Strength in Numbers: The Importance of Knowing Your Personal Health Stats

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Ask your doctor for the numbers. Stay up-to-date with your health statistics.

Staying healthy requires having the right information. The right information includes knowing your blood pressure and cholesterol levels. Check out this Best Doctors article to find out why a yearly physical is essential and the medical information you should be aware of regarding your body.

View the PDF provided by Best Doctors.

Facing a medical decision? Best Doctors is here to help.

Call 1-866-904-0910 or visit www.bestdoctors.com/members

Flex Your Legs on Indoor Walking and Running Tracks

It’s that time of the year, when the air is chilly and the leaves are falling. Snow and ice will soon follow, but luckily for walkers and runners everywhere there are several indoor walking facilities available in the Greater Lansing area to help keep you on track.

IM East offers a variety of outlets for exercising, including an indoor track.
IM East offers a variety of outlets for exercising, including an indoor track.

Jenison Field House

Jenison Field House offers an indoor track available to faculty, staff and students. Availability of the track varies each day due to classes and possible events. The track is not available on weekends and typically closed on Fridays and Mondays for event setup and/or break down. The best way to discover if the track is available is to make a trip to Jenison on the day you want to walk and inquire.Continue Reading… Flex Your Legs on Indoor Walking and Running Tracks

Job of the Week 11/22/13

This week we are highlighting an Office Assistant III position with the Animal Science Department – ANR (Posting #8733). This position manages the main office for the Department of Animal Science (ANS); interacts with all faculty, staff, students and public in a positive, professional manner; greets and directs visitors and callers; answers ANS email questions; updates directories; schedules conference rooms and coordinates billings; handles office supplies and equipment needs; maintains copier and assigns codes; processes security cards; handles other daily operational support needs of the office; assists the Research Administrator with maintenance of grant accounts; processes KFS transactions; assists the fiscal officer with processing of HR/AHR appointment and reappointment paperwork; processes visa applications; assists with department event planning for guest speakers and special events; prepares flyers, invitations and meeting materials; arranges travel; books rooms; orders food; serves as an emergency contact coordinator; and serves as ANS building contact.

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For a complete description of this position, and to view all of our current postings, please go to www.jobs.msu.edu and select Support Staff under the Fast Jobs Search.

How to Prepare Your Car for the Winter

Winter is coming and although you may want to stay indoors, chances are you’ll need to travel to work, the grocery store, a friend’s house or someplace else. With winter soon approaching, preparing your car for the foreboding season is essential. To assist you in getting your car ready for the winter season, here are eight tips from an article by SpareFoot.

Don’t let snow, ice and colder temperatures ruin your car. Prepare your car for the winter months to keep it in working condition.
Don’t let snow, ice and colder temperatures ruin your car. Prepare your car for the winter months to keep it in working condition.

1. Check your tires

Make sure your tires have sufficient tread and the right amount of air pressure.

2. Check your oil
Colder temperatures can cause oil in a car to thicken. Thick oil cannot properly lubricate your engine, which might cause damage to it.  Oil with a lower viscosity is recommended. Check your owner’s manual for the right kind.Continue Reading… How to Prepare Your Car for the Winter

Spotlight on HR Toolkits for Support Staff

Have you used an HR Toolkit yet? Toolkits are web pages where we have gathered all of the relevant information for a process in one convenient place.HR Website Screenshot

This month we are shining the spotlight on Toolkits for Support Staff.  We have information about making benefit changes when you have a life event like birth, adoption or marriage.  If you need a new Staff ID or need to update your Direct Deposit information, we’ve got you covered in the Employment Information Toolkit.  Ready for a new career challenge?  Check out the Applying for Support Staff Positions Toolkit; it guides you through creating a profile on www.jobs.msu.edu, searching and applying for open positions.  And whether you are a new employee or are ready to think about retirement, we have links to the information you need to make retirement plans too.

Explore the toolkits from our home page under What’s New >> HR Toolkits.  We will announce new toolkits in the What’s New section as they are developed.  Check back often as we have plans to continually expand our offerings.

Glow in a Parade of Lights at the Annual Silver Bells in the City Celebration in Lansing

The holidays are right around the corner and what better way to celebrate than with a festival of lights at the 29th annual Silver Bells in the City celebration on Friday, Nov. 22 in downtown Lansing.

Celebrate the holiday season at the annual Silver Bells in the City celebration.
Celebrate the holiday season at the annual Silver Bells in the City celebration.

Silver Bells in the City is an annual event coordinated by Downtown Lansing, Inc. The event draws thousands of people from across Michigan for entertainment, a parade and a spectacle of lights. Started in 1985 by the Arts Council of Greater Lansing, the event has grown over the years, adding more attractions such as ice sculptures and carriage rides available to the public free of charge. In 1995, a Santa Parade was introduced and two years later the first Silver Bells Electric Light Parade took place. In 2010, the event was passed to Downtown Lansing, Inc.

“Silver Bells in the City is the premier holiday celebration for the Capitol City. It brings together the business community and typically brings in around 100,000 spectators for a night filled with holiday festivities,” said Cathleen Edgerly, communications & marketing manager for Downtown Lansing, Inc. “Many people have fond memories of this event and come back home to visit family or friends in the area, which means they are making hotel reservations, dining downtown, shopping; they schedule their holiday celebrations around the event. It’s truly the start of the holiday season for thousands.”

Silver Bells features a host of fun activities, such as the Silver Bells Shopping Village, the Silver Bells Holiday Fun Run, the lighting of the State Christmas Tree, musical performances by artists such as Disney’s IM5 band and much more.  The event’s activities start at 5 p.m. and take place at various locations across the downtown Lansing area. Each location hosts a different activity. The event schedule and list of locations is available on the event’s website.

Job of the Week 11/15/13

This week we are highlighting an Administrative Assistant II position with Food Science & Human Nutrition ANR (Posting #8706). This position is responsible for oversight of all research account activities in the department; duties include reviewing and approving expenditures, processing electronic documents, reconciling and monthly reporting; monitoring post-award grant budget expenditures and assisting with grant reporting; monitoring grant salary lines and preparing or communicating cost redistributions or appointments as needed; assisting with pre-award grant budgeting and preparing e-transmittals as necessary; monitoring, overseeing and processing human resource documents for faculty position searches, faculty, fixed term, academic and support staff appointments, and completing other duties as assigned.

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For a complete description of this position, and to view all of our current postings, please go to www.jobs.msu.edu and select Support Staff under the Fast Jobs Search.

Take a Break with the Rest with Music Series at MSU

A day at work can always be made better with music and a moment to relax, and that’s exactly what the Rest with Music series at MSU provides. The Rest with Music program helps connect faculty and staff to local musicians that provide a free 50-minute live music session every month at Abrams Planetarium.

“What we know about music is that music has the capacity to impact human emotions in ways that’s pretty phenomenal. We know that it reduces experiences of depression and anxiety. We know that it actually improves people’s health and there’s lots of both scientific and anecdotal evidence,” said Jonathon Novello, an employee assistance counselor with the University Physician’s Office at MSU.Continue Reading… Take a Break with the Rest with Music Series at MSU

Congratulations to the 2013 Clerical-Technical Recognition Award Recipient: Barbara Sweeney

Every year there is a staff member chosen as the winner of the Clerical-Technical Recognition Award. This winner exemplifies a respect and concern for all members of the MSU community, diligence in daily work, significant contributions to the community or public service and innovative thinking. The 2013 winner of this respected honor is Barbara Sweeney, an Office Assistant III for the Animal Science Department at MSU.

Barbara Sweeney is the winner of the annual Clerical-Technical Recognition Award. The award honors a clerical-technical support staff member for a strong work ethic and innovative thinking.
Barbara Sweeney is the winner of the annual Clerical-Technical Recognition Award. The award honors a clerical-technical support staff member for a strong work ethic and innovative thinking.

Barbara (also known as Barb) has worked at the University for 40 years. After graduating from MSU in 1974 with a degree in Elementary Education, she began her career as a secretary in the MSU Department of Animal Science, Horse Extension Office. Since then Barbara has advanced several times in her career at MSU. She currently processes payroll for over 100 students and on-call/temporary employees. She also serves as the department lead for student hiring.

MSU Human Resources talked with Barbara to get her thoughts on winning the 2013 Clerical–Technical Recognition Award.Continue Reading… Congratulations to the 2013 Clerical-Technical Recognition Award Recipient: Barbara Sweeney

Job of the Week 11/8/13

This week we are highlighting an Administrative Assistant I position with Computer Science and Engineering (Posting #8672). This position manages the day-to-day operations, details and organization of the staff and operational activities involved in the delivery of a large service course; interfaces with faculty/graduate assistants/students and others; tracks and monitors activities; compiles and interprets data from various computer applications; task management; problem tracking and report; works with systems staff/instructor to maintain student and staff information in databases; compiles and generates reports; assists in scheduling for physical facilities.

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For a complete description of this position, and to view all of our current postings, please go to www.jobs.msu.edu and select Support Staff under the Fast Jobs Search.