Job of the Week – Prospecting and Strategy Analyst

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This week’s job of the week is a Prospecting and Strategy Analyst (#614249) for MSU’s Innovation Center. This position is seeking an individual with the ability to act effectively as a member of a team – working with others to develop strategies and solutions, engaging in a culture of continuous learning and teaching with peers.

The responsibilities for this role include understanding and prioritizing partnerships with corporations, working under the guidance of the Associate Director of MSU Business-Connect, and focusing on University strengths to research priorities and map engagement points and value propositions for corporate partners. Additional responsibilities of this role include reviewing past and current partnerships to verify MSU strengths and explore the corporate research landscape to help guide future engagement strategy.

The ideal candidate would possess knowledge equivalent to that which normally would be acquired by completing a bachelor’s degree in Business, Journalism, Pre-law, History, Psychology or Information Science or related field. Three to five years of progressively more responsible or expansive work experience in research methods including online electronic searching, large mainframe databases, and PC-based software and relationship management software; or an equivalent combination of education and experience.

For more details on the responsibilities of this position, and to view all our current postings, visit careers.msu.edu. Internal applicants should access postings through the Careers @ MSU tile in the EBS Portal.

Get Support to Stop Tobacco, Nicotine and Vaping Use

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Would you like to stop using tobacco, nicotine or vaping products, but could use some support? There’s help for you right on campus! MSU’s Health4U Team operates a program called Breathe Easy, a free program focused solely on assisting individuals to quit using tobacco, nicotine and vaping products.

Breathe Easy combines several approaches, such as behavioral and nutritional support sessions and medical evaluations. Participants may elect to use conventional anti-smoking treatments or can attempt smoking cessation without medication. In order to be eligible, participants must be an MSU faculty, academic/support staff, graduate student employee, retiree, or their spouse or adult benefits-eligible family member. One participant had this to say about their experience with the program, “I am very pleased with my experience and success with the program. For the first time in maybe eight quit attempts, I am successful and remain smoke-free for over a year. The program’s educational support component combined with the medication proved to be the best formula for my success. The professional staff [is] very supportive, caring, and committed to providing the best care and knowledge to overcome smoking addiction.”

“For the first time in maybe eight quit attempts, I am successful and remain smoke-free for over a year.”

MSU Breathe Easy Program Participant

The next Breathe Easy session will begin Wed., Oct. 23 and run for six weeks. Employees are not required to use their own time accruals to participate in the Breathe Easy Program, as long as you are compliant with program participation requirements and your supervisor has approved release time for the program.

You can register for the upcoming session at 517-353-2596 or by emailing health4u@msu.edu. Find more information on this program at MSU’s Health4U website or visit Linton Hall, Room 113.

Job of the Week – Academic Program Coordinator

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This week’s job of the week is an Academic Program Coordinator (#611080) for MSU’s College of Social Science, specifically in the Department of Psychology. This position is seeking an individual to assist the Program Evaluation Master’s and Certificate Program director with managing recruitment, admissions, enrollment, graduation, and other general operational functions within the Department of Psychology.

The responsibilities for this role include managing the program website content, coordinating marketing activities, documenting administrative procedures and policies, and collecting, managing, and reporting on program data. Additional responsibilities of this role include assisting prospective students with the application process, processing admission decisions, preparing application materials for the admissions committee, and monitoring and processing documentation for graduation.

The ideal candidate would possess knowledge equivalent to that which normally would be acquired through the first two or three years of college, such as an associate’s degree in business, education, higher education, psychology or a related field which corresponds to the area of employment; one to three years of related and progressively more responsible or expansive work experience in university/college/academic admissions or related administrative position; or an equivalent combination of education and experience.

For more details on the responsibilities of this position, and to view all our current postings, visit careers.msu.edu. Internal applicants should access postings through the Careers @ MSU tile in the EBS Portal.

Ready to Use Your Educational Assistance Benefit? Make Sure Your Application is Approved First.

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Have you come across an interesting course or conference that you know would help you grow in your career but aren’t sure how to pay for the registration fees? Remember, if you’re an MSU support staff employee, you have access to Educational Assistance. This benefit offers financial assistance (up to $800) to receive reimbursement for registration fees for credit or non-credit courses that are job-related and from an approved institution/program. Non-credit courses include opportunities such as conferences, workshops, seminars, or trainings. Find more details about your Educational Assistance benefit here.

In order to use the benefit, you must submit an application and be approved prior to the course start date. To make sure you or your department gets reimbursed for the registration fees, you should apply and be approved for educational assistance before you pay any registration fees up front.

Process to Apply for Educational Assistance

  1. Find and Discuss the Course with Your Supervisor: If you find a non-credit or credit course that you’re interested in taking, talk to your supervisor about how it will help you grow in your career. Consider tying the course to one of your Performance Excellence goals.
  2. Submit an Educational Assistance Application Early: If your supervisor agrees that you should take the course, submit an Educational Assistance application via the EBS Portal. Login to the portal, click on My Career and Training, click the Educational Assistance System tile, then select the correct application type from the Apply tab in the top navigation. Please note the following:
    • Credit Courses: submit an application 60 days prior to the first day of the course for MSU credit courses or 30 days prior to the first day for all other credit courses.
    • Non-Credit Courses (training, conferences, etc.): submit an application 30 days prior to the first day of the course.
  3. Supervisor Reviews Application: Your application will be sent to your supervisor for approval. You will receive a confirmation email after they approve your application. The application is then sent to MSU Human Resources (HR).
  4. MSU HR Reviews Application: Your application will be reviewed for final approval. You will be notified within 15 days (after receipt of application to MSU HR) if the request has been approved or denied. 

How to Receive Reimbursement

After your application is approved, you’re all set to attend your course! After you finish your course, you’ll need to submit documents to receive reimbursement. You can find more details about Educational Assistance reimbursement for a credit course or non-credit course on the HR website.

Please note: you do not need to submit an Educational Assistance application for courses offered by HR Organization and Professional Development.

Questions? Find more Educational Assistance information on the HR website. Contact the Solutions Center at SolutionsCenter@hr.msu.edu or 517-353-4434 with any further questions.

Job of the Week – Football Athletic Equipment Coordinator

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This week’s job of the week is a Football Athletic Equipment Coordinator (#607327) for MSU’s Intercollegiate Athletics Department. This position is seeking an individual who will receive and issue athletic apparel and supplies in conjunction with the needs of MSU’s football team.

The responsibilities for this role include determining equipment needs and specifications, making budget recommendations, researching products, meeting with manufacturer representatives and vendors, and initiating paperwork to purchase athletic equipment in order to maintain adequate inventory levels. Additional responsibilities of this role include maintaining a computerized inventory system, organizing all locker room needs for both MSU student athletes and visiting team athletes, and supervising the daily activity of student employees and student managers.

The ideal candidate would possess knowledge equivalent to that which normally would be acquired by completing a bachelor’s degree in physical education, athletic administration or related field with relevant coursework in business; one to three years of related and progressively more responsible or expansive work experience in equipment management, purchasing and fitting at a Division I school; knowledge and experience working with computers and software applications; or an equivalent combination of education and experience. The job also requires certification by the Athletic Equipment Managers’ Association or completion of certification within two years of hire.

For more details on the responsibilities of this position, and to view all our current postings, visit careers.msu.edu. Internal applicants should access postings through the Careers @ MSU tile in the EBS Portal.

Nominate a deserving colleague for the Jack Breslin Distinguished Staff Award

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Do you work alongside someone who exemplifies overall excellence in their job and contributions to the MSU community? Give them the recognition they deserve by nominating them for the Jack Breslin Distinguished Staff Award! This annual award is presented to six university support staff members selected by the Jack Breslin Distinguished Staff Award Selection Committee.

For over 40 years, 253 recipients have been honored and YOU now have the opportunity to nominate someone for one of the most prestigious awards granted to employees at Michigan State University!

Nomination forms are due on October 17, 2019. Click here to learn more about the award.

Watch the videos below to learn more about the 2019 Jack Breslin Distinguished Staff Award winners:

Job of the Week – Accountant I

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This week’s job of the week is an Accountant I (#609724) for the Office of the Vice President for Auxiliary Enterprises, specifically in the Finance and Business Office. This position is seeking an individual with a strong work ethic to serve as backup to the assistant controller and be assigned as the Fiscal Officer Delegate to assist with account reconciliation for several accounts within one of the business units.

The responsibilities for this role include providing accounting controls for departmental budgets that exceed $20 million of expenses in some units, offering assistance to departmental staff with accounting concerns and monitoring the activities of the department in order to assist in the basic operational functioning. Additional responsibilities of this role include supporting the financial and operational activities of the Residential and Hospitality Services (RHS) Business and Financial Services office assigned to focus on Residence Education and Housing Services (REHS).

The ideal candidate would possess knowledge equivalent to that which normally would be acquired by completing a four-year college degree program in accounting; one to three years of related and progressively more responsible or expansive work experience in financial statement and report preparation, general ledger accounting and budgeting; or an equivalent combination of education and experience.

For more details on the responsibilities of this position, and to view all our current postings, visit careers.msu.edu. Internal applicants should access postings through the Careers @ MSU tile in the EBS Portal.

graphic representing medical care

Thinking about your 2023 benefits options? Consider the Consumer Driven Health Plan with Health Savings Account.

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This article was updated in 2022 with information for the 2023 plan year.

As you think about the best benefits options for you and your family for the 2023 plan year, we encourage eligible employees to look at the Consumer Driven Health Plan (CDHP) with Health Savings Account (HSA) option. If you do not anticipate having a lot of health care needs for the 2023 plan year and are looking for a sound strategy to save for your retirement health care, this plan may be the most cost-effective option for you.

This health plan is currently only available to faculty, academic staff, executive management, POAM, and non-union support staff with an employment percentage equal to or greater than 50% and an appointment for nine months or more. You may also enroll your benefits-eligible dependents.

About the Consumer Driven Health Plan

While you pay a deductible ($2,000/single and $4,000/ family) first before the plan pays medical and prescription benefits, preventive care and certain generic medications for chronic conditions (asthma, cholesterol, diabetes, and anti-hypertensives) are 100% covered with no deductible or co-pays when using an in-network provider. Review the Health Plan Coverage Summary in the applicable Open Enrollment guide to anticipate your annual costs under this plan – you may find that most of your annual medical costs are 100% covered:

This plan limits the maximum amount you pay for any covered services in a year to $3,000/single and $6,000/ family using in-network providers. After expenses reach this amount, you do not have to pay for any other health care costs for covered services, including prescription drugs.

About the Health Savings Account

Along with the CDHP, you should enroll for the HSA— not to be confused with the Health Care Flexible Spending Account (HCFSA)—during Open Enrollment in October. MSU contributes up to $750 to the HSA each year (prorated by employment percentage) and you may add funds to the HSA tax-free. You can use these HSA funds to pay for any eligible medical expenses or doctor visits you do incur.

Note: If you do not enroll in the HSA during Open Enrollment, you will lose MSU’s contribution.

These contributions are triple tax-free! You make contributions pre-tax, your account balance earns interest tax-free, and your distributions are tax-free if they are used for eligible medical expenses. Do you have an existing HSA from a previous employer? You can add those funds into your new HSA. The money in the HSA is yours to take with you – even if you leave MSU for a different employer or retire. In fact, investing in your HSA now to use in your retirement is a sound strategy to fund your medical expenses in retirement.

How much should you contribute to an HSA?

It can be difficult to plan for health-related expenses, especially when taking unforeseen expenses into consideration. With HSA’s, however, figuring out how much to contribute is rather simple — as much as you can within IRS contribution limits.

The current 2022 IRS contribution limits are:

  • $3,650 for single
  • $7,300 for family

The 2023 plan year IRS contribution limits are:

  • $3,850 for single
  • $7,750 for family
  • And those 55 or older can contribute even more

Remember, any funds you don’t use immediately earn interest tax-free and can be used by you and your dependents for medical expenses incurred in retirement.

It might make you feel uneasy to contribute as much as you can, but when you consider the tax savings and retirement benefits, it feels more realistic.

Questions? Learn more about the CDHP with HSA plan on the HR website. Also, consider participating in the MSU Benefits Fair or an HR Site Lab in during Open Enrollment in October to ask us questions about this health care plan. Please note: the HR building is not available for drop-ins.

The Solutions Center is available to answer questions via phone or email. In-person assistance is available by appointment only. Email:SolutionsCenter@hr.msu.edu
Phone: 517-353-4434
Toll Free: 800-353-4434

Happy National Online Learning Day!

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September 15 is National Online Learning Day! Online learning provides convenience, flexibility, and personalization for all learners. Did you know MSU offers FREE online learning opportunities for all faculty and staff? Get access to online resources including books, videos, courses, and more via elevateU. 

Access elevateU here or log into EBS and look for the “elevateU” tile under the “My Career & Training” tab. You can access elevateU from your computer or through the Skillsoft Learning App for Android and iOS devices.  

There are programs that cover leadership, IT & desktop, business, finance, human resources, change management, project management, interpersonal skills and so much more. Resources are available in a variety of formats: 

  • Video-based and interactive courses 
  • Videos 
  • Books 
  • Resources to prepare for various professional certifications 

Watch the following video for a general overview of the resources available to you and how to access them:

Need help navigating elevateU? Click here for an additional video on how to use the search function and navigate through the resources available. 

Utilize the resources as reference tools to help answer your day-to-day job questions or as part of your ongoing personal and professional development. Many of the courses are even approved for Continuing Education credits! Remember, all courses are available to current staff and faculty at no charge.  

Happy National Online Learning Day! 

Job of the Week – Medical Laboratory Technician

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This week’s job of the week is a Medical Laboratory Technician (#607197) for The College of Veterinary Medicine, specifically in the Veterinary Diagnostic Laboratory. This position is seeking an individual with excellent verbal communication skills to provide support to technical and professional staff by preparing specimens for diagnostic analysis.

The responsibilities for this role include processing/testing specimens from animals and the environment to detect the presence of inorganic and organic chemicals, as well as preparing media/reagents for use by several laboratory sections. Additional duties associated with this position involve walking, lifting, pushing, pulling, reaching, climbing and working with unfixed animal tissues.

The ideal candidate would possess knowledge equivalent to that which normally would be acquired by completing a four-year college degree program in science or a two-year associates degree program in Applied Science Medical Laboratory Technician including a six-month internship at an approved institution laboratory; up to six months of related and progressively more responsible or expansive work experience in basic laboratory techniques; or an equivalent combination of education and experience. The job may require specialty certifications, approvals, or training.

For more details on the responsibilities of this position, and to view all our current postings, visit careers.msu.edu. Internal applicants should access postings through the Careers @ MSU tile in the EBS Portal.