Job of the Week: College of Law IT Manager

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This week’s featured job is an Information Technology manager for the College of Law (job posting 961231). MSU Information Technology provides the primary leadership for strategic, financial, and policy initiatives affecting IT across MSU. MSU IT and departmental IT staff offer technology resources that support MSU’s mission of providing education, conducting research, and advancing engagement. 

The MSU Office of the Acio is looking for an individual to manage IT planning and operations, ensuring the effectiveness and efficiency of IT in the College of Law. The IT manager will carry out various duties including but not limited to overseeing IT projects and operations, working with the Human Resources team to review personnel actions, and maintaining alignment with the values of the College of Law, all while remaining reliable and on track with the Law Colleges core values. 

As the College of Law’s IT manager, you will be working with the College of Law leadership and stakeholders to align new and improved IT services with incoming needs. You will serve as the liaison for the College of Law, providing key services for the leadership team. The IT manager will also organize communication between IT service support and change with the College of Law and staff. Technology Services prides itself on ensuring ease while using any technology provided at the College of Law or any corresponding buildings. As the IT manager, you will be responsible for establishing and coordinating technology. 

To apply for this position, you should have a 4–year college degree and 8 or more years of work experience in the Information Technology field where you were responsible for overseeing a large group/area. Because you will be overseeing many projects and complex operations, it is important that you have work experience with planning and operating technology with strategic goals in mind, managing budgets and vendor relationships, mentoring staff and reviewing their performances. 
Learn more about MSU IT here. To learn more about this position or if you are interested in applying online, please visit the Careers at MSU website for more information! Applications require a resume and cover letter and must be submitted by July 2.

Job of the Week: University Events Coordinator

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This week’s featured job is a University Event Coordinator for Registered Student Organizations (job posting 957343), part of the Office of Spartan Experience. The Division of Student Life and Engagement is looking for an individual to supervise the registration of student organizations, plan events, and tend to fall and spring welcome events such as Sparticipation and Springticipation. The Office of Spartan Experiences pride themselves on creating opportunities for students to greater their relationships and goals with the school and their communities.

As the University Events Coordinator, you would be in charge of managing multiple existing initiatives while also implementing new initiatives that align with the school’s core values and inclusivity. You will collaborate with organizations such as the Spartan Leadership Center and the MSU Student Union Advisory Committee to carry out the tasks at hand. A crucial part of this position to be noted is you will be responsible for keeping student leaders safe, especially after late-night events. In this position, you will be responsible for running both committees associated with MSU and for enhancing the overall student experience.

To apply for this position, you should have a Bachelor’s degree in Public Relations, Communications, Business, etc. or have experience equivalent to one of those degrees. It is also important to have 3–5 years of work experience in PR or communications. You will be working heavily in planning and managing special events and use online tools such as spreadsheets, databases, desktop publishing and virtual presentations, so it is also crucial that you come in with background knowledge in these areas.

To learn more, visit the Registered Student Organizations website. To apply for the position, please submit a resume and cover letter to the Careers at MSU website by June 25th.

Are You Procrastinating? Increase Motivation and Become More Productive with These Simple Steps.

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There are countless reasons to put off working on a project. Maybe you’re daunted by the size of it, or the deadline is far off, so you don’t feel urgency to get moving. Whether your procrastination is the result of perfectionism, negative thought patterns, or even boredom, there are easy changes you can make to increase your motivation and complete high-quality work without missing deadlines.

Take charge of your day

It’s easy to find excuses to not take action. I don’t have time. I’m too busy. I’ll do it later when things calm down. To move beyond procrastination, you need to take charge of your time.

  • Don’t let external demands control your time. Deadlines and mundane tasks are likely a part of your days. Take charge of your schedule.
  • Minimize interruptions. Turn off your Teams, Outlook, and text notifications if you can. Block off time on your calendar. Prioritize your tasks. Ask yourself: What needs to be done now? What can wait until later?
  • Figure out and respect your preferred working methods and energy levels. Consider when you’re most productive and schedule your day accordingly.

Set small deadlines

If you sometimes feel like you’re accomplishing nothing, it may be because your idea of getting something done is too big.

  • Focus on the wins, no matter how small. Set small goals and interim deadlines throughout the day.
  • As you hit each small target, you’ll build momentum and feel motivated to strive toward the next goal.

Achieve an optimal level of positive stress

We all face stress at work — deadlines to meet, unexpected problems to solve. It may sound counterintuitive, but a little stress can be a good thing. Positive stress can give you the energy you need to stay motivated. The key is to achieve an optimal level of healthy stress.

  • Know your limits. Find a challenge you can realistically take on.
  • Don’t be complacent. Push yourself to achieve great things, one step at a time. Remember that a challenge should stretch you without breaking you.

Collaborate to stay engaged

When we pool our resources and expertise to work on a task with others, we share ideas, discuss options, and develop ideas as a team. One person’s enthusiasm might inspire you. New eyes bring new perspectives, which may help you look at a task in a new way.

  • To ensure your collaboration is effective, be sure you have a diverse group to offer different perspectives.
  • Allow some quiet space to build on the ideas that emerge.
  • Effective collaboration can be structured or informal.


Try these techniques to help you take action and leave procrastination behind, and look into self-paced, online elevateU resources for further motivation and guidance.

Job of the Week: Laborer for Forest Akers Golf Courses

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This week’s featured job is a temporary position as a Laborer at Forest Akers Golf Courses for  Infrastructure Planning and Facilities (job posting 956729). Forest Akers is the award-winning home course for Big Ten men’s and women’s golf teams, earning Best Campus Courses four of the last six years, 2022 Best Golf Schools and Academies from Golf Digest, and more.

Forest Akers Golf Course is looking for someone to maintain and complete various routine tasks between their two public courses. In this temporary position, you will keep things in order and make the Forest Akers Golf Courses the most inviting place to be for students, staff and the community.

In this entry-level position, you will assist in performing maintenance tasks for specifically the East and West courses. Some of these responsibilities include mowing grass (including greens, tees, fairways, surrounds, etc.), seeding and sodding, and applying fertilizer. Additionally, you will also conduct preventative maintenance on the equipment, cleanup the courses, and perform maintenance on the irrigation systems regularly. MSU landscape services prides itself on helping employees maintain a positive work-life balance – capping you at 40 hours per week at the course. 

To apply, you should have some knowledge of the tools, methods and materials utilized on golf courses. You should also have proper footwear, a good driving record,  be comfortable lifting between 26-75 pounds, and be prepared to work in any weather condition. While those are the minimum requirements, it is desired the applicant is well-versed in golf course maintenance and snow removal, and have Michigan Commercial Pesticide Applicator License. If you are considering applying, be prepared for a collaborative environment and to understand different perspectives while navigating the technical aspect of the job!

Learn more about Forest Akers here. To learn more about the temporary position or if you are interested in applying, please visit the Careers at MSU website for more information.

Congratulations to the Service and Retirement Recognition Program Award Recipients!

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The MSU Service and Retirement Recognition Award recognizes support staff employees celebrating a 15, 20, 25, 30, 35, 40, or 45th work anniversary or a retirement falling between January 1, 2023, and December 31, 2023.

On May 13, we recognized over 600 employees celebrating long-term work anniversaries and retirements during an awards ceremony at the Kellogg Center. Our university’s development and growth have been, in large part, due to the contributions made by its staff members, particularly those who have chosen to remain in the service of the university. This occasion was dedicated to those who have served the university through the years of its greatest development. It is a tribute to those who have found satisfaction in helping others and creating an impact for a better world.

  • service and retirement recipients sitting at large round tables during the awards reception. Some recipients are standing to acknowledge their years of service.
    MSU service and retirement award recipients and their colleagues, friends, and families during the ceremony. Some recipients are standing to acknowledge their years of service to the university.
  • service and retirement recipients sitting at large round tables during the awards reception. Some recipients are standing to acknowledge their years of service.
    MSU service and retirement award recipients and their colleagues, friends, and families during the ceremony. Some recipients are standing to acknowledge their years of service to the university.
  • Christina K. Brogdon, Vice President and Chief Human Resources Officer, speaking behind a podium on stage during the awards ceremony.
    Christina K. Brogdon, Vice President and Chief Human Resources Officer, addresses the award recipients during the ceremony.
  • Thomas Glasmacher, Interim Executive Vice President for Administrative Services, standing behind a podium on stage. He is speaking during the awards ceremony.
    Thomas Glasmacher, Interim Executive Vice President for Administrative Services, addresses the award recipients during the ceremony.
  • Scott Pohl is standing behind a podium on stage with Jody Knol standing behind and to his right. They are from WKAR and announced award recipient names during the ceremony.
    Scott Pohl (left) and Jody Knol from WKAR announced award recipient names during the ceremony.
  • Sparty standing on stage behind the podium pretending to give a speech during the ceremony.
    Sparty thanks award recipients during the ceremony.
  • A group of award recipients sit at a table during the reception. Sparty is sitting next to them and pointing to the camera.
    Sparty with a group of award recipients during the reception.
  • Sparty is giving an award recipient a handshake during the reception.
    Sparty with a group of award recipients during the reception.
  • Sparty is sitting between a couple of award recipients during the reception and pretending to drink out of a glass.
    Sparty with a group of award recipients during the reception.
  • Sparty standing behind a group of award recipients as they take a photo during the reception.
    Sparty with a group of award recipients during the reception.
  • Sparty is dancing in front of a group of musicians.
    Sparty dancing to the live jazz band during the reception.

Vice President and Chief Human Resources Officer, Christina K. Brogdon, and Interim Executive Vice President for Administration, Thomas Glasmacher, acknowledged award recipients and expressed their gratitude during the ceremony. Please review this year’s awards program and watch a recording of the event below.

The university thanks these awardees for their talent, passion, loyalty, and contribution to our shared purpose. If you see a colleague’s name in this year’s awards program, be sure to congratulate them!

All photo credit: Dane Robison/TimeFramePhoto
All video credit: Cheeney Media Concepts

Reframe Failure to Increase Success

Published on by MSU Human ResourcesLeave a comment

When was the last time you celebrated failure? We are taught from a young age that failure is bad and something to fear. Because failures may bring negative repercussions, they are often hidden, ignored and downplayed. In reality, failure can be a powerful learning experience and is essential to success. When we embrace the idea of “failing forward”, we develop perseverance, confidence and a new perspective on what it takes to succeed.

Types of Failure

Not all failures are the same, but each has important lessons to teach us.

  • Preventable failure happens in automated processes when a piece of equipment fails, a step is neglected or there is some other kind of malfunction. For this category, it’s important to determine how to best troubleshoot preventable failures. What safeguards are in place regarding people, equipment and environment? Make sure that all precautions have been taken to keep preventable failures from happening in the first place.
  • Complex failure happens when events or situations come together in unexpected ways that cannot be foreseen.

  • Intelligent failure is common in innovative projects and processes, where trial and error are simply part of the experiment.

Organizations and individuals best learn from all types of failures by having procedures in place, along with the willingness and readiness to actively detect, analyze and experiment within the workplace to catch errors quickly, learn from them, and embrace the growth and improvement that can be generated as a result.

Ideas for Action

  • Depending on the type of work you do, one of the three types of failure is probably more common than the others. Consider which is most likely to happen at your workplace and think about how you might handle that type of mistake or failure should it occur.
  • Come up with an example from your life for each type of failure: preventable, complex, and intelligent. Why did they happen, and how were they handled? Were the situations resolved? How did they affect you and others? Take some time to reflect on what you learned from these particular failures.

The Blame Game

If failure is essential to success, why does it feel so terrible when it’s happening? Failure and fault are virtually inseparable in most cultures and organizations. Every child learns at some point that admitting failure means taking the blame, and that pattern may then be reinforced in the workplace. One tremendous benefit of creating and encouraging a culture of psychological safety, in which the rewards of learning from failure can be fully realized, is that greater innovation and individual and organizational growth can occur.

The added challenge when it comes to reframing our ideas of failure is that the experience of failing is more than emotional — it’s also cognitive. We all favor evidence that supports our existing beliefs rather than alternative explanations. We also tend to downplay our responsibility and place undue blame on external or situational factors when we fail, only to do the reverse when assessing the failures of others—a psychological trap known as fundamental attribution error. The courage to confront our own and others’ imperfections with honest reflection and a focus on improvement and learning is crucial.

Ideas for Action

  • List a small number of failures you’ve experienced over recent months. Can you recall how you felt and what thoughts occurred? Make a note of these feelings and thoughts. Can you identify a pattern? Is there a repetitive loop that you repeat every time you fail at something?
  • Take one of the failures from above, which initiated the repetitive loop you have identified. Write an alternative account of what happened.

The Importance of Leaders in Building a Learning Culture

Learning is inherently about failing. Leaders can create and reinforce a culture that counteracts the blame game and makes people feel both comfortable with and responsible for surfacing and learning from failures. They should insist on developing a clear understanding of what happened — not of “who did it” — when things go wrong. This requires consistently reporting failures, small and large, systematically analyzing them and proactively searching for opportunities to experiment. A work culture that recognizes the inevitability of failure in today’s complex organizations and is willing to catch, correct and learn from failure leads to success, employee satisfaction and loyalty. A work culture that wallows in the blame game will not.

It’s imperative for leaders to move beyond the false notion that if people aren’t blamed for failures, they’ll become “lazy” and stop putting in the effort to do their best work. In actuality, a culture that makes it safe to admit and report on failure can coexist with high standards for performance. Not all failures are created equal. Taking the time to analyze the reasons behind why a failure occurred before determining appropriate action will do far more for a team than assuming that assigning blame will lead to improvement in the long run.

One interesting study asked executives to estimate how many of the failures in their organizations were truly blameworthy; their answers were usually in single digits — around 2% to 5%. They were then asked how many failures were treated as blameworthy; they admitted that was closer to 70% to 90%. One unfortunate consequence of this scenario is that many failures go unreported, and their lessons are lost.

Ideas for Action

  • Assess whether your teams offer a sense of psychological safety. Do the members of the team have confidence that the team will not embarrass, reject or punish them for speaking up with ideas? Questions? Concerns? Mistakes? Are each person’s contributions valued? If you answered yes on each measure, that team possesses a strong sense of psychological safety.
  • Leaders and supervisors need to actively create psychological safety because their position of power or status naturally suppresses people’s ability to speak up. This can be done by publicly acknowledging their own fallibility and emphasizing the need for each person’s contributions. They can also respond positively when people do bring things forward. From the results of the preceding exercise, choose a team with a low or mid-level of psychological safety. Develop an action plan for how the team leader or manager can improve the level of psychological safety.

Like everything in life, reframing failure becomes easier with practice. When failures inevitably occur, remind yourself and others that failure is temporary, and failure is good even if, undeniably, it feels really bad when it happens. When something goes wrong, practice saying, “Something good is happening here.” Look for the greater message of the experience and expect it to, eventually, turn out for the good.

Sources

https://www.cnbc.com/2022/05/18/a-psychologist-says-the-most-successful-people-reframe-failure-by-doing-4-things.html

https://elevateu.skillport.com/skillportfe/main.action?path=summary/VIDEOS/125821

https://elevateu.skillport.com/skillportfe/main.action?path=summary/VIDEOS/146739

https://www.forbes.com/sites/williamarruda/2015/05/14/why-failure-is-essential-to-success/?sh=11e953df7923

https://hbr.org/2011/04/strategies-for-learning-from-failure

Deals and Discounts for Father’s Day

Published on by Josh WorleyLeave a comment

Father’s Day is right around the corner, and if you are still looking to show the dad in your life that you care, look no further than these discounts! Whether it’s your dad, husband, father-in-law or any other important guy in your life, take advantage of these exclusive Father’s Day savings using MSU Benefits Plus.

To access all the discounts, visit MSU Benefits Plus and sign up for a free account using your MSU email address.

Check out some of these deals that you can find through MSU Benefits Plus:

Sports

  • Forest Akers Golf Course â€“ MSU employees with a valid MSU ID receive reduced rates on playing and shopping at the two 18-hole championship layout golf courses and two full-service golf shops!
  • Premium Seats USA â€“ Get 10% off sporting event tickets on Premium Seats USA using the code CORESTREAM at checkout.

Technology

  • Dell â€“ MSU Benefits Plus members get the best pricing available on all Dell PCs, electronics and accessories with the Dell Member Purchase Program.
  • Apple â€“ MSU employees qualify for preferred pricing on all of Apple’s latest products. This includes employee pricing and ratings and reviews on accessories and software. Order from the online Apple EPP store and identify yourself as a Corestream member when purchasing.

Shopping and Entertainment

  • Tickets at Work â€“ MSU employees can save up to 40% on movie tickets nationwide.
  • MSU Meat Lab â€“ MSU employees with a valid MSU ID can receive a discount on quality meats and other items right on campus.
  • Restaurant.com – Save 20% on all gift certificates. Explore new restaurants, save at old favorites, or enjoy quality takeout meals with Restaurant.com.

Find these savings as well as many other benefits by visiting the MSU Benefits Plus portal. Sign up or log in today and have a fun, family-filled Father’s Day!

Job of the Week: Occupational Safety Compliance Officer

Published on by Josh WorleyLeave a comment

This week’s featured job is an Occupational Safety Compliance Officer position for the College of Agriculture and Natural Resources (CANR) (job posting 955849). CANR is seeking an Occupational Safety Officer to enhance and lead the College’s safety management program. In the MSU College of Agriculture and Natural Resources, students use science, technology, engineering, mathematics, business and creative design to tackle some of the world’s biggest problems related to food, health and the environment.

In this senior-level position, you will oversee workplace health and safety for CANR faculty, staff, students, and visitors while building and fostering a safety-focused culture. In addition, you will develop, implement, evaluate, and continuously improve a comprehensive occupational health and safety management system. The Occupational Safety Officer will also investigate safety and health concerns and maintain records necessary to demonstrate compliance with applicable Federal, State, and local health, safety, and environmental regulations.

The ideal candidate for this position will have a Bachelor’s Degree in engineering, industrial hygiene, occupational safety, physics, chemistry or a closely related field. Five to eight years of related work experience in industrial/occupational safety and developing and delivering safety training is also required. Experience within an agriculture setting is preferred, but not required to apply.

To learn more, visit the CANR website. To apply for the position, please submit a resume, cover letter and three references to the MSU Careers website by June 11.

Congratulations to Lori Fischer, the 2024 Ruth Jameyson “Above and Beyond” Award Recipient!

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Congratulations to this year’s recipient of the Ruth Jameyson “Above and Beyond” Award, Lori Fischer! This award honors a support staff employee who goes “above and beyond” in their job at MSU while pursuing a graduate degree concurrent with their employment. Lori is the Director of Operations for the Burgess Institute for Entrepreneurship and Innovation. She has been with MSU for 13 years and is currently pursuing a Master of Science in Management, Strategy and Leadership from Michigan State University.

Lori’s leaders and colleagues have this to say about her:

“Lori’s commitment to her role as the Director of Operations at the Burgess Institute reflects the qualities embodied by Ms. Ruth Jameyson. Much like Ms. Jameyson, Lori has gone “above and beyond” in her duties, contributing significantly to the success and recognition of MSU’s entrepreneurship program. Under Lori’s leadership, the program has achieved remarkable milestones, including being recognized by the Princeton Review as one of the top 25 Undergraduate Entrepreneurship programs in the country.”

“For as long as I have known Lori, she has been an advocate for helping students in the state of Michigan gain access to opportunities to develop their entrepreneurial mindset. The opportunity to work directly with Lori is one of the reasons I joined the Burgess Institute for Entrepreneurship and Innovation at MSU.”

“Lori’s passion for supporting student venturers and fostering entrepreneurial education has had a profound impact on the entrepreneurial ecosystem at MSU and beyond. Lori has demonstrated a genuine concern for students both in and out of the classroom. Her commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion is evident through her initiatives at the Burgess Institute and her role on the Broad College’s Staff Leadership Committee’s Recognition Committee.”

Watch a video of Lori finding out she won the Ruth Jameyson Award below or on YouTube:

The Awards Ceremony

  • Lori Fischer seated next to Gliozzo Clerical-Technical Recognition Award Recipient, Meg Quine.
  • Award Selection Committee Chairman, Ray Gasser, along with colleagues, friends and family honor award recipients.
  • Lori Fischer speaking at the award ceremony.
  • (Left to Right) Christina K. Brogdon, Lori Fischer, Thomas Glasmacher, and Ray Gasser.
  • Gliozzo, Jack Breslin and Ruth Jameyson Award Recipients (Left to Right) Meg Quine, Ken Beer, Jesse Alvarez, Amanda Goll, Sarah Evans-Cain, Mark Fellows, Lori Fischer, and Darwin Meirndorf.

On May 13, Lori was honored at an awards ceremony at the Kellogg Center for the Ruth Jameyson, Jack Breslin and Gliozzo Clerical-Technical Award recipients. Vice President and Chief Human Resources Officer, Christina K. Brogdon, Interim Executive Vice President for Administration, Thomas Glasmacher, and Award Selection Committee Chairman, Ray Gasser acknowledged Lori’s hard work and expressed their gratitude during the ceremony. A recording of the event is available below or on YouTube:

About the Ruth Jameyson “Above and Beyond” Award

This annual award recognizes a support staff member who most closely exemplifies the contributions, personal characteristics, and commitment to MSU demonstrated by Ms. Jameyson, going “above and beyond” what is reasonably expected to support the mission of MSU. In recognition of Ms. Jameyson’s own pursuit of a graduate degree while working at MSU, the award recipient must be pursuing a graduate degree at MSU or elsewhere concurrent with their employment at MSU.

Ms. Ruth Jameyson, who died in 2007 at the age of 100 years, served as the secretary to MSU President Robert S. Shaw from 1938 to 1941 and secretary/administrative assistant to President John A. Hannah from 1941 to 1969. She served as both greeter and gatekeeper to the numerous students, faculty and staff seeking to meet Dr. Hannah, as well as dignitaries from around the globe. Ms. Jameyson accepted roles and responsibilities far beyond her formal job description. Having arrived in Lansing with a bachelor’s degree in mathematics from Coe College, Iowa, Ms. Jameyson pursued a master’s degree in economics at MSU while working full-time.

This award has been created and funded by friends of Ruth Jameyson; Barbara Sawyer-Koch, MSU trustee emerita, and Donald F. Koch, MSU professor emeritus.

All photo credits: Dane Robison/TimeFramePhoto
All video credit: Cheeney Media Concepts