Category: News Flash

This category is for general news and announcements.

America Recycles Day

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Sparty will be recycling for America Recycles Day- will you?
Sparty will be recycling for America Recycles Day- will you?

This year, America Recycles Day will take place on Saturday, November 15. This nationally-recognized event works not only to promote recycling in the United States but to celebrate the act itself. Recycling is no new concept yet many, due in part to limited time and living in a “disposable” society, do not always recycle as often as possible. America Recycles Day hopes to raise awareness and to illustrate that, although recycling may take a few extra minutes and is not always the easiest option, it more than pays off in the long run.

So what can you do? First, take the American Recycles Day pledge.  The three-part pledge emphasizes the importance of learning, acting and sharing in order to expand recycling. Second, recycle!  Michigan State is a highly sustainable university and has recycling bins located throughout campus. Bins accept a wide range of materials including white paper, mixed paper, newspaper, cardboard, boxboard, household metal and plastics #1 through #7. Familiarize yourself with what exactly is encompassed by these materials- odds are, you can recycle more than you think!

You can also take recycling a step further by visiting MSU’s very own Public Drop-Off Center. The Public Drop-Off Center is entirely free, open 24/7, LEED-certified and conveniently located at the south end of campus on the corner of Farm Lane and Green Way. The center accepts most materials. For a comprehensive list, please visit MSU Recycling’s Recycle Guide. Also, to learn more about recycling operations at MSU, visit the Sustainability Guidebook. Take advantage of these incredible resources so that you can be not only green, but Spartan green!

Transfer Historical ANGEL Content to the University Archives

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Did your unit conduct university business using ANGEL Groups? Have you used ANGEL to store meeting minutes, policy documentation, or other business records? Do you have course syllabi or other content on ANGEL that’s not being migrated to Desire2Learn?

If you conducted university business using ANGEL Groups, your ANGEL content may be of historical value and eligible for transfer to the University Archives. The University Archives has a mission and mandate to collect, preserve, and provide access to the university’s institutional historical and scholarly records, including digital material.

With the permanent decommissioning of ANGEL set for May 15, 2015, it’s important to ensure that your business and curricular records of historical value are transferred to the Archives, particularly for content that will not be migrated to Desire2Learn.

Records of historical value potentially stored in ANGEL include:

  • Meeting agendas and minutes
  • Policy documents
  • Course syllabi
  • Curriculum documentation
  • Instruction notes
  • Research Data

If you think your ANGEL Group includes historical business records or curricular content, please contact Lisa Schmidt or Ed Busch at the University Archives, archives@msu.edu or 517-355-2330, with any questions and for assistance in identifying and transferring these records.

New Services at Olin!

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Does a massage on your lunch break sound too good to be true? Turn your dreams into reality- make an appointment at Olin today!
Does a massage on your lunch break sound too good to be true? Turn your dreams into reality- make an appointment at Olin today!

With the hustle and bustle of the holiday season quickly approaching, it’s natural to feel stress and anxiety. Luckily, Olin Health Center is offering three new services that are sure to help! You can now receive reflexology, reiki, and massage therapy services through Olin Health Center.

  • Reflexology is the practice of applying pressure to certain parts of the body and can reduce stress, causing a positive physiological change.
  • Reiki involves gentle hand placement on the body’s “energy centers” in order to release tension and ease stress.
  • Massage therapy entails manipulating the body’s soft tissues by hand in order to reduce pain and induce relaxation.

To schedule an appointment, call 517-353-4660. Sessions are 45 minutes long and cost $50. There are currently evolving plans to make half hour appointments available so that patrons can take advantage of these new services during their lunch hour. Shorter appointment times are expected to be available in Spring of 2015.

To learn more, read the entire PDF here.

MSU Community Called to Protect Personal and University Information as Part of National Cyber Security Awareness Month

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While large corporations such as Home Depot, Target and JP Morgan grab the biggest headlines in terms of security issues, no organizations, including higher education institutions, are immune from threats.NCSAM-square

A simple click on an attachment or a web link by one person can lead to wide-spread consequences. Though many situations are preventable, more people need to be aware of simple precautions. October is National Cyber Security Awareness (NCSAM) month, and MSU is getting the word out about the role we all play in keeping the MSU’s digital assets and community protected.

“Emerging cyber threats require engagement from the entire community,” says MSU Chief Information Security Officer Rob McCurdy. “This month is a time to educate the MSU community on the importance of staying safe online.”

NCSAM is a coordinated national effort held in October focusing on the need for improved online safety and security. This year’s theme “Our Shared Responsibility,” aims to remind everyone that the Internet and technology is a shared resource and securing it is our collective duty. All users of MSU’s Internet, MSUnet, should do their part in making it safer.

To protect the confidentiality, integrity and availability of information in today’s highly networked environment, MSU is asking all of its Internet users to:

  • Understand their roles and responsibilities related to securing institutional data as posted at msu.edu/sid/.
  • Understand the organization’s information technology security policies, procedures, and practices; specifically those listed at msu.edu/guidelines-policies/.
  • Gain knowledge of the various management, operational, and technical controls required and available to protect the IT resources for which they are responsible.
  • Stay informed and get involved by regularly visiting http://tech.msu.edu/secureIT/.

Continue Reading… MSU Community Called to Protect Personal and University Information as Part of National Cyber Security Awareness Month

elevateU Contest

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elevateU is an incredible electronic tool that allows MSU faculty and staff to further their professional development at no charge! Sound too good to be true? Well, it just got better! If you complete a courseElevate U Horiz CMYK green in elevateU by this Friday, October 31, you will be entered to win either a Spartan Gift Basket or a $50 gift card to the State Room.

Here’s how:

  • Access elevateU through the EBS portal, www.ebs.msu.edu
  • Click on Employee Self Service (ESS) and then “Professional Development”
  • Click on elevateU, located under “Training Opportunities”
  • View course titles by topic area in the “Resource Catalog” or enter keywords in the “Search & Learn” bar
  • Launch a course, complete a course- YOU ARE ENTERED!

Click here for additional details.

Introducing the HR Solutions Center

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MSU Human Resources is pleased to announce the opening of the Solutions Center – a new unit created to improve the way we serve our many customer groups. What, specifically, are we trying to improve?

In the past, our customers have told us it has sometimes been challenging to know who to contact for what in HR and that we haven’t always been as accessible and responsive to you as you would like when you need our help.HR Banner

We’ve been listening. Over the past year we’ve restructured the Human Resources department and have been working on developing a new customer service-focused unit in Human Resources called the Solutions Center.

Watch a video and learn about the HR Solutions Center at http://www.hr.msu.edu/about/Solutions_Center/.

Do you need HR assistance now? Give the HR Solutions Center a try! You can call us at 517-353-4434 or email us at SolutionsCenter@hr.msu.edu! If we don’t have the answer you need, we will connect you with the right people to get the issue resolved.

MSU HR Solutions Center Contact Information

2014 Campus Flu Clinics

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Smiley Nurse
Protect yourself from the flu by getting vaccinated.

The Office of the University Physician will be offering flu clinics at various campus locations in October and November. Flu vaccines administered at the flu clinics will again be subsidized by Human Resources for MSU faculty, staff, and retirees, and will be offered this year at no cost. The vaccine cost for non-MSU employees and students will be $30. This flu season the Office of the University Physician is stocking the quadrivalent flu vaccine, which includes two influenza A strains and two B strains to help protect against influenza disease, in both injectable and intranasal formulations.

The flu clinic schedule is available at: http://www.uphys.msu.edu/FluClinicSchedule2014.pdf.

For questions regarding flu clinics, please contact the Office of the University Physician at 517-353-8933 or uphys@msu.edu.

Breathe Easy: Tobacco and Nicotine Cessation Program

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Anti-Smoking Symbol
Take control of your tobacco or nicotine addiction, register for Breathe Easy today!

The deadline to pre-enroll in MSU’s tobacco and nicotine cessation program, Breathe Easy, is quickly approaching. Breathe Easy combines a number of approaches, such as behavioral support sessions and medical evaluations, in order to help participants kick their tobacco and nicotine habits once and for all. Participants may elect to use conventional anti-smoking treatments or can attempt smoking cessation sans medication. In order to be eligible, participants must be  MSU faculty, academic/support staff, graduate student employees, or adult benefits-eligible family members.

This fall’s pre-enrollment orientation date is scheduled for Wednesday, October 8. The event will run from 1:30 p.m. to 3:30 p.m. in the Olin Health Center Classroom (247).  In order to sign up for pre-enrollment, interested parties may register in person at 330 Olin Health Center, via phone at 517-353-2596, or by email at health4u@msu.edu.

For more information, read the entire PDF created by Health4U.

Welcome Students!

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Sparty and the rest of campus are excited to welcome the students back!
Sparty and the rest of campus are excited to welcome the students back!

Have you noticed that campus is teeming with life as of late? This can be attributed to the fact that today is the first day of classes for MSU students! The city of East Lansing is one that thrives because of its academic community, and HR would like to take the time to welcome everyone back. This year’s student population is the largest yet, totaling around 50,000, with students hailing from all 83 counties in Michigan, all 50 states, and over 130 countries. Eager to participate in MSU’s 200+ programs of undergraduate, graduate, and professional study, the student community is both talented and diverse. Whether you are entering your freshman year, or starting the 5th year senior “victory lap,” welcome to MSU and enjoy your year! Go Green!

Fall Move-In Traffic

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August is an exciting month in East Lansing as students will soon begin returning to campus for the impending school year. While it is always a joyous occasion to watch MSU regain its hustle and bustle, with the great influx of travelers, traffic is imminent. Over the next few weeks, reference the below schedule in order to avoid campus at its busiest.

  • Stop Sign
    Getting caught in bumper-to-bumper traffic can be a real headache. Keep up on move-in dates to remain unaffected.

    Saturday, August 16: Move-in for new international students

  • Sunday, August 24: Move-in for first year students
  • Monday, August 25: Move-in for returning students
  • Tuesday, August 26: Fall Welcome Cookout, Sparticipation, and Spartan Spectacular

Fall move-in dates are likely to cause congestion campus-wide so it is best to go around campus on the aforementioned days. This year’s Fall Welcome Cookout will take place from 5 p.m. to 8 p.m. at Munn Field so be sure to avoid South Neighborhood during this time.