As the new academic year kicks off, many of you may already be wondering what days the university will be closed. We’re here to help! MSU HR has compiled a list of the important dates to keep in mind for this year.
If you want more information than we provide below, be sure to check out the full academic calendar, which is available on the Office of the Registrar’s website.
MSUÂ is closed Thursday, November 24, 2016 and Friday, November 25, 2016
MSUÂ is closed Friday, December 23, 2016 and Monday, December 26, 2016
MSUÂ is closed Friday, December 30, 2016 and Monday, January 2, 2017
MSUÂ is open, but classes are cancelled Monday, January 16, 2017
Spring Break is Monday, March 6, 2017 – Friday, March 10, 2017
Getting answers to your HR questions has never been easier. We are excited to announce that our new feature on the MSU Human Resources website has launched. Ask MSU Human Resources, also known as “Ask HR,” is an instant answer service found on multiple pages of our website. The service offers answers to hundreds of commonly asked questions. Simply type your query in the search bar and receive answers, along with links to supplemental information that could assist in your understanding of the issue. Ask HR also offers links to the top 10 most frequently asked questions to further simplify your experience.
To ensure users are getting the most out of this experience, the program uses widespread data analytics to track and monitor the types of questions being asked. We will be able to add and update answers as we receive questions from you. If Ask HR doesn’t have an answer for your question yet, it will provide contact information to our HR Solutions Center. We hope this service makes life a little easier for everyone. Get your questions answered today with Ask HR.
The Ask MSU Human Resources service found on hr.msu.edu.
The Facility for Rare Isotope Beams in July 2016. Photo courtesy of FRIB.
Chances are, you’ve passed by the ongoing construction on the corner of Wilson Road and Bogue Street. You might have been curious about research taking place in National Superconducting Cyclotron Laboratory, or what the under-construction Facility for Rare Isotope Beams has in store for the future. Now, you have the opportunity to get a sneak peek inside these state-of-the-art facilities.
The FRIB and NSCL will have an open house on Saturday, August 20, from 1 to 4 p.m. People of all ages are welcome. During the open house, you can expect the following:
Explore the fields of FRIB research with several hands-on activities and demonstrations.
Meet nuclear scientists as they talk about their work on the frontiers of rare-isotope research.
Tour the FRIB linear accelerator tunnel and surface building.
Tour the currently operational experimental areas in the National Superconducting Cyclotron Laboratory that will be used in FRIB experiments.
Enjoy some educational videos in the “FRIB Theater.”
This is the chance to step inside a facility that will be instrumental in the advancement of scientific knowledge; it’s a place for important research and discovery in the areas of rare isotopes, nuclear astrophysics and more.
No RSVP is required, through you can RSVP at the open house Facebook event. Both admittance and parking are free.
Freshman fall move-in. Photo courtesy of Communications and Brand Strategy.
Hopefully you have enjoyed these past quiet summer months, but it’s nearly time to get back into the swing of things. The essence of the university, students, arrive in the thousands just before classes begin on Wednesday, August 31. You have the opportunity to help MSU and the local community in a big way: by volunteering to help move students in and donating to Fill the Bus.
Last year, more than 500 people signed up with the Alumni Association to come back and help new Spartans move in to their residence halls. You can choose when and where to volunteer; pick a residence hall and a shift on Saturday, August 27 through Monday, August 29. Sunday will have the most need for volunteers.
Volunteers get a free T-shirt and a complimentary meal in one of the dining halls. Learn more and register here.
Does your supervisor understand the work/life balance? Is he/she supportive of each employee’s well-being and promote teamwork? You have the chance to nominate your supervisor for the 15th Annual Outstanding Supervisor Award for 2016. This award is presented by the MSU WorkLife office to honor supervisors who have consistently demonstrated work/life sensitivity and support of the professional and personal needs of the employees in his/her unit. The award is significant for reasons such as:
The managerial style of a supervisor has a direct impact on the quality of the employees’ work and their loyalty to the university. Any supervisor, at any employment level and from all staff and academic units, may be nominated.
When sincere consideration is given to an individual’s personal responsibilities outside the job, absenteeism may be reduced and morale and productivity are improved.
By recognizing supervisors who do it well, we are setting an example of what makes a good supervisor. This will serve as a model for others in hopes of positively impacting managerial practices across campus.
Members of the MSU community are invited to nominate a supervisor/administrator who consistently demonstrates qualities such as:
A positive leadership style which empowers others.
Humanizes the work environment and treats employees as people first.
Promotes teamwork while supporting individual’s well-being.
Treats everyone with dignity, respect and integrity.
Allows flexible schedules.
Understands work/life balance.
Sensitive to individual needs.
Gladys Raymond, Office of Sponsored Programs Manager, is pictured above with members of her staff. She was one of the 2015 award recipients.
Nominations are currently being accepted online now through Monday, August 29. The Outstanding Supervisor Award Committee will review the nominations, and the selected recipients will be honored with surprise celebrations on or around National Bosses Day on October 16, 2016. Visit the WorkLife Office website for additional information. For any questions, contact the MSU WorkLife Office at 517-353-1635 or email Stroml@msu.edu.
Eating is one of the great pleasures of life, but home cooking can pose many challenges without the right instruction, and it’s often difficult to find easy-to-prepare recipes. Health4U brings cooking know-how right to you with two on-campus instructional sessions: Kitchen Skill Drill and Recipe for Health Cooking Series. These instructional sessions are held on campus from 12:10 to 12:50 p.m., approximately once a month. They are presented by Health4U Nutritionist Peggy Crum and demonstrated by Corporate Chef for Culinary Services Kurt Kwiatkowski.
Kitchen Skill Drill demonstrations are held in the community kitchen in McDonel Hall. Chef Kurt will show you how to best perform a specific skill in the kitchen, such as grilling or knife safety. The session is free, and you get to sample the delicious food prepared in the kitchen. The next demonstration will be on September 20.
Recipe for Health Cooking Series demonstrations are held in the Brody Square Demonstration Kitchen. Chef Kurt demonstrates a recipe featured in the Recipe for Health Newsletter that comes out every month. These recipes revolve around a specific ingredient such as cheese, peanut butter or apples. Make sure you check out the upcoming demonstration on potatoes on Wednesday, August 10!
So take a well-deserved break in your day for some personalized cooking instruction. Ask questions, sample delicious food and learn a thing or two about healthy cooking that is easier than you think!
Whether you’re new to MSU or you’ve been on campus for awhile, you might be happy to know that there are a lot of very bike-friendly facilities and services that are available to help make your bicycling more convenient, as well as to encourage more people to ride bikes on and to/from campus for their commute.
MSU offers numerous bike-friendly facilities and services for commuters.
Ten years ago, the university established a full-service bike center know as the MSU Bikes Service Center, in the old canoe rental facility in the south-end of Bessey Hall, which is centrally located on campus. The Center offers a complete range of repairs, rentals and sales of new and used bikes, as well as accessories to keep you and your bike rolling safely. Visit the MSU Bikes website for more information. The Center is staffed by university employees and is open year-round, on weekdays from 10 a.m. – 5 p.m. Feel free to bring your bike inside when visiting for service. Click here for visitor car parking information and here for a map showing where we’re located.
Parking your bike outside while at work can be worrisome, especially if you ride a nicer bike. Thankfully, in addition to well over 8,000 outdoor bike parking racks outside every building on campus, there are secure bike parking garages in two locations: north and south in the car parking ramps on Trowbridge Road (Ramp 5) and on Grand River Avenue (Ramp 6). These parking facilities are membership-based and managed through the Center.
Concerned about showing up to work all sweaty? Free, dedicated full-size lockers and showers are available to bike commuters at the IM Circle. These lockers normally cost over $100/year to rent, but they’re free for your use by simply completing a short survey and providing your basic information.
Ever been out on campus riding and needed a common tool or an air pump to tweak your bike? We now have five new DIY bike stations around campus, one in each residential neighborhood.
Not sure which route to take to/from home in the Tri-County area? These maps show recommended routes and those to avoid, as well as all of the off-road pathways scattered around the area to help you find a safer way to, from and around campus. The Center stocks printed copies of these map booklets if you’d like a hard copy.
To learn where all of the on-campus bike facilities (bike lanes, secure bike parking, DIY repair stations, etc.) can be found, check out our current bike map of campus. More resources to help make your bicycling experience more enjoyable on and around the MSU campus can be found on the Commuter Resources section of our blog.
The 2016 Summer Olympic games start in just nine days! This year’s games will be in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil starting on Friday, August 5 with the opening ceremony and ending on Sunday, August 21 with the closing ceremony.
Many Spartan athletes prepare to compete in the 2016 Summer Olympics in Rio. Photo courtesy of Communications and Brand Strategy.
Did you know that this year there will be 306 events for 42 sports in over 37 venues, with 206 countries represented? Another fun fact for 2016 is that golf will be included again for the first time since 1904. With so many different events to watch, you’ll want to check your local t.v. listings to see what events your channels will feature. You can watch every event online via live streaming on NBCOlympics.com and NBC Sports Live Extra app.You can also visit the Rio 2016 Olympics website to find out when your favorite events are and for all your Olympics information.
There are many Spartans headed to Rio to participate in the games, both for the U.S. Olympic team and for other countries. Here’s a list of Spartans to watch for.
Emily Regan, U.S. Rowing Team, Women’s Eight, 2010 Alumna
When to watch:
Monday, August 8 at 7:30 a.m., Heats
Saturday, August 13 at 7:50 a.m., Finals and Victory Ceremonies
Fun fact: first-ever MSU representative for Olympic rowing
Christie Daiss, Team USA Pharmacist for Medical Services Team in Olympic Village, 2006 Alumna
Draymond Green, U.S. Olympic Men’s Basketball Team, 2012 Alumna
When to watch:
Saturday, August 6 at 6:00 p.m. vs. China
Monday, August 8 at 6:00 p.m. vs. Venezuela
Wednesday, August 10 at 6:00 p.m. vs. Australia
Friday, August 12 at 6:00 p.m. vs. Serbia
Sunday, August 14 at 1:15 p.m. vs. France
Men’s Quaterfinals on Wednesday, August 17
Men’s Semifinals on Friday, August 19
Bronze Medal Games on Sunday, August 21
Fun fact: third Spartan to represent MSU in Olympic Games after 16 years without one
Franklin Gomez, Puerto Rico Olympic Team, Wrestling, Men’s freestyle 65kg, 2010 Alumna
When to watch:
Sunday, August 21
Mohamed Hrezi, Libya Olympic team, marathon runner, current Broad MBA student
When to watch:
Sunday, August 21 at 8:30 a.m.
Fun fact: Libya’s sole runner in all track and field events
Summertime and grilled food go hand in hand. Corporate Chef for Culinary Services Kurt Kwiatkowski gave us two fantastic grilling recipes that are great for cookouts or quiet personal dinners.
6Â center cut bone-in pork chops, about 1-inch thick
1 T. ancho chili powder
1 t. smoked paprika
1 t. ground cumin
2 t. kosher salt
1 T. olive oil 3 T. sherry vinegar
½ c. pure maple syrup ½ c. chicken stock
Mix all spices and salt together, brush all pork chops with olive oil and then sprinkle on both sides of the pork chops and let rest for 1-2 hours.
Munn Ice Arena is one of several places on campus where you can find a discount
One of the benefits of working at MSU is taking advantage of its employee discounts. From on-campus shopping to MSU sporting events to additional insurance options, you can’t go wrong with these savings.
MSU Benefits Plus
MSU Benefits Plus is available to benefits-eligible MSU employees. It gives employees the option to enroll in several voluntary employee-paid benefits programs, in addition to online shopping discounts. Register with your ZPID to view your options.
On-campus discounts
Athletics: Every MSU employee is a Spartan fan by default. Employees can purchase football, men’s basketball and ice hockey season tickets at discounted prices or a Go Green card for $50 that grants entry to women’s basketball, volleyball, men’s and women’s soccer, wrestling, gymnastics, softball and baseball.
Dining Plans: Enjoy the delicious meals at MSU’s dining halls with these discount plans.
MSU Department of Theatre: Check out a student theater production at 10–17 percent discounts on all Main Stage performances
Spartan Bookstore: The bookstore offers new and used textbooks, clothing and souvenirs, academic supplies, software and electronics and more. A 10 percent discount is offered on textbooks, trade books and medical books and a 15 percent discount is offered on all regular-priced clothing.
MSU Forest Akers Golf Course: The golf course offers two 18-hole championship layouts, a state-of-the-art practice facility, and two full-service golf shops with a full complement of services. Employees with MSU ID card receive reduced rates.
MSU Munn Ice Arena: The ice facility provides a public skating schedule during the year. Employees receive discounted rates with valid MSU ID.
University Stores: MSU employees can purchase a variety of items that the University utilizes including diapers, batteries, and office supplies. Prices are competitive.
