October Events Round-up

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

October 6HR 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 19MSU 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 31HR Site Lab: Ask MSU HR questions about your benefit options for the 2023 plan year and receive help with enrollment.

Learning Opportunities

October 137th 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 11Book 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 23Halloween Open House with ArachnoBROADia (free): The Bug House will be open for all for this afternoon of buggy Halloween fun.

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

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.