Tag: classes

Educational Assistance: Fall Reminders

Published on by MSU Human ResourcesLeave a comment

With this year’s Educational Assistance, or “Ed Assist,” support staff benefit resetting with the start of the fall semester, now’s a perfect time to refresh your Ed Assist knowledge and take advantage of this opportunity for your learning and development. Here are a few important reminders regarding this benefit.

Credit and Non-Credit Options

You may receive financial assistance for credit and non-credit courses, including training, seminars, workshops, conferences, or other educational opportunities. Use this benefit to enhance your professional skill set or help you reach Performance Excellence goals.

For non-credit courses, like professional development courses available through HR, support staff employees may have up to $900 per year to use toward course registration fees depending on their union contract. The course must be considered job-related and from an approved institution/program to receive assistance.

You may receive up to 14 credits per academic year for credit courses. Your level of financial assistance is determined by your union group, whether you’re taking a graduate or undergraduate course, and where you’re taking the course (MSU or another university). The course must be considered job-related, degree-related, or career/professional development-related.

Taxation Information for Graduate-Level, Degree-Related Coursework

When using Educational Assistance funds toward graduate-level, degree-related classes for credit, it’s important to remember and plan for IRS tax exemption rules. The Internal Revenue Code (IRC) provides up to $5,250 in exemption per tax (calendar) year for graduate-level, degree-related courses reimbursed/waived through employer educational assistance programs, like the one at MSU. Any amount of the benefit over $5,250 for degree-related, graduate-level courses is considered taxable income by the IRS.

If you use Ed Assist benefits for graduate-level, degree-related courses for credit over the $5,250 exemption amount, appropriate tax withholding will be made, and the amount will be added to your gross wages. If there is a tax liability, the deductions must be completed within the same calendar year. If this tax situation applies to your Ed Assist usage, you will receive a notification via email in the fall, typically around September. This notification will indicate the amount of Educational Assistance received in the calendar year, the taxable amount, and which paycheck withdrawals will occur to cover the outstanding tax liability.

Note: This tax liability, dictated by the IRS, applies ONLY to any Ed Assist benefit usage over the $5,250 limit when applied to graduate-level, degree-related courses for credit. For example, if you received $6,250 in eligible Ed Assist benefits in a year, you would only be taxed on the $1,000 over the exemption limit and owe a percentage of that $1,000 as your tax liability.

Find detailed information about Educational Assistance – including how to apply – on the HR website. Contact Organization and Professional Development at avphr.hrdmail@msu.edu with questions.

a group of people working together at a table.

New Year, New Professional Development Courses

Published on by MSU Human ResourcesLeave a comment

The Organization and Professional Development (OPD) department in MSU Human Resources has spots open in the following courses to support your learning and development in January, February and March:

EBS Financial Systems: Roles and Onboarding | January 25 | Virtual

Are you new to MSU and/or to a financial role? This session intends to answer the question: Where do I start? You have a vast toolbox available to you.

Taming the Email Beast | February 8 | Virtual

Professionals spend much of their work (and personal) time buried under a stream of email, spinning wheels and feeling highly unsatisfied. If you would like to get control of your email “beast,” attend this program featuring specific tips for Outlook and Gmail users, but applicable to ANY email user.

KFS Transactional Edocs: Types and Purposes | February 15 | Virtual

This class will provide detailed information about processing various types of Edocs in KFS, including those listed below, and information about action item buttons, document status, workflow routing and search functionality.

Crucial Conversations for Mastering Dialogue | Starts March 13| In-Person

High-performing individuals and organizations know how to hold crucial conversations — where emotions are strong, opinions vary, and the stakes are high. In this two-day course, learn powerful skills to help you speak up quickly, directly and effectively when it matters most, including moments of disagreement, risk or change.     

Cultural Competency | March 18 | In-Person

One of MSU’s guiding principles is to lead inclusively, actively, and intentionally to promote full participation and a sense of safety and belonging for all employees and staff. Join us in building cultural awareness and inclusiveness skills that strengthen cultural competence.

All the current Organization and Professional Development courses are on the HR website. Class enrollment is completed within the EBS Portal. Employees may use available educational assistance funds towards course fees (if any).

sunny outdoor scene with a laptop, phone, and mug surrounded by flowers

Summer Organization and Professional Development Courses

Published on by MSU Human ResourcesLeave a comment

Updated May 2023

The Organization and Professional Development (OPD) team in MSU Human Resources is proud to offer a variety of courses to support you in achieving your goals. Since Educational Assistance benefits for support staff reset with the fall semester, use your remaining benefits this summer on a personal or professional development course from OPD. 

Please note that courses vary between virtual and in-person, so be sure to check the format before enrolling.

Business Analysis Courses

Communication Courses

Customer Service Courses

Diversity, Equity And Inclusion Courses

Finance And Accounting Courses

Human Resources Courses

Leadership Courses

Management Courses

Operations Courses

Personal Development Courses

You can find all current OPD courses on the HR website. Sign up through the EBS Portal. Questions? Contact Organization and Professional Development at prodev@hr.msu.edu.

Don’t Let Your Summer Be a Bummer: Take Advantage of These Summer Activities on Campus!

Published on by MSU Human Resources1 Comment

There’s no doubt that this summer’s activities will be a little different than usual, but don’t let that stop you from having fun! While you might be missing being able to walk through campus from meeting to meeting or enjoying the beautiful scenery of West Circle during your lunch break, there are still plenty of activities to do on campus this summer while practicing social distancing. From grabbing a curbside scoop of your favorite ice cream at the Dairy Store to hiking the trails at the Kellogg Biological Station Bird Sanctuary, there are activities for everyone to get involved with on-campus this summer while still being able to remain safe and healthy.

Summer Campus Activities

  1. The MSU Dairy Store is now offering curbside pick up on all your favorite treats. Visit their website to order a pint for you and your family to help beat the summer heat!
  2. The MSU Student Organic Farm has opened an online store where you are now able to place orders for pick up at the farm starting in mid-June.
  3. Hike the trails at the Kellogg Biological Station Bird Sanctuary! Although all buildings currently remain closed, you can still enjoy the beautiful scenery as you make your way through the trails.
  4. The MSU Broad Art Museum is offering in-home, virtual studio classes on Thursday evenings. Check out the calendar on their website to find a class to join and perfect your artistic skills.
  5. The Forest Akers Golf Course is now open! Read more about how to stay safe on the course with the COVID-19 safety procedures on their website.
  6. The MSU Community Music School is now offering online programs available for both adults and kids. Click on the program link to find all kinds of classes from private lessons to individual and group music therapy.
  7. The Wharton Center is continuing their commitment to sharing the power of performing arts with the community during this time by offering their dynamic programming, education and outreach to patrons through their “whARTon at home” programs. Click on the program link to learn more about these programs and how you can stay connected to the Wharton Center virtually.

For those at a greater risk for COVID-19 or for those who wish to remain quarantined in their homes, there are still tons of great virtual events to take part in this summer from the comfort of your own home. The WorkLife Office events calendar is another helpful resource full of even more virtual events happening in the MSU community for you and your families to utilize.

However you plan to spend your summer this year, we hope that you all will remain safe and healthy and continue to practice social distancing until we are able to see each other on campus again. In the meantime, wear a mask, wash your hands often, and have a fantastic summer Spartans!

Upcoming Supervisor Professional Development Courses

Published on by Megan MacGregorLeave a comment

As a supervisor or manager, it’s important to keep learning in order to build a successful team and keep your employees engaged. Whether you’re brand new to your leadership role or an experienced supervisor looking for resources to develop your skills, we offer a variety of classes to help you grow in your career. Stay on track with your personal and professional goals by taking one of these upcoming courses.

Fundamentals of Supervision – March 11

Supervisors are a main determinant of overall performance, retention, and morale in an organization. This session will help participants with less than three years of supervisory experience learn fundamental skills to become a successful supervisor.

Communication Strategies for Supervisors – March 12

One of the non-negotiables for successful leadership is being an effective communicator. Many leaders believe they do communicate effectively, but what most leaders do not understand about communicating with their team is that it is not just about what is said. It is about how it is said, when it is said, to whom, did the receiver understand the message in the way it was intended, and on and on. To lead successfully today, leaders must be able to persuade, inspire, listen, articulate the big picture, and create teams of people who buy into and trust the sender.

Manager as Coach – March 12

Successful managers today understand the importance of coaching in the workplace to improve productivity, loyalty, and results. Instead of telling team members what to do, or just expecting them to perform, it is important to guide, discuss and encourage – in other words, coach.  This session is geared to help leaders understand the importance of being a successful coach.

Creating an Inclusive Environment – March 17

While this course is for everyone, it’s especially important for leaders to understand how to create an inclusive working environment. First, you will work to understand and identify categories associated with the various labels we apply to ourselves and others. Second, you’ll consider the ways in which these categories apply to you and how this shapes your interactions with others. Finally, you’ll then be introduced to an exercise designed to enhance self-awareness and bridge connections.

Supervisor Strategies for Performance Planning – March 17

As a supervisor, it is important that you sufficiently prepare and work collaboratively with your employees to make the Performance Planning portion of Performance Excellence successful. In this program, you can expect to learn strategies to link university and departmental priorities to the employee’s role, clarify expectations, write effective SMART goals, identify skill gaps, create a development plan and increase engagement in the process.

Leading Change – March 31

Effective leadership is imperative in times of transition, regardless of the nature or source of the changes you’re experiencing. This session will enable you to understand the phases of change, deal with resistance, build support for change, and communicate more effectively to reduce resistance and build change adeptness in staff members.

New Year, New Professional Development Courses!

Published on by MSU Human ResourcesLeave a comment

Do you have any goals for 2020? Chances are if you do, they are likely centered around self-improvement. One way to enhance your work experience and get the most out of this year professionally is to take professional development courses! Find courses through Organization and Professional Development (OPD) to help you reach your personal and professional development goals.

Upcoming Courses:

Creating and Sustaining a Positive Workplace – Wednesday, February 5

Turnover, stress-related illness, and disengagement are signs of a problematic workplace and according to the most recent Gallup polls, nearly 70% of employees are unhappy or disengaged at work. This course provides humorous insight into the seven habits of negativity, including tips to stop gossip, techniques for getting along with others, and strategies to reap the many benefits of a positive and engaged workforce.

From Distracted to Productive – Wednesday, February 5

Email. Interruptions. Project transitions. Office clutter. Social and other media. Text messages. Even family and friends. These seven “distractors” sometimes make it almost impossible to get anything done. But with some forethought and effective strategies, as well as some personal discipline, it is more than possible to find your focus once again, even in a hyper-distracted world. Learn “game plan” ideas for getting and keeping your distractors under control and finding critical “focused productivity” time each day, leading to improved performance as well as clarity of mind and purpose.

Managing Meetings – Wednesday, February 12

With company resources tighter than ever, and staff and management busier than ever, frivolous meetings are simply not an option. Yet they continue to occur more often than ever. And too many unproductive, wasteful meetings create a major drag on staff morale and motivation, thus affecting productivity, turnover, and the corporate “bottom line”. If you are the organizer or leader of meetings, you simply cannot afford to look unprofessional when you are “on stage” in a competitive or political environment. Use this program to better plan, lead, and follow through on your meetings and enhance team productivity, coordination, and cohesion.

Crucial Conversations – Wednesday, February 12 and Thursday, February 13

By learning how to speak and be heard (and encouraging others to do the same), you’ll begin to surface the best ideas, make the highest-quality decisions, and then act on your decisions with unity and commitment. Learn step by step tools for promoting an open, honest dialogue around high-stakes, emotional, or risky topics—at all levels of your organization.

Emotional Intelligence in Leadership – Wednesday, February 19

A strong leader ignites motivation and unleashes productivity creating an environment in which individuals want to “follow.” A person with high emotional intelligence has mastered self-management and interpersonal dynamics. Combine the two and the result is an emotionally intelligent leader!

Honing Your Emotional Intelligence – Wednesday, February 19

Isn’t it interesting how some people have a seemingly natural talent for handling themselves and/or others with ease? It is an amazing feat considering our high stress, multi-tasking, spread-too-thin world today. Most likely, these individuals have mastered the principles found within Emotional Intelligence. The essence of Emotional Intelligence is our ability to identify and manage our own emotions and our ability to identify emotions in others and manage interpersonal relationships.

Crucial Accountability – Wednesday, February 19 and Thursday, February 20

This two-day course teaches a step-by-step process for enhancing accountability, improving performance and ensuring execution. A combination of role-playing and interactive scenarios allows participants to practice how to talk about violated expectations in a way that solves problems, improves relationships and improves team and organizational effectiveness.

You can find all the current OPD courses on the HR website. Sign-up through the EBS Portal. Questions? Contact HR Solutions Center at SolutionsCenter@hr.msu.edu or 517-353-4434.