Category: Fun & Resources

Learn about fun and/or interesting things to do around MSU or interesting bits of MSU trivia.

Have You Heard About Care.com?

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The WorkLife Office helps the university community be productive on campus while managing the inevitable demands of personal life. An example of a service provided through the office is Care.com.  This is a resource for the MSU community that can help you find childcare, housekeepers, pet care, senior/elder care support, even house sitters. Work-life issues are complex and diverse. Care.com is a tool that enables MSU staff, faculty and students to be high performing while solving the work-life puzzle of needs throughout the lifecycle, from childcare to elder care.

The Care.com website allows you to view detailed profiles of care providers and you can search according to your requirements: ZIP code, experience, hourly rate, availability and more. Care.com gives individuals 24/7 access to qualified care providers for every day, occasional or back-up care. Users can either search for providers or post a job to have candidates apply directly.

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Care.com is concerned about security and therefore includes safeguards. They conduct criminal background checks, and provide reviewed profiles and recorded references, which adds confidence when you make decisions regarding personal family care needs.

Measures of success

The MSU community has embraced Care.com. In a recent survey, 87% of respondents who tried to hire help through Care.com succeeded, and 95% of MSU respondents said they would recommend Care.com to a friend or colleague at the university.

How do you access the service?

Enter the MSU portal so you will not be charged for the service, then log in with your MSU Net ID to be identified as an MSU affiliate.

The search service is free, wages for care providers are negotiated between the provider and the user.

Want to Become Nicotine- or Tobacco-Free?

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Are you thinking about quitting tobacco or nicotine products? If so, you should consider attending an information session about the MSU Breathe Easy: Tobacco & Nicotine Cessation program.

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Take control of your tobacco or nicotine addiction, register for Breathe Easy today!

Quitting tobacco and nicotine products is extremely difficult. That being said, this program is available to provide the support that you need to make this change. Nearly 30 percent of MSU Breathe Easy participants have remained nicotine free. This is an excellent figure when you consider the fact that other cessation methods report success rates between 3 and 12 percent.

The next information session is Wednesday, January 25, 2017 from 1:30 p.m. – 3:00 p.m. in the Olin Student Health Services Building. To register for the information session, you and/or your adult benefits-eligible family members should call Health4U at 517-353-2596, send an email to Health4U@msu.edu or register in person at 330 Olin Health Center.

Attending this information session does not obligate you to enroll in the Breathe Easy program. This session is only meant to provide you with information so you can decide if the program is the right fit for you. Both the information session and the Breathe Easy program are free for benefits-eligible MSU employees and their adult benefits-eligible family members. The total time commitment for the program is 17 hours, which is spread out over the course of the 15-month program commitment. You will not be required to use your own time accruals to participate in the Breathe Easy program, so long as you are compliant with attendance at the meetings and your supervisor approves release time.

A limited number of off-campus employees now have the option to participate in the program via teleconferencing. Participants will join the information session, support sessions and medical-related sessions through Zoom. If you’re interested in participating remotely, let Health4U know when you register for the information session.

Year-end Records Tips for Tax Filing

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For some, the end of December brings the need to de-clutter and reorganize their lives before the new year. Unlike many habits, this practice is one people should pick up, especially when pertaining to tax records. TurboTax offers several tips for year-end records and tax filing that can help make April a little easier.

The first tip is to start tracking paperless records as they arrive. Create a spreadsheet dedicated to tax records, and don’t forget items like expense titles, check numbers, payee names, dollar amounts and dates. Also be sure to track potential deductions such as charitable donations, outlays for health care, job-search expenses and unreimbursed work expenses.

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Next, try to think about deductions throughout the year, especially with life events you experience. Maybe keep a mileage log in your car to record the miles you use for volunteering, work, business or medical appointments. Be sure to keep cash receipts that document transportation, charitable work, job-search and other tax-deductible activities. Also, keep documents related to events like the birth or adoption of a child, marriage, death of a spouse or divorce, and buying a home.

Tax returns and supporting documents should be kept for at least seven to 10 years, but consider shredding anything past then. Creating a system for tracking and organizing your tax records, potential deductibles and other documents, while updating it throughout the year, will help make the days leading up to April 18 a little less stressful.

Winter Break Dining Hall Hours

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Now that fall semester is over, students will be leaving for winter break and the dining halls on campus will be altering their hours.

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Student employees work at The Gallery. Photo courtesy of Communications and Brand Strategy.

The dining hall hours for winter break are as follows:

December 17-22:

Brody Square and The Edge at Akers are open 8 a.m. to 9 a.m., 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. and 5 p.m. to 7 p.m.

December 23 – January 2:

All dining halls are closed.

January 3:

Brody Square and The Edge at Akers are open 8 a.m. to 9 a.m., 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. and 5 p.m. to 7 p.m.

January 4-6:

Brody Square and The Edge at Akers are open 8 a.m. to 9 a.m., 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. and 5 p.m. to 7 p.m.

Riverwalk Market at Owen is open 7:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.

January 7:

Brody and Akers are open 8 a.m. to 9 a.m., 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. and 5 p.m. to midnight.

Riverwalk Market at Owen is open 11 a.m. to 11 p.m.

Heritage Commons at Landon, The Vista at Shaw and Holmes are open 5 p.m. to 8 p.m.

South Pointe at Case is open 5 p.m. to 9 p.m.

The Gallery at Snyder / Phillips and Wilson are open 5 p.m. to midnight.

January 8:

Normal hours resume.

To find additional information about winter break dining hours, visit the Eat at State website.

Get to Know ALEX

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Do you still have questions about your benefits? ALEX is available to help!

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To learn more about ALEX, click here.

ALEX is a virtual benefits counselor that is
provided by MSU HR to walk you through everything you need to know about your benefit options. Even though open enrollment has ended for the 2017 plan year, ALEX can still be used in order to learn more about your benefits.

When you first navigate to ALEX, it will ask you some basic questions in order to figure out which benefit plans apply to your situation. You then have the opportunity to go through and take a closer look at all of the plan options. ALEX will give you the choice to learn more about each plan or to move on to the next section. There is also a menu bar on the side if you want to skip around and learn about certain plans.

It is important to note that ALEX is strictly an educational tool; you are not able to enroll for any benefits through this tool. Enrollment must still be completed through the EBS portal. To navigate to ALEX, visit the HR website and select the link under the section that applies to you (faculty and academic staff, support staff, variable hour employees or graduate assistants). Be sure to take advantage of this helpful interactive tool!

2016 Outstanding Supervisor Award Recipients

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MSU Human Resources would like to congratulate the 2016 Outstanding Supervisor Award recipients!

The University-wide award was established to draw attention to MSU supervisors who are highly regarded by their employees for their consistent support of the work/life (professional/personal) needs of their employees.  Previously established by the former Family Resource Center in the spring of 2001, this award is now managed through the WorkLife Office. Various academic and support staff units submitted excellent nominations this year. The nominees and nominators represent a wide variety of departments and position levels.

In celebration of “National Bosses Day and Work & Family Month” the recipients were honored at surprise celebrations with their staff and family held on various dates surrounding National Boss’s Day on October 16.

This year’s five winners include:

Karen Crosby – Chief Financial Officer, Deans Office, College of Human Medicinekaren-crosby-team

“Karen has fostered a culture of support and respect. The office is a very positive place to work, and I feel our team is professional, personable and high performing.”

 

 

 

Amy Driver – Data Entry Supervisor, Enterprise Information Stewardshipamy-driver-team

“[Amy] assumes and believes in the excellence of our staff which empowers us all, and has created a work environment that makes me want to come to work every day.”

 

 

 

Sherman Garnett – Dean, James Madison Collegesherman-garnett

“Whether there is a need for flexible hours, for a long time away to care for loved ones, or our own health issues, Dean Garnett has created a productive and engaging environment where faculty and staff know that they are respected, listened to and cared for.”

 

 

Jessica Nakfour – Management Analyst, MSU Extension Director’s Office jessica-nakfour-team

“[Jessica] is a cheerleader who motivates me to be a better employee.”

 

 

 

 

Jeremy Wilson – Director, Center for Anti-Counterfeiting and Product Protection, Jeremy Wilson Team.JPGSchool of Criminal Justice

“Jeremy has high expectations of high quality work that are balanced with the desire to  attend to the needs at home”

 

 

 

 

MSU is proud to have leaders who support the balance between work and personal well-being. Thank you for making our university a great place to work!

 

 

TIAA Visa Gift Card Challenge

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Sometimes a little knowledge goes a long way. At least that’s what happened to Eric Strouse of IPF Safety and Security Services who stopped by retirement vendor TIAA’s table at the Big Ten Network MSU vs. Wisconsin game tailgate on September 24. Eric simply tested his knowledge about financial life and work fundamentals and won TIAA’s Apple Watch sweepstakes.

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TIAA sweepstakes winner, Eric Strouse, is a proud new owner of an Apple Watch!

You too can be entered to win amazing prizes through TIAA’s educational challenge quiz. Now through December 15, each time you play, you are entered for a chance to win one of 60 $25 Visa gift cards. Take the challenge as many times as you’d like, and learn something new about work life and finances each time. Put your knowledge to the test today!

 

Spartan Spirit: Homecoming 2016

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When the air begins to crisp, the leaves start to change and football season is in full swing, there comes an overwhelming sense of pride that falls over campus. This sensation is known as Homecoming. Students, alumni, staff, faculty, fans, friends and family are brought together by the mutual love and respect of Michigan State.

The Homecoming Game vs. Northwestern Wildcats is on Saturday, October 15, but the festivities will take place all week. Events like Hayrides and History, a “Game of the Century” viewing party and Dairy Store ice cream at The Rock will begin on Monday, October 10 and continue throughout the week. A full list of events can be found on the Alumni Association website.

The 2016 Homecoming Parade begins at 6 p.m. on Friday October 14. Starting at the Hannah Community Center, the parade will be led by Grand Marshals Tom and Lupe Izzo, and will travel down Abbot to Grand River and turn on to campus at the Collingwood entrance. Traffic on campus will be extra busy before the parade, and several roads will be closed, so you may want to leave work a little earlier than usual.

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The Homecoming parade is always a Spartan Community favorite

Don’t forget the tradition of “glowing green”! Spartans anywhere in the world can show their school spirit by switching their front porch, window or any light with a green bulb for the week. Submit your “Glow Green!” photos on the MSU Alumni Association’s Facebook page, or use #GlowGreen on Twitter or Instagram for a chance to win prizes.

The leaves may no longer be green, but our hearts always are.

EBS Portal: Personal Profile Tips

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If you haven’t logged onto EBS in a while, you’ll notice that the portal has been refreshed! We encourage everyone to become familiar with the new look and navigation before open enrollment begins on October 1.Refreshed EBS Portal

To help you navigate the refreshed EBS portal, there is a robust EBS Help website. The site is also accessible once you’re in the portal by clicking the help icon.

While the focus of the refreshed portal is improved navigation, there is a new Personal Profile application for employees. Learn more below.

How to access personal information:

Once you log onto EBS, you will see a menu bar on the left side of your screen. To access personal information, you will click on the “My Personal Information” tab.

This tab brings you to the Personal Information homepage. To access information related to you and your employment, click on the “Personal Profile” tile on the far left.

Once you are on the Personal Profile page, you are able to view items such as your bank information, emergency contact information, and tax withholdings.  New in the refreshed EBS portal, you can also see your salary data, retirement eligibility and benefits eligibility. Retirement eligibility lists information relevant to when an employee can retire.  Benefits eligibility lists dates related to benefits, longevity, and long term disability.

You can update bank information and tax withholdings by clicking the pencil icon in the upper right hand corner of those sections and filling in the necessary information.

If you need additional help outside of the portal, you can contact the HR Solutions Center at 517-353-4434 or SolutionsCenter@hr.msu.edu.

Get to Know the New MSU WorkLife Office!

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Working for a university as large as Michigan State, it may be difficult at times to find the resources that you need to succeed both in your career and in your personal life. The new MSU WorkLife Office was created to address this problem and provide one location for faculty and staff to obtain answers and resources pertaining to both career and family life.

We had a chance to sit down and talk with Dr. Barbara Roberts, the executive director of the WorkLife Office, in order to learn more about this new resource. Dr. Roberts described that the WorkLife Office “is here to ensure that faculty and staff have what they need to do their jobs as productively as they can.”

The office has five main focus areas: Family Care, Career Transitions, Workplace Assistance, Relocation and Community Connections, and Research. If you are a faculty or staff member with questions in any of these areas, be sure to head to their website for more information.

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The MSU WorkLife Office is located in Linton Hall.

The WorkLife Office also sponsors many events throughout the year. One of those events, “Reflect and Connect: Navigating Life and Work Effectively in Challenging Times,” will take place next Friday, September 16. The WorkLife Office is co-hosting this event with the Employee Assistance Program and the Office for Inclusion and Intercultural Initiatives. “Reflect and Connect is an opportunity for people to come together and share what’s going on in the larger world beyond the campus and sometimes on the campus,” Dr. Roberts said.

Another upcoming event is the Fatherhood Forum, which will be held on Friday, September 30, at the Kellogg Center.

Since this is a brand new office, many people may have misconceptions about its purpose. “We are not replicating the services that other people are already doing,” Dr. Roberts said. “We are helping get people to those services. So we want to be the one-stop shop where you can come in and find out about everything on campus, put together your palette of resources that you need, and go out and paint your picture of work-life balance with the resources that are already here.”

The WorkLife Office strives to ensure inclusivity, she said. “One thing that we feel makes our office unique is our ability to focus a lens of diversity on work-life practices. So we look at, and we want to hear about, how concurrent work-life practices and benefits and resources on campus affect people from different populations.  So sometimes things that we take for granted as being useful to everyone aren’t as effective in a certain population, a cultural group, or faculty of color, or international faculty, or any group that wants to draw on those provisions but maybe they weren’t designed with those folks in mind necessarily. And so you say, well wait a second, this doesn’t work for me in my culture or faith tradition or whatever it is, and we want to hear about those gaps so that we can be sure that the provisions that we put in place to help you are helpful.”

The WorkLife Office is located in Linton Hall. Parking is available across the street at the Grand River ramp or in any of the staff parking lots around West Circle. Contact the office at 517-353-1635 or worklife@msu.edu. A tour of the WorkLife Office will be available on October 3 as part of their Open House to kick-off Work and Family month. Learn more about the Open House.