Tag: october

October Events Round-Up

Published on by Abigail Miller1 Comment

October Events Round-Up

If you and your family are looking for upcoming events to celebrate the beginning of the fall season, you’ve come to the right place. October holds many event opportunities in the Greater Lansing area for you to check out. Click the links below to explore future events and register if required.

Campus Events

Benefits Open Enrollment – MSU Benefits Open Enrollment is October 1-31. Open Enrollment is your annual opportunity to review your coverage options and ensure you have the benefits that are best for you and your family as you head into the new year. Learn more on the HR Website and plan to visit the Benefits Fair on October 3 or one of the several Site Labs available throughout October.

October 2 –  Drawing Marathon: From 10:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m., stop by this annual non-stop drawing event at the MSU Broad Art Museum with the MSU Department of Art, Art History, and Design. All skill levels and ages are welcome, and registration is encouraged for this free event. 

October 13th – Black Botany Weeds Tour: Join Angelica Bajos, Community and Sustainability Coordinator of the MSU Beal Botanical Garden for a deep-dive into the botanical exhibit, Complex Dreams. From 1:00 p.m. to 2:00 p.m., learn what weeds can tell us about our perspective on the values of plants and people as a part of the deep-rooted collaboration where art and plants intertwine. Learn more and be sure to register for this free event.

October 14th – 19th – MSU Homecoming: MSU will celebrate Homecoming 2024 with many activities for students, staff, alumni and friends of the university. This year’s theme is “Welcome Home, Spartans” to recognize that no matter where you come from, you have a home within the Spartan Community. The Homecoming parade is October 18th at 6:00 p.m., and the football game at Spartan Stadium against the University of Iowa Hawkeyes is Saturday October 19th. Single-game tickets are available for purchase on the MSU Athletics Website. There are also volunteer opportunities for those 18 and older, so be sure to register by October 3rd if you are interested in volunteering or looking to be in the parade!  

Learning Opportunities

October 15th – Cultural Competency: MSU prides itself on leading inclusivity and promoting full participation and a sense of belonging for all employees and staff. Join us in building cultural awareness and inclusivity skills that will last a lifetime, and learn about intent vs. impact, how to de-escalate tension, and identify self-awareness in the workplace. Enroll through EBS and join us from 1:00 pm. to 3:30 p.m. at the in-person class in the MSU HR building… 

October 3rd, 17th, & 31st – Implicit Bias Certificate Series: This Implicit Bias Series allows participants to examine the different factors of implicit bias through a series of models. Module one will go over identity, and discuss how we view the world. Module two will cover microaggressions, implicit bias, explicit bias and how we can address bias. Module three addresses systemic race in the U.S. context, and modules four and five discuss inclusive environments and taking action. Register for this three part course through EBS. 

Family – Friendly Events

October 5th – Family Day: FLY: The first Saturday of the month means Family Day at the MSU Broad Art Museum, and this month we are inviting you to make creative connections with our exhibits through a hands-on experience with interactive family fun. Explore Complex Dreams, an exhibit that places the experience of young Black girlhood center stage while forwarding a refreshing and resilient view of the power of Black women today. Registration for this free event is highly encouraged. 

October 6th – Totally Rad Vintage Festival: Join us at the Lansing Center from 10:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. to enter a time warp into the 80s, 90s and 2000s through vintage clothes. There will be vendors selling clothes, records, home goods, and more, and is open to all ages. There will be a free-play vintage arcade set up, Rad Relic Museum, nostalgic photo ops to fully immerse yourself into the recreated scenes of the 80s and 90s. Kids under 12 enter free, and you can visit our website for tickets and more information. 

October 25th – Trick or Treat on the Square: Save the date for Downtown Lansing’s annual Trick or Treat on the Square Event on Friday, October 25th from 5:00 to 7:00 p.m. Local businesses will be passing out sweets, hosting fun games, and you will have the chance to get creative with Halloween crafts and activities. Be sure to dress up in your best costume and bring your candy bag!

October 1-31st – Michigan’s 4-H Children’s Garden Undersea Exhibit: If you are looking for something fun to do with your family, you should stop by the 4-H Children’s Garden to experience the Undersea Exhibit brought on by MSU AgeAlive! The gardens are open sunup to sundown until October 31st with free admission. Take a look at our website for more information on the 4-H Gardens and the exhibit. 

Farmers Markets Farmer’s markets are beloved events in many local communities allowing us an opportunity to support local farmers and small businesses and enjoy delicious produce, baked goods, and even homemade crafts and personal care items. Many Greater Lansing communities offer seasonal farmer’s markets. Find one near you at https://mifma.org/find-a-farmers-market/

October Events Round-up

Published on by MSU Human ResourcesLeave a comment

Are you looking for activities for you and your family in the upcoming month? There are events (in-person and virtual) on campus and in the Greater Lansing community. Many events require registration, so be sure to click the links to learn more. 

Events on Campus

October 1 – Family Day: Innovate Through Play (free): Bring the family for hands-on, interactive fun at MSU Museum. This month, they are making playful sculpture blocks.

October 2 – National Geographic Live: Bring the family together at the Wharton Center for a night filled with dinosaurs. 

October 4 – University Archives pop-up: Exploring scrapbooks (free): Explore MSU scrapbooks from the 1800s to the early 2000s. 

October 6 – HR Site Lab: Ask MSU HR questions about your benefit options for the 2023 plan year and receive help with enrollment.

October 14 – MSU Homecoming Parade (free): Wear your green and white to celebrate MSU homecoming in the streets of downtown East Lansing. 

October 19 – MSU Benefits Fair: Learn more about your benefit options for the 2023 plan year and receive help with enrollment.

October 26 – Chocolate-Making: Learn from 4H MSU Extension Specialist, Dixie Sandborn, the history of chocolate and sample chocolate refreshments.  

October 31 – HR Site Lab: Ask MSU HR questions about your benefit options for the 2023 plan year and receive help with enrollment.

Learning Opportunities

October 1 – 37th Annual Powwow of Love: Join the MSU North American Indigenous Student Organization in their first in-person powwow since 2020. Free for MSU students, $5 for public.

October 11 – Book Design Workshop using MS Word (free): Learn how to print a book with MSU Library staff. This course will cover file requirements for printing, book design basics and more.

October 11 – Mitigating Bias in Hiring (free): Learn best practices for reducing potential bias in the screening and interview process.

October 26 – Wellbeing Wednesdays: Busting the Myth of Work-Life Balance: Learn strategies and tactics to help manage your work and personal responsibilities. 

Health and Wellness

Starts October 4 – Chair Yoga (free): Join this live class to learn strengthening and stretching practices you can do from your desk.  

October 19 – Women’s Networking Association: All Things Women’s Health – Women’s Nutrition: Hear from Health4U nutritionist, Abbey Richey, about the varying factors of women’s nutrition.

Family-Friendly Activities

October 1 – Sensory Friendly Hours: Visit the Impression5 Science Center for their sensory friendly hours.

October 10 –  MSU Bug House Monday Night Open House (free): View insects from all over the world at the MSU Bug House.

October 23 – Halloween Open House with ArachnoBROADia (free): The Bug House will be open for all for this afternoon of buggy Halloween fun.

Four icons of health symbols: 1. a heart symbolizing love with a heartbeat going through, 2. a pill bottle, 3. a tooth, 4. an eye

It’s Time to Choose Your Benefits for 2022: Your Open Enrollment Checklist

Published on by MSU Human ResourcesLeave a comment

October is just around the corner, which means the MSU Benefits Open Enrollment period (October 1-31, 2021) is about to begin for benefits-eligible employees. Please use the following checklist to help guide you through Open Enrollment and be sure to make your benefit selections for the 2022 plan year between October 1-31, 2021.

1. Determine your benefit needs

During Open Enrollment, you may enroll in, change or cancel coverage in the following benefits:

  • Health
  • Dental
  • Flexible spending accounts (health and/or dependent care)
  • Life or accidental death and dismemberment Insurance
  • Some voluntary benefits, including vision, legal and critical illness insurance

Make sure you review the Open Enrollment guide carefully and choose the best benefit plans for your family. Find Open Enrollment guides on the HR website.

2. Complete the spouse/other eligible individual (OEI) affidavit

If you want to cover a spouse/OEI on your benefits plan, you MUST complete the affidavit online through the EBS Portal every year. Find instructions for completing the affidavit as part of Open Enrollment here.

3. Review the changes for next year’s plans

Changes for the 2022 plan year include:

  • Increase to Maximum Benefit for Accidental Death and Dismemberment (AD&D) Insurance: You can enroll in AD&D coverage at 1 to 10 times your annual salary, up to a maximum of $1,500,000 for the employee (increased from 1,000,000), $750,000 for a spouse/OEI (increased from 600,000), or $100,000 per child (no change). Additionally, various benefit enhancements are included for the 2022 plan year. Learn more about AD&D insurance in the open enrollment guides on the HR website.
  • Upgrades to Critical Illness Insurance Coverage Effective January 1, 2022: The upgraded plan offers more benefits with coverage for different, distinct medical conditions. Contact MSU Benefits Plus at 888-758-7575 or visit MSUBenefitsPlus.com for details. If employees are currently enrolled and do not change their coverage election during open enrollment, their plan will be upgraded automatically as of January 1, 2022.

4. Make your changes online before October 31

If you want to make changes to your benefits selections and/or cover a spouse/OEI on your benefits plans, you must participate in Open Enrollment from October 1-31, 2021. Find enrollment instructions here.

5. Ask questions at the MSU Benefits Fair or HR site labs

Please Note: events are subject to change at any time due to the pandemic. Please review the most updated details on the HR website.

We hope this checklist is helpful as you prepare for and participate in Open Enrollment this year. You can find all the details about Open Enrollment on the HR website, including links to the appropriate benefits guide, enrollment instructions, and detailed benefits information.

Questions? We’re happy to help! We encourage you to get in touch via phone or email. Limited in-person help will be available by appointment only. Please call or email the HR Solutions Center at 517-353-4434 or SolutionsCenter@hr.msu.edu to make an appointment or ask a question.