Job of the Week – Executive Staff Assistant to the President

This week’s job of the week is an Executive Staff Assistant to the President (#582200). This position is seeking a dynamic individual to provide support to MSU’s new President. The successful candidate will manage the President’s schedule, ensuring appointments, meetings, social engagements, and university and community functions are accurate and appropriate.

The responsibilities for this role include preparing meetings, organizing and drafting correspondence, and coordinating activities for the President’s office. Other responsibilities for this role include arranging the President’s travel arrangements and interpreting university policies and administrative procedures.

The ideal candidate would possess knowledge normally acquired through the completion of a four year degree program such as a bachelor’s degree in business or public administration; five to eight years of related and progressively more responsible or expansive university work experience in confidential office protocol, arranging domestic and international travel, composing correspondence, and operating computers; and knowledge of the university structure, policies, and procedures; 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.

Summer is the Perfect Time to Sign-Up for a Professional Development Course!

With summer right around the corner, many students are heading home to refresh, recharge and prepare for another academic year. A quieter campus means you might also have some time to refresh and recharge your professional or personal development goals. Summertime is the perfect opportunity to look at your schedule and figure out which professional development courses available in the coming months interest you most.

Luckily, Organization and Professional Development (OPD) is offering a variety of courses this summer to help you reach your goals. Are you a new or experienced supervisor looking to improve your leadership skills? Or maybe you’re interested in finding out how to leverage your natural strengths and work behavior styles? Whatever your personal and/or professional goals, OPD has a variety of courses to help you succeed.

Courses to Improve Your Skills as a Supervisor or Leader:

Personal Development Courses:

Communication and Customer Service Courses:

You can find all current OPD courses on the HR website. Sign-up through the EBS Portal. MSU support staff should remember that they may have access to Educational Assistance to help with any course registration fees. Questions? Contact HR Solutions Center at SolutionsCenter@hr.msu.edu or 517-353-4434.

Job of the week – International Student/Scholar Advisor I

This week’s job of the week is an International Student/Scholar Advisor I (#579814) for the College of International Studies and Programs. This position is seeking an individual to provide support to international students, assisting them in accomplishing their academic and personal goals.

The responsibilities for this role include serving as a Designated School Official (DSO) and Alternate Responsible Office (ARO) for the university F-1 student program and assisting in the development and coordinating of the Office for International Students and Scholars (OISS) programs. Other responsibilities for this role include assisting with special projects and student outreach and supporting student organizations’ needs.

The ideal candidate would possess knowledge by completing one or two years of post-bachelor degree work in international education, a foreign language, education or guidance counseling; one to three years of related and progressively more responsible or expansive work experience in academic counseling, a familiarity with immigration regulations, experience working with university-level students, international experience that may include studying, living or working abroad, or interacting with international students; or 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.

Performance Excellence Resources

Do you have a Performance Excellence annual review and/or planning meeting coming up soon? Performance Excellence is a collaborative process between MSU support staff and their supervisors that ensures employees are continually developing their skills to contribute to the success of the university. Employees should be meeting regularly with their supervisors to discuss their Performance Excellence development plan and goals for the year. This encourages everyone to stay engaged and allows goals to be adjusted if needed. Whether you are an employee or supervisor, we have resources to help you get the most out of the Performance Excellence process.

Find Tips and Tools on the HR Website

There is a wealth of information available about Performance Excellence on the HR website including:

  • Detailed info about the process
  • Required training
  • Learning opportunities to help meet performance goals
  • Related forms
  • Tips and tools for success

Visit the Performance Excellence webpage and then select whether you’re looking for resources for employees or supervisors.

Professional Development Courses

Are you looking for resources to help you build skills in certain areas? Organization and Professional Development (OPD) offers a variety of instructor-led courses to help you reach performance goals. Find courses on how to thrive through change, manage difficult customers, or identify and maximize your strengths, among many others! Find a list of all current OPD courses here.

Supervisors can also find courses to help them navigate the Performance Excellence process, including this upcoming course:

And remember, eligible employees have access to Educational Assistance for any course registration fees.

Online Resources through elevateU

No time to attend an in-person course? No problem! elevateU is a free online learning platform available 24/7 for MSU employees with courses, books and videos to assist with skill building. Resources cover a variety of topics and you can print off a learning transcript to show your supervisor a list of resources you’ve completed. Learn more and access elevateU here.

Questions? Contact the HR Solutions Center at SolutionsCenter@hr.msu.edu or 517-353-4434.


Job of the week – Farm Manager II/S

This week’s job of the week is a Farm Manager II/S (#575832) for the Department of Land Management in the College of Agriculture and Natural Resources. The responsibilities for this role include developing and overseeing the operational budget for Lake City Research Center, maintaining comprehensive records of land use, tiling, planting and harvesting data, and managing research projects. Other responsibilities include conducting farm tours and merchandising programs.

The ideal candidate would possess knowledge acquired by completing a four-year college degree program in Agriculture and/or Crop and Soil Science; three to five years of related and progressively more responsible or expansive work experience in supervision, management, crop production and livestock management; 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.

Nominations are now open for the Clerical-Technical Award!

The Clerical–Technical (CT) Award is now open for nominations! This award is given annually to a clerical-technical support staff member. The award is sponsored by the Thomas and Concettina Gliozzo Endowment Fund to recognize outstanding MSU clerical-technical employees.

Past award recipient
Director Emeritus of the MSU Study Abroad program Dr. Charles Gliozzo, MSU Human Resources Associate Vice President Sharon E. Butler, award recipient Michelle Stewart and Clerical-Technical Union President Deb Bittner.

Individuals may be nominated by any member of the MSU community. To nominate an individual, you will need to complete a nomination form and collect a minimum of two support letters (maximum of five) by MSU colleagues. You may include additional information if it supports the applicant’s nomination.

Selection criteria include respect and concern for all members of the campus community, diligence in daily work, significant contributions to the community or public service and innovative thinking. The recipient is selected from nominations received by the CT Recognition Award Selection Committee. The winner will receive the award at a special recognition reception and they will be awarded $1,000 in recognition of their outstanding service.

You have until Monday, June 17 to nominate your candidate. Nomination forms and more details are available on the HR website.

Reimbursement for a Non-Credit Learning Opportunity

As an MSU benefits-eligible support staff employee, you have access to Educational Assistance. This benefit offers financial assistance towards your professional development after you’ve worked at MSU for an equivalent of 12 full-time service months. If you work less than full-time, the benefit is prorated based on your employment percentage.

You may receive up to $900 per year to use towards registration costs for a variety of non-credit learning opportunities, including trainings, seminars, workshops, conferences and courses. You will need to submit an Educational Assistance application to request financial assistance. You can access the Educational Assistance application in the EBS Portal under the My Career and Training tab. The learning opportunity must be considered job-related and from an approved institution/program to be approved for financial assistance.

You will need to upload two documents to your Educational Assistance application to receive reimbursement:

  1. Proof of Payment: The registration costs will need to be paid up front by either you or your department before you receive reimbursement. Make sure to submit proof of payment that clearly shows whether you or your department should be receiving the reimbursement. If you paid for the learning opportunity, you should upload a receipt that clearly shows you paid. If your department paid, you will need to obtain either the procurement card statement or the department operating statement (this would depend on the method of payment that was used) from your department’s fiscal officer.
  2. Proof of Attendance/Completion: There are a variety of documents that you can upload for proof of attendance, including a certificate of completion, formal email/letter of congratulations for completing or attending the learning opportunity, or confirmation of your registration if no other documentation was issued/provided.

PLEASE NOTE: Courses that you register for through the Courses for MSU Employees application in the EBS portal, such as Organization and Professional Development courses or MSU IT courses, do not require an Educational Assistance application. For these courses, you just need to select Educational Assistance as your form of payment when you register.

The Educational Assistance benefit also offers financial assistance for credit courses, which you can learn more about in this previous blog post. Find detailed information about Educational Assistance on the HR website. Questions? We’re happy to help! Contact the HR Solutions Center at SolutionsCenter@hr.msu.edu or 517-353-4434.

Job of the week – Secretary II

This week’s job of the week is a Secretary II (#575432) for the Canadian Studies Center. This position is seeking an individual to provide support to the department for office administration and operations.

The responsibilities for this role include course scheduling, answering phones, responding to email inquiries and ordering supplies for the office. Other responsibilities for this role include acting as a primary point of contact for visitors, maintaining files and monitoring website updates.

The ideal candidate would possess knowledge acquired through a high school education with coursework in typing and shorthand; one to three years of related and progressively more responsible or expansive work experience in word processing, spreadsheet, database, desktop publishing, calendaring and/or presentation software; typing and filing; or 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.

How to Get the Most Out of Classroom Training

This post was written by Kathie Elliott, Sr. HR Professional for Organization and Professional Development.

It’s Tuesday morning, and you realize you’re scheduled to attend a course which you completely forgot about until this moment. You arrive late, and the rest of the class is talking about the pre-work they completed and brought with them. As you grab an open chair, you feel your phone buzz and see a text from your co-worker. You are late and feel unprepared and distracted.

At your table, you contribute very little and try to avoid the facilitator’s eye. Four hours later you leave and feel you were too distracted by the work day’s emails piling up and your feeling of unpreparedness to focus on what you were supposed to learn.

Sound nothing like you? Great! Still, do you have a nagging feeling that you could be getting more out of your training opportunities? Read on for tips.

BEFORE TRAINING

  1. Confirm Logistics: Know the location/time of the course and verify directions. Be sure to add in time for unexpected delays, like confusing Google directions or if you are supposed to be at Nisbet or at the Henry Center, Kellogg Center or other common locations. To be safe, check your email and junk mail for any class updates.
  2. Clear Your Calendar: Leave time for the class and a little time after in case you want to network or ask the facilitator a question. And give yourself time in the office afterward to think about what you learned, digest all that new information, and consider how to apply it. 
  3. Limit Distractions: Let your co-workers and family know that you’ll be attending a course that day and to not expect you to answer any calls or emails right away. Make sure you change your out of office message for your phone and email. Limit physical distractions by making sure you are rested, fed, hydrated, caffeinated, and prepared for fluctuating classroom temperatures. Favorite beverage, special dietary items, comfortable but appropriate clothing can enhance your learning experience.
  4. Bring Your Learning Mindset: Be a co-creator of your learning experience by coming prepared to learn relevant, immediately applicable skills. Many facilitators will send out reminder emails in the days leading up to the class with any prework or final notes. Then, try setting some goals for yourself. What are a few questions that you want answered? Do you want to meet and network with others in similar positions?

DURING TRAINING

Since you’ve taken steps to limit distractions and discomfort, you’re all set to be an engaged learner. If you need a push to stay attentive, try asking one of your prepared questions, offer to be the spokesperson for your table, or jot down a couple notes to share with a co-worker later. If you’re more visually inclined, why not try visual note-taking? Visual note-taking – which uses a combination of images and text to help synthesize info – is a creative way to pay attention and capture/group the info you’re learning in class so you remember it better later.

AFTER TRAINING 

Learning really doesn’t happen until it’s applied. Develop a post-training action plan and stick to it. In the amount of time it would take for you to brew a pot of coffee, you could jot down your top takeaways, action steps and goals, obstacles, resources and strategies, and how to keep yourself on track. Before you know it, you’ll be a hero at work for your willingness to learn new skills and share them with others

Gear up for Mother’s Day with these special deals and discounts!

Are you prepared for Mother’s Day this weekend? Are you in need of last-minute gift ideas or things to do with mom? All benefit-eligible MSU faculty and staff have access to a variety of discounts and savings through MSU Benefits Plus. And if you’re still looking for something to do with mom this weekend, check out these fun ideas and places to take mom around Lansing.

Events:

Capital Prime offers a Mother’s Day brunch buffet and dinner program. You can visit the brunch buffet from 10 a.m. – 2 p.m. The buffet offers a traditional breakfast, prime rib selections, omelet stations and more. Visit Capital Prime website for more information.

Looking for a family event? Mother’s Day at Potter Park Zoo will have free admission for all moms on Sunday, May 12. The zoo offers a variety of activities like Wings Down Under, Bungee Jump and pony rides. Find more information on the Potter Park Zoo website.

On Saturday, May 11, Michigan Distillery will offer a Mother’s Day Flower Exchange and Planting event. For this event, you should bring flat flowers and your own pot. You will be able to plant and exchange flowers with other moms in the room. Check out Michigan Distillery for more information.

Still searching for that perfect gift? MSU benefit-eligible employees can visit MSU Benefits Plus for a wide variety of savings and deals from jewelry, flowers, special treats and more! Just log into MSU Benefits Plus to access some of the deals and savings below:

Flowers:

  • Looking for a flower arraignment? Save 25% with Blooms Today.
  • Florists.com offers special Mother’s Day selections with gifts baskets, flowers and special treats. Save 25% off on your final purchase.
  • At FromYouFlowers.com you don’t have to wait for Mother’s Day. They offer 25% savings all year round and have special selections for mom.
  • 1800flowers offers a wide selection of floral arrangements and sweet treats for mom. Find the perfect arraignment for mom with 20% off.
  • First in Flowers has multiple flower arraignments and treats for your mom’s special day. Save 15% off your order now.

Gifts:

  • Satisfy her sweet tooth with an order from David’s Cookies. Save 20% on all regular price orders.
  • Find the perfect fruit and cookie assortment with Harry & David. Harry & David offers a variety of treats like a tower of treats, cookie box, truffle sets and more! Get 20% your final purchase today.
  • Jewerly.com has the perfect gift for mom! Visit Jewerly.com to find the perfect pendant, charm, bracelet and more. Save 25% now for the perfect gift for mom!
  • If you’re looking to save on perfume, Perfume Emporium offers $10 off $40 or more. Perfume Emporium offers a wide variety of skin and beauty products.
  • Are you looking to spoil your mom with a spa day? Spa and Wellness offers $10 off a gift card of $50 or more. Find the right spa treatment for mom and a location close to you at MSU Benefits Plus.