportunity to build on that strength and continue supporting one another. At MSU Human Resources, our focus remains on creating a positive employee experience and fostering a workplace where people feel valued, supported, and empowered to thrive. We are proud of the many interactions we have with the MSU community in person, by phone, or via email, and of the work we do behind the scenes to enhance systems, processes, and policies focused on the employee experience.

Thank you for all you do to strengthen our university community each day. Your dedication, expertise and commitment help make Michigan State University a place where people can learn, grow, and succeed. I wish you a smooth and fulfilling start to the semester.

Go Green!

Donna Donovan, J.D.
Associate Vice President
MSU Human Resources