Tag: courses

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Your Benefits: New Plan Year Checklist

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For benefits-eligible employees, the start of a new plan year is a great time to review all the MSU benefit options available to make sure you’re fully utilizing them throughout the year. The following list of tips and resources to consider will help you get the most out of your employee benefits:  

  1. Learn About Your New Caregiving Benefit: We recently implemented Cariloop, a new benefit that can assist with caregiving in all its many forms, whether that’s caring for children, a spouse, aging parents, and more. This benefit includes professional coaching (30 days of annual continuous support with the option to extend), caregiving tools, a trusted network of providers, and access to UrbanSitter.
  2. Schedule Wellness Check-ups: If you’re enrolled in an MSU health, dental, and/or vision plan, you’ve just entered a new plan year. Even though an annual check-up is usually recommended by doctors, many people miss out each year because they forget to schedule an appointment. Set your family up for success by scheduling an annual or wellness check-up now.  
  3. Prepare for Illness: Teladoc is an online medical care service that gives you 24/7 access to a health care professional via the web, phone, or mobile app in minutes. A doctor can even write you a prescription if necessary. Enroll in Teladoc now so you’re prepared when illness strikes.  Available to employees and their dependents who are enrolled in an MSU health plan.  
  4. Review Your Retirement Contributions: The IRS sets new retirement contribution limits each year, and SECURE Act 2.0 requirements have started, and the new Roth option is now available. Make sure you’re saving as much as you can by reviewing the 2026 IRS retirement contribution limits and SECURE Act 2.0 requirements and adjusting contributions if needed.  
  5. Note Flexible Spending Account (FSA) Deadlines: If you’re enrolled in an FSA for the 2025 and/or 2026 plan year, please note important deadlines and resources for utilizing your FSA funds.  
  6. Use Educational Assistance Funds: Support staff and academic specialist employees have access to educational assistance funds to use towards professional development opportunities. These funds reset each fall, so make sure you don’t miss out. If you’re looking for learning opportunities, we recommend checking out courses offered by HR’s Organization and Professional Development department.  
  7. Note Mental Health Resources: The MSU community offers a variety of mental health resources to employees and their dependents, along with the recently introduced free access to the Calm Health app.
  8. Schedule Vacation/Personal Paid Time Off (PTO): Taking time to rest and reset is important to maintain mental health. Make sure you’re using all your PTO by planning for the future and scheduling your time off in advance.  
  9. Utilize Employee Discounts: Visit the MSU Benefits Plus website for deals and discounts on everything from travel and experiences to electronics and toys.
  10. Review Voluntary Benefit Options: You may enroll in, change, or cancel auto, home, and pet insurance benefits at any time through the MSU Benefits Plus website.  Accident, critical illness, legal, and vision insurance only allow benefit changes during Open Enrollment in October.  
  11. Register for a Free Diabetes Management Program: If you or a dependent are living with diabetes, Livongo by Teladoc Health can help by providing free necessary medical supplies and optional coaching.  Employees or dependents enrolled in Medicare are not eligible (a similar program is available through Medicare).  
  12. Get a Second Medical Opinion: If you are facing a serious medical diagnosis, Teladoc Medical Experts can review your case and offer a second medical opinion from leading health care specialists. Coaching and online educational tools are also available.  Employees with mandated insurance under the Affordable Care Act are not eligible.  

We hope this list will help keep you on track as you plan how you and your family will use your employee benefits this year. You can learn more about all these benefit options on the HR website.

New Year, New Professional Development Courses

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As we step into 2026, it’s the perfect time to set your professional development goals—and we’ve got exciting opportunities to help you thrive this year. 

New or Updated Courses for 2026: 

  • Spartan Excellence Learning Series on January 27 and 28: Through a sequence of skill-building modules, participants will learn how to define problems, analyze processes, design improvements, and implement sustainable solutions. By integrating Lean methods within the broader Operational Excellence framework, the series helps create lasting practices that enhance efficiency, transparency, and the overall Spartan Experience.   
  • Travel Expense Report Processing on March 10: Learn the essentials of submitting accurate travel expense reports at MSU. This session will walk you through the required documentation, Concur tips, policy highlights, and best practices for timely reimbursement. 
  • Engaging and Empowering Teams on March 11: Leaders can learn evidence-based strategies to engage and empower employees, understand employees’ perspectives, and reflect on and assess your own supervisory practices. 
  • Mental Health First Aid on March 18: This evidence-based training that teaches participants how to recognize the signs and symptoms of a mental health crisis and help someone who may be experiencing one. 
  • Five Behaviors: Personal Development on April 16: Based on the book The Five Dysfunctions of a Team by Patrick Lencioni, this course helps individuals become better teammates. This program is for individual contributors. Using activities, videos, and discussion, participants learn the behaviors that will enable them to become better teammates. 

Upcoming Courses in January or February 

  • Crucial Influence  |  Virtual  |  January 27, 28, and 29  |  9 to 11:30 a.m. 
  • Getting Things Done  |  Virtual  |  February 10, 11, and 12 |  9 to 11:30 a.m. 

You can find all of HR Organization and Professional Development’s courses on the HR website. This is the perfect time to reflect on your goals and plan for the year ahead. What skills do you want to build? What challenges are you ready to tackle? With so many opportunities on the horizon, we’re here to help you make 2026 your most impactful year yet! 

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Professional Goals and the Resources to Help You Reach Them

Published on by Abigail MillerLeave a comment

For many, the start of a new year brings a desire to set new goals – both professionally and personally. As you reflect on the past year, try to pinpoint areas you’d like to work on. Check out What’s Your Plan: Six Steps to Align Your Goals with What’s Important to You if you don’t know where to start. You’ll learn how creating a personal strategic plan can provide a “vision and structure for your professional life and an anchor for you to connect with during periods of change.”

Review the common work-related goals below to see if any resonate with you, and use the articles and learning opportunities provided by HR’s Organization and Professional Development (OPD) department to help you reach them.

As you think about what you want to work on in the coming year and beyond, consider tying them to your Performance Excellence goals (for support staff). For more information about how to set yourself up for success as you identify goals, check out this When SMART Meets HARD: Setting Goals that Matter article.

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Unlock Your Professional Potential with MSU Development Resources  

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Your Professional Growth Starts Here 

At MSU, we are committed to supporting your professional development through a wide range of learning and professional development opportunities. Whether you’re looking to advance your career, build new skills, or stay up to date with industry trends, our office and partners offer a variety of resources to help you succeed. 

New and Featured Course Announcements 

  • MSU Ethics Certificate (On-Demand in ElevateU): The MSU Ethics Institute is proud to announce the availability of a new on-demand learning certificate program, hosted on the ElevateU platform. The MSU Ethics Certificate Program equips Spartans with the knowledge and skills to navigate ethical challenges in our professional roles. Participants will explore core ethical concepts, approaches to ethical reasoning, and how to align personal values with professional conduct.
  • Spartan Experience Relaunch: Coming this spring is a refreshed and redesigned Spartan Experience learning program. The Spartan Experience program is designed to foster a culture of excellence by prioritizing customer satisfaction and maintaining a strong service mindset. Additional details will be published on the HR Professional Development website and included in our monthly newsletter as they become available. 
  • New Lunch & Learn: Making the Most of Your Professional Development: Join us for a session focused on making the most of professional growth opportunities at MSU. Topics include an overview of Educational and Tuition Assistance, elevateU, and Organization and Professional Development courses. Registration is available in the EBS Portal.  
    • Thursday, April 24, Virtual, Noon to 1:00 p.m. 
    • Tuesday, June 3, Virtual, Noon to 1:00 p.m. 
  • Mandatory Reporting Obligations for RVSM: Provided by the Prevention, Outreach, and Education Department (POE), presenters will review the university’s Mandatory Reporting for Relationship Violence and Sexual Misconduct and Title IX policy, including an overview of prohibited conduct under the RVSM policy.  
    • Thursday, March 27, Virtual, 1:00 to 2:00 p.m. 
    • Monday, April 21, Virtual, 1:00 to 2:00 p.m. 
    • Thursday, May 29, In-person, 1:00 to 2:00 p.m. 
  • Trauma-Informed Leadership: Join the Trauma Services Training Network to learn the definitions of trauma, its signs and symptoms, and the ways that trauma may manifest in the workplace. Review the principles of trauma-informed practices, with an emphasis on approaches for leadership, including practical, trauma-informed strategies for supervisors managing difficult situations. 
    • Thursday, June 12, Virtual, 1:00 to 2:30 p.m. 

Explore Our Professional Development Resources 

ElevateU Recommendations 

How to Access elevateU 

Access elevateU via this direct link or via the EBS Portal using the directions below.  

  1. Log in to the EBS Portal with your MSU NetID and password. 
  2. Click on My Career and Training in the top navigation. 
  3. Click on the elevateU tile to open the application in a new window. 

Mobile App Version: Additionally, elevateU is available on your mobile device with the Percipio App. After you download the app, type elevateU into the field and log in with your MSU NetID and password. 

Additional Learning Resources 

Looking for more ways to grow? Many MSU partner offices provide specialized training and development programs. Check out their offerings here: 

Take charge of your professional growth today! Visit the HR courses website to explore all available learning opportunities. 

Article written by HR’s Organization and Professional Development Team.

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There’s still time! Take a professional development course this year.

Published on by Abigail MillerLeave a comment

It’s not too late to take a professional development course this year! Find learning opportunities offered through HR’s Organization and Professional Development (OPD) and our campus partners below.  Did we miss a training opportunity for employees? Let us know in the comments.

Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion

Throughout November – Native American Heritage Month Events and Educational Programs: As we celebrate Native American Heritage Month throughout November, MSU kicks off the month with back-to-back events, amplifying the voices of Indigenous students, staff, faculty, and organizations on campus. Events include lectures from MSU or invited speakers, craft workshops and participation in discussions, and social lunch events that will help attendees learn more about North American Indigenous people, culture, history, and customs and help build community among each other.

November 19 – Trans Allyship Practices: In this 90-minute workshop, learn in-depth information about gender diversity at MSU. This session is intended for cisgender students, faculty, and staff who want to improve their understanding and allyship practices in working with transgender and nonbinary community members. Participants will learn about intersecting oppressions; key definitions of gender terms; information about changing identities, demographics, and political contexts; and promising practices for supporting transgender and nonbinary students, coworkers, family, and community members. Fall 2024 Open Trans Allyship Practices Workshop: Tuesday, November 19 from 1:30-3:00, 110 Student Services Building. Register here.

Personal Development 

November 19 –  Identify and Maximize Your Strengths Part 2 Unlock the Full 34: Unlock your 34 strengths report and learn more about yourself through a series of reflective and interactive exercises in this two-hour workshop. This section is intended for those who have previously attended the Identify and Maximize Your Strengths course through OPD. 

December 3rd – Identify and Maximize Your Strengths: Tap into your unique talents and complete the CliftonStrengths Assessment. Learn more about your natural patterns of thinking, feeling, and behaving and how it applies to your role in the workplace. Use your research to express what you do best and grow your overall confidence.

Communication

December 10 – Business Writing for Results: This course is designed to increase the productivity, efficiency, and quality of your writing and make a big difference in your overall career success. Improve your readability, strengthen your writing with active voice, conquer commonly misused word pairs, and more in this in-person workshop.

December 11 & 12 – Crucial Conversations for Mastering Dialogue: This course teaches techniques that allow you to learn how to understand different opinions, find mutual respect, and work openly through disagreements. You will also learn ways to help foster inclusivity, psychological safety, and inclusion in this two-day course. 

December 12 – Conflict Management: Learn how to resolve conflict, de-escalate situations, and manage crises in the workplace. This training will help you apply these tactics to real-life situations. 

Leadership

December 3-5 – Crucial Influence: This course targets mid to high-level leaders who are responsible for leading change in the workplace. It is designed to enlighten you on why people do what they do and how leaders can impact those at any level. 

Faculty and Academic Staff-Specific Opportunities

Review the events available on the Office of Faculty and Academic Staff Development website. OFASD is a unit within the Office of the Provost that facilitates cross-institutional connections among individuals and entities in support of the advancement of academic careers.

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Educational Assistance: Fall Reminders

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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.

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New Year, New Professional Development Courses

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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).

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Register Today! Spots Still Available in Professional Development Courses

Published on by Megan MacGregorLeave a comment

HR’s Organization and Professional Development (OPD) department has spots open in the following courses to support your learning and development in December and January:

  • Performance Management for Hybrid Teams | December 6 | In-person
    This class will share best practices and identify tips and strategies for developing strong and high-performing hybrid teams using MSU’s Performance Excellence process.
  • Conflict Management and Non-Escalation | December 6 AND 7 | In-person
    The primary goals of this course are conflict resolution, de-escalation, crisis management, and everyone’s safety. This training will prepare participants to apply the taught skills to real-life situations and to retain those skills over time.
  • Writing Policies and Procedures | December 7 | Virtual
    Learn proven strategies and methods for successfully writing policies and procedures in clear terms that can be understood by all.
  • Introduction to Process Mapping | January 11 | Virtual
    Learners in this course will be able to define key process improvement terminology, identify common elements of process maps, reduce barriers to success by adopting best practices, and create a process map.
  • Maximizing the Spartan Experience | January 17 | Virtual
    This engaging training provides a foundational perspective related to enhanced customer service delivery.
  • Everything DiSC: Behavior Styles at Work | January 18 | Virtual
    Everything DiSC® helps you build more effective working relationships based on an understanding of different behavioral styles.
  • New Leader Development Series | Starts January 24 | Virtual
    Designed for supervisors new to their roles or new to MSU, this nine-session series equips new leaders with a toolkit of crucial knowledge and resources.
  • The Power of Habit | January 25 | Virtual
    Learn how to spot your habit loop, turn bad days into good data, and create habits that get the results you want.

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

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Register Today! Spots Still Available in Professional Development Courses

Published on by Megan MacGregorLeave a comment

With a new year on the horizon, now is the perfect time to reflect on how you’re progressing with your professional development goals and what opportunities are still available this year to help you achieve them. HR’s Organization and Professional Development (OPD) department has spots open in the following courses to support your learning and development before the year ends.

Find a list of upcoming courses:

  • Maximize the Spartan Experience | November 8 | Virtual
    This engaging training provides a foundational perspective related to enhanced customer service delivery.
  • Payments to Non-U.S. Citizens and International Vendors | November 8 | Virtual
    Employees coordinating and preparing Disbursement Voucher payments to non-U.S. citizens/international vendors can learn about the documentation required.
  • Strategic Planning | November 15 | Virtual
    Participants will gain a foundational base for implementing strategic planning in a unit.
  • Records Management and Retention at MSU| November 16 | Virtual
    Learn the rules, regulations, and strategies to help manage university records. 
  • Crucial Conversations for Mastering Dialogue | November 16 AND 17 | In-person
    This program teaches techniques that allow you to make room for different opinions and perspectives, find mutual respect and common purpose, and dialogue openly. 
  • Ready, Set, Change! | November 17 | In-person
    Based on April Callis-Birchmeier’s #1 Amazon bestselling book, Ready, Set, Change! discover a simpler and faster approach to help individuals and organizations adopt change to ensure objectives are met. 
  • Performance Management for Hybrid Teams | December 6 | In-person
    This class will share best practices and identify tips and strategies for developing strong and high-performing hybrid teams using MSU’s Performance Excellence process.
  • Conflict Management and Non-Escalation | December 6 AND 7 | In-person
    The primary goals of this course are conflict resolution, de-escalation, crisis management, and everyone’s safety. This training will prepare participants to apply the taught skills to real-life situations and to retain those skills over time.
  • Writing Policies and Procedures | December 7 | Virtual
    Learn proven strategies and methods for successfully writing policies and procedures in clear terms that can be understood by all.
  • Identify and Maximize Your Strengths | December 13 | In-person
    Identify your natural patterns of thinking, feeling, and behaving, so that you can discover what makes you exceptional and maximize your potential.
  • Managing and Leading Across Locations | December 13 | In-person
    Whether you’re currently supervising an existing hybrid team, preparing for changes related to MSU’s new remote work policy, or looking for strategies to address the unique challenges you may encounter while leading in our current environment, this session will help you integrate new skills into your leadership practice through interactive exercises and peer-to-peer learning.

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

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Summer Organization and Professional Development Courses

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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.