Time to Choose Your Benefits for 2025: Your Open Enrollment Checklist

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October is just around the corner, which means the MSU Benefits Open Enrollment period (October 1-31) is about to begin for benefit-eligible employees. Please use the following checklist to help guide you through Open Enrollment and be sure to make your benefit selections for the 2025 plan year between October 1-31.

1. Determine your benefit needs.

During Open Enrollment (October 1-31), you may enroll in, change, or cancel coverage in the following benefits:

  • Health
  • Dental
  • Flexible spending accounts (health or dependent care)
  • Life or accidental death and dismemberment insurance
  • Voluntary vision, legal, or critical illness insurance.

Carefully review your Open Enrollment guide and choose the best benefit plans for your family. You may not change the above benefits outside of the Open Enrollment period unless you have a qualifying life event, so review your options and take action in October.

2. Complete the spouse or other eligible individual (OEI) Affidavit.

If you want to cover a spouse or OEI on your health care plan in 2025, you MUST complete the Affidavit online through the EBS Portal every Open Enrollment period. Find instructions to complete the affidavit as part of Open Enrollment. After completing Open Enrollment in the EBS Portal you will receive a confirmation email statement. To receive the confirmation email, you must complete all the Open Enrollment prompts in the EBS Portal and then review and save your plan selections (even if you made no changes); you cannot simply answer the affidavit question and exit the portal.

3. Review important reminders for the 2025 plan year.

While there are no significant changes to your benefit plan options for the 2025 plan year, we encourage you to review important reminders on page 6 of your Open Enrollment guide.

4. Participate in the MSU Benefits Fair or an HR Site Lab.

  • MSU Benefits Fair: We will have an in-person benefits fair on Thursday, October 3 from Noon to 7:00 p.m. at the Breslin Student Events Center on campus. MSU benefit providers and HR staff will be available to answer questions or help you enroll in your benefits on-site. 

    (Updated September 30) Flu shot appointments at the Fair are no longer available, but appointments for an in-pharmacy flu shot can be made with MSU Health Care Pharmacy.
  • HR Site Labs: MSU HR will offer site labs on October 16 (virtual), October 22 (in-person at the International Center), and October 31 (in-person at the HR building). Consider attending if you have questions about your benefit options or need assistance with enrollment. 

5. Make your changes online before October 31.

You must participate in Open Enrollment between October 1-31 (view enrollment instructions) to change your benefit selections or cover a spouse or OEI on your benefit plans.

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 Open Enrollment guide, enrollment instructions, and detailed benefits information from our providers.

Questions? We’re happy to help! We encourage you to attend the MSU Benefits Fair or an HR Site Lab to ask questions. You may also contact the HR Solutions Center at SolutionsCenter@hr.msu.edu or 517-353-4434 (toll-free: 800-353-4434).

Job of the Week: On-Call Technical Aide

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This week, MSU Human Resources is featuring a job posting for an on-call Technical Aide with the MSU College of Human Medicine and the Mott Department of Public Health (job posting 984176). MSUCHM is seeking a Community Health Worker to assist with a clinical trial to evaluate the MI MOM app, supporting pregnant and postpartum women. You will play a large role supporting patients and assisting with technical operations.

The Michigan State University College of Human Medicine is dedicated to educating exemplary physicians, discovering new knowledge, and providing service both at home and abroad. By providing outstanding care and promoting the inclusion and needs of all people, the College of Human Medicine fosters an environment that enhances their community. The Mott Department of Public Health focuses on the population’s health from its home base in Flint, Michigan, and its mission is to eliminate health disparities in diverse populations with the ultimate goal of attaining the highest level of health for all individuals and groups.

In this position, you would provide online patient support through live chat sessions, develop location-based resource lists, and maintain connections with local agencies. You will also facilitate appointments, conduct home visits, and find resources such as transportation all while doing so in a respectful manner, handling sensitive subjects with kindness and compassion. You may also be in charge of data entry and collection. 

The education, experience and skills desired for this role include a high school diploma, experience working with clients in pregnancy and postpartum, and strong computer and technological skills. It is also important that you have a current Community Health Worker certificate, strong communication skills, respectful problem-solving abilities, and excellent organizational skills. 


Learn more about the MSU College of Human Medicine here and about the Mott Department of Public Health here. To learn more about this position or if you are interested in applying online, please visit the Careers @ MSU website for more information! Applications require a resume and cover letter, and should be submitted by September 30th.

Job of the Week: Director of Production for College of Communication Arts and Sciences

Job of the Week: Director of Production

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This week, MSU Human Resources is featuring a job posting as the Director of Production for Broadcasting Services at the MSU College of Communication Arts & Sciences (job posting 984215). If you are interested in managing studio and field television and video production, serving both local and global audiences, providing leadership and supervision to Producers and Production staff, this could be the job for you! You will play a huge role at WKAR and oversee high-quality public media production. 

WKAR public media is a part of Michigan State’s Broadcasting Services, a division of MSU’s College of Communication Arts and Sciences. This includes WKAR TV, WKAR Radio, WKAR.org, WKAR Digital Studios, and WKAR Family. WKAR’s mission is to connect people to powerful ideas that inspire growth, exploration of our world and powerful change. 

This role’s main responsibilities include leading and supervising the team of production staff, implementing production strategies that align with the station’s goals, managing WKAR production schedules, preparing and monitoring budgets and contracts, and working closely with other departments to ensure there is a unified approach to content creation and distribution. You will also need to stay updated with industry trends, introduce new ideas and methods to enhance production and work with the Senior Director of Operations to maintain and identify necessary technologies and equipment needed for successful department operations. 

The education, experience and skills desired for this role include a four-year degree in Telecommunications, Communication, TV broadcasting, film, or a similar field, as well as three to five years of progressively more responsible and related work in a broadcasting unit. You should also have experience working in public media, monitoring interns, advanced communication skills, strong customer and community commitment, and a record of strong project management. All of these skills would collectively prepare you for the role of the Director of Production for WKAR TV and Radio. 

Learn more about WKAR TV and Radio here. To learn more about this position or if you are interested in applying online, please visit the Careers @ MSU website for more information! Applications require a resume and a cover letter, and should be submitted by September 10th.

September Events Round-Up

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If you and your family are looking for activities in the upcoming month, you’ve come to the right place. September holds many virtual and in-person 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

September 7: Family Day: PAINT: Join us at the MSU Broad Art Museum from 11:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. for Family Day. You and your family can pick up a paintbrush and create paintings inspired by the artwork of Samia Halaby: Eye Witness. Registration is required for this free event. 

September 9: Monday Night Open House: Visit the MSU Bug House in the Natural Science Building for a bug-themed evening! From 5:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m., come to room 147 to meet live insects and arachnids from around the world. Visit our website for directions! 

September 29: Collage Making for Liberation with Rebel Betty: From 2:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m., join Chicago-based artist Rebel Betty for a collage-making workshop at the MSU Broad Art Museum. Explore the exhibit in collaboration with Diasporic Collage: Puerto Rico and the Survival of a People, and be sure to register for this free event.

Learning Opportunities

September 12 & 26: Deepening Your Essential Skills: If you have completed a Spartan Resilience Education course, you are eligible to continue learning at this webinar. Here you can ask questions, raise topics, and build community with your peers. Be sure to register for this free course through the link above! 

Family Friendly Events

September 12: BealFest2024: The Apple of MSU’s Eye: Come to the Beal Botanical Garden from 4:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m. to attend their annual fall celebration. This year’s theme highlights trees, and the event will include activities, performances, demonstrations, and trees to adopt for everyone. More information to come, so stay tuned!

September 13: 1920s Murder Mystery Dinner: Michigan Princess is hosting a brand new and immersive Murder Mystery Dinner experience from 6:00 p.m. to 10:00 p.m. Enjoy live music, interactive murder mystery entertainment, buffet-style dinner, and more all while cruising down the Grand River. The roaring twenties theme allows you to immerse yourself in the experience and play your own unique storyline for the evening. Tickets are $85/person and can be purchased at the link above. 

September 14: Lansing Princess Day: Experience a fun-filled day with your favorite princesses at Lansing Princess Day at the Ramada Lansing Hotel. Here you can experience 10 performances and activities with your little ones, including a meet-and-greet session with photos, hugs, and autographs. This event runs for approximately 90 minutes and all guests must purchase a ticket to attend. Little ones are encouraged to dress up as their favorite princess. Be sure to purchase your tickets soon, and check out the website for more information. 

September 19–22: 517 Hispanic Heritage Festival: Join us for a weekend of celebration this Hispanic Heritage Month for a weekend of fun, education, and entertainment in the Downtown District of Michigan’s State Capital! Come observe the largest display of Hispanic cultures, art, food, music, dancing, and more. On Saturday, September 21, the main event “A Taste of Hispanic Heritage Festival,” will take place from 3:30 p.m. to 10:00 p.m. and will be closing the 100 and 200 blocks of Downtown Lansing. Check out the website for more details and parking information. 

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/

Open Enrollment

Save the Date for October 3: The Open Enrollment Benefits Fair is early this year on Thursday, October 3 at Breslin Center. MSU benefit providers and MSU HR staff will be available to answer questions and/or help employees enroll in their benefits on-site at the Breslin Student Events Center. More information will be shared closer to the event date. Mark your calendar and stay tuned for details!

New Academic Year, New Professional Development Opportunities

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Fall is here, and the Organization and Professional Development (OPD) department in MSU Human Resources has spots open in the following courses to support your learning and development. All the current  Organization and Professional Development courses are on the HR website. Class enrollment is completed within the  EBS Portal, and employees may use available educational assistance funds towards course fees (if any).

Getting Things Done | Starting September 24-26 | Virtual 

This Personal Development course teaches skills needed to manage busy work days, high task demands, and interruptions that employees face on a daily basis. This will ultimately teach you how to organize incoming requests, handle stress in the workplace, decrease missed deadlines, and more in terms of personal development at work. 

Everything DiSC: Productive Conflict | August 28 | In-Person 

This course provides learners with techniques to work on self-improvement around conflicts in the workplace. After the course, you will have a better understanding of how to better recognize your own response to certain conflicts and how to curb destructive responses. Pre-work will be sent to you and will need to be completed before you take the class. 

Resilient Leadership Series | Starting October 30 | Virtual 

This four-part course will highlight essential resilience skills crucial for effective leadership, emotional intelligence, emotional resilience, psychological flexibility and mindfulness and more. Here you will develop practical grounding skills, learn about systems of power and privilege and cultural narratives in the workplace, and receive an overview of the MSU Spartan Resilience Training Program. 

Crucial Influence | Dates Coming Soon 

Targeting mid to high level-leaders responsible for leading change and improving efforts in the workplace, this last course teaches the Crucial Influence Model and explains why people do what they do. Here you will also learn how you can influence behaviors to encourage efficient teamwork and focusing on working well both as a team and as individuals. 

Job of the Week: Communications Manager I

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This week’s featured job is a Communications Manager I for MSU’s College of Social Science in the Department of Anthropology (job posting 981948). The Department of Anthropology is seeking a Communications Manager to develop, implement, manage, and sustain a comprehensive creative communications strategy that aligns with the department’s strategic goals, increases the visibility of department activities, and enhances the department’s reputation both inside and outside the university.

In this position, you will work closely with faculty, staff, students, and alumni to translate complex information into engaging content for diverse audiences across multiple print and digital platforms and venues. Position responsibilities include but are not limited to building and sustaining a cohesive media, communications, and marketing identity as well as developing and implementing a creative media and communications strategy for print, social, and digital media. The Communications Manager will also create visual storytelling and written content for a broad range of audiences, platforms, and channels, develop compelling social media campaigns, manage existing department social media channels, grow department social media reach,  and monitor and track social media analytics and audience engagement.

The ideal candidate for this position will have a Bachelor’s Degree in Journalism, Telecommunications, or Public Relations and one to three years of work experience in a related area. Experience producing creative digital and print media—including long and short-form video production, identity design, graphic design, newsletters, flyers, brochures, photography, merchandise, etc. is also required to apply. This is an in-person position with the potential for two remote days per week.To learn more, visit the College of Anthropology website. To apply for the position, please submit a cover letter, resume, three professional references, and a link to an online portfolio to the MSU Careers website by September 17.

Job of the Week: Recruitment and Admissions Counselor

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This week’s featured job is a Recruitment and Admissions Counselor for MSU’s College of Nursing (job posting 971880). The College of Nursing believes in the power of research, practice and education to affect lasting change and to improve health outcomes in our communities. They do this through recruiting top faculty, staff and students and continuously staying at the forefront of changes in the profession. 

In this position, you will be responsible for student recruitment (including on- and off-campus events), admissions, and recruitment event facilitation for all graduate programs in the College of Nursing. Position responsibilities include but are not limited to new student recruitment; program admissions; event planning, coordination and support; as well as data tracking, analysis and reporting. All team members in the College of Nursing carry a leadership role that fosters a sense of inclusion, belonging and servant leadership. 

The ideal candidate for this position will have a Bachelor’s Degree and six months to one year of work experience in admissions, counseling, public relations, student services, or a related area. One year of work experience implementing programs and schedules, making formal presentations, and working with the public is also required. Three years of recruiting experience for graduate and undergraduate programs focused on health professions is desired but not required to apply. 

To learn more, visit the College of Nursing website. To apply for the position, please submit a cover letter and resume to the MSU Careers website by August 27. 

From the VP of HR: Welcome to a New Academic Year!

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Christina K. Brogdon, PHR, Vice President and Chief Human Resources Officer
Christina K. Brogdon, PHR, Vice President and Chief Human Resources Officer

Dear Spartan Colleagues,

I am excited to welcome everyone to a new academic year! As we embrace a fresh start this fall, I’m reflecting on the outstanding growth we’ve experienced here in HR. We have new leaders and staff in Benefits, Compensation, Employee and Labor Relations, and Talent. This growth allows our team to enhance our services and continue providing the Spartan community with extraordinary experiences every day.

In addition to this growth, I’m proud of many accomplishments from MSU HR in the last year including enhancements that benefit the Spartan Community such as the New Leader Development Program, Modified Operations policy, a new out-of-state health care plan, and an enhanced dental plan. We are here for you!

In the upcoming year, HR will continue its transformation to Produce and Perform with new initiatives that include Total Rewards, Talent Management, a renewed focus on Employee Engagement and Experience, and Operational Excellence. I’m also looking forward to starting a new academic year under the leadership of President Guskiewicz, a Tar-Heel-turned-Spartan like me! He is a strategic and service-oriented leader who will continue moving the university upward in its mission of education, research, and outreach. I share in his excitement for what’s in front of us.

Finally, I’d like to reiterate the message from President Guskiewicz regarding civil discourse in our community. As he mentioned, we all have a role to play in building a more inclusive community. While it’s okay that we don’t all agree, we should always demonstrate empathy and intellectual humility while exercising our freedom of speech. To support our employees as they engage in respectful civil discourse, a page is available on the HR website, Civil Discourse for Employees, with answers to frequently asked questions and additional resources. Let’s go into this new academic year supporting one another and demonstrating our Spartan Will to the community and beyond.

Thank you for your continued dedication to the University, our students, and our land-grant mission. On behalf of Human Resources, I wish you a safe, healthy, and successful academic year in which you take advantage of fresh opportunities and new beginnings.

Go Green!

Christina K. Brogdon, PHR
Vice President of Human Resources

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.

MSU Surplus Store

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With the school year approaching fast, it’s the perfect time to check out the best-kept secret on campus, the MSU Surplus Store! You can visit online here or shop in person on Fridays from 8 a.m. to 3:30 p.m.

The MSU Surplus Store and Recycling Center helps keep MSU green by innovating the community’s used materials. Last year, the center was able to divert 13 million pounds of material collected from the landfill. Michigan State University was recently ranked among the top 25 globally for sustainability in the Times Higher Education and there is no doubt the Surplus Store plays a large role in this accomplishment. 

The store also prides itself on its zero waste policy, meaning that if something is collected that cannot be resold, it is recycled for parts at the onsite recycling center. To learn more about the recycling center, visit their website here. 

The store sells a variety of products ranging from school supplies to bicycles to furniture, appliances and more. In addition to the store and website, the surplus store has an Amazon Storefront, eBay account and Etsy account. The Surplus Store holds many auctions on larger items such as lawn mowers and satellites. One of the most useful parts of these online resources are the textbooks, so if you are a student or have a student at home, check out these sites before buying your textbooks at full price somewhere else. You can visit the MSU Surplus Store at 468 Green Way, East Lansing. While in-person shopping is only open on Fridays, the store offers curbside pickup Monday through Friday. To shop or learn more about the store, visit msusurplusstore.com.