Save Money on Common Household Expenses with an FSA 

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As you review your benefit options for the coming year during Open Enrollment (October 1 to 31), consider whether a flexible spending account (FSA) makes sense for your family. We all spend money on medical expenses such as prescription and office visit copays, dental work, and over-the-counter items like bandages. And many families spend thousands of dollars each year on child or adult care. 

If you are looking for ways to save money on caregiving costs and/or medical care expenses, enrolling in an FSA is a sound strategy. An FSA allows you to use pre-tax dollars to pay for eligible expenses, such as child care or health care costs like copays. In fact, using FSA funds for these types of expenses can save you an average of 30%!1  

MSU offers benefits-eligible employees the option to enroll in two types of FSAs: Dependent Care FSA and/or Health Care FSA. You can enroll in one or both FSA plan types. You will manage your FSA directly with MSU’s plan provider, HealthEquity.  

Should I enroll in both FSA types?  

Good question! The answer depends on what you and your family need. Make sure you know the eligible expenses each FSA plan allows you to use your pre-tax money on before you enroll in one or both plans.  

Dependent Care FSA Eligible Expense Examples:  

  • Child or adult care  
  • Virtual or in-person camps  
  • Before or after-school programs  
  • Nursery school  

Health Care FSA Eligible Expense Examples:  

  • Medical or dental deductibles and copays  
  • Pain medication  
  • Menstrual care products  
  • Bandages  
  • Hearing aids  
  • Allergy medications  
  • Orthodontics  

Before You Enroll 

When you enroll, you’ll decide how much money you’d like to contribute to the FSA. This money will be deducted from your paycheck (pre-tax) and divided over each pay period throughout the plan year.  

Here are the contribution limits for the 2026 plan year: 

  • Dependent Care FSA: A household may contribute up to $7,500. If you and your spouse/other eligible individual (OEI) both have a Dependent Care FSA, combined household contributions cannot exceed $7,500 at MSU or another employer. 
  • Health Care FSA: An individual may contribute up to $3,300. If both you and your spouse/OEI have a Health Care FSA, you each may contribute up to $3,300. 

Before you enroll, make sure you take some time to understand each plan and estimate how much you are likely to spend on eligible expenses throughout the plan year. We encourage you to plan conservatively; Due to IRS requirements, any unused funds left in your account at the end of the plan year will be forfeited. Learn more about FSAs – including fund availability, reimbursement options, grace period deadlines, and eligible expenses – on the HR FSA webpage.  

Please Note: Due to IRS regulations, you are unable to participate or have a balance in a Health Care FSA if you enroll in the Health Savings Account offered with the Consumer Driven Health Plan. 

How to Enroll  

Please review these two FSA plan options and enroll – or re-enroll – in an FSA during the Open Enrollment period in October. If you’re currently enrolled in an FSA for the 2025 plan year, you must re-enroll if you’d like to continue participating in an FSA for the 2026 plan year. Find instructions for how to enroll in an FSA as part of Open Enrollment here.   

Questions? HR staff will be available at the MSU Benefits Fair and the HR Site Labs throughout October. You may also visit the HealthEquity website or call HealthEquity at 877-924-3967. MSU Human Resources is available at SolutionsCenter@hr.msu.edu or 517-353-4434 (toll-free: 800-353-4434). 

1Example for illustration only. Actual savings vary. The figure is based on average tax rates, including state, federal and FICA taxes. Source: (n.d.). Open Enrollment Center. HealthEquity. Retrieved September 8, 2025, from https://www.healthequity.com/learn. 

Online Tools and Resources to Support Your Career Development and Wellbeing

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In honor of Online Learning Day on September 15, we’d like to share the tools and resources available to support the career development and wellbeing of staff and faculty at MSU. The following resources and departments offer virtual learning opportunities, allowing you to learn new skills at a time, place, or pace convenient to you. Your continued dedication to lifelong learning will help MSU achieve its strategic priorities and create “a best-in-class workplace culture and a welcoming environment in which excellence and opportunity thrive.”

Online Learning Opportunities

HR’s Organization and Professional Development (OPD): Find a variety of instructor-led classes on communication, customer service, leadership, personal development, and much more! Many OPD courses are offered in a virtual format and led by our friendly and knowledgeable OPD instructors.

elevateU Online Training Platform: Are you curious about artificial intelligence? Would you like to improve your project management skills or become a more effective communicator? Whether you learn best by reading books, watching videos, engaging with interactive exercises, or participating in a live virtual learning environment, the topics available are extensive. Even if you only have a few minutes to spare, we can’t recommend this free resource highly enough as a convenient way to support your growth and development.

SpartansLearn: The MSU community’s go-to resource for technology training! Want to learn how to remove duplicates in Excel, coordinate a meeting time in Outlook for multiple participants, or make your PowerPoint presentations stand out? MSU IT offers microlearning videos, recorded courses, and more to help you learn at your own pace, along with instructor-led virtual classes.  

MSU University Health and Wellbeing: Find services, programs, and initiatives designed to support your professional success, health, and wellbeing. Be sure to check out their virtual events and webinars, such as Desk Decompress, Mindfulness and Meditation, and Spartan Resilience programs.

Office of Faculty and Academic Staff Development (OFASD): OFASD works with all faculty, academic staff, and academic administrators as they join the university, establish professional trajectories, and grow in their careers at MSU. Find information and resources for orientations, leadership development, teaching and learning events, and more.

While many of the above resources are free for the Spartan community, as a reminder, educational assistance funds are available to help cover any course fees. Did we miss any resources? Let us know in the comments below, and Happy Online Learning Day!

Mark Your Calendar: Upcoming Open Enrollment Events 

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With the MSU Benefits Open Enrollment period rapidly approaching (October 1 to 31), you may have questions about your benefit options for the 2026 plan year.  

Mark your calendars and join us at the following events! We are ready to answer your questions and help you enroll in your 2026 benefit options. 

MSU Benefits Fair 

Visit the fair to enroll in your benefits on-site or speak with MSU benefit providers and HR staff.

When: 

  • Benefits Fair: October 21 from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. 
  • Flu Shots: The MSU Health Care Pharmacy will provide flu shots from Noon to 5 p.m. by appointment only. 

Where: 
The MSU Benefits Fair will be held at the Breslin Student Events Center. Learn more about the MSU Benefits Fair on the HR website, including how to make an appointment for your flu shot, parking information, and participating providers. 

HR Site Labs 

MSU HR will be available to answer questions and help you enroll in your benefits at the following site labs.

When and Where: 

  • October 8  | 9 a.m. to Noon | Virtual 
  • October 10  | 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. | In-person 
    MSU Union, 49 Abbot Road, Room UB55, East Lansing, MI 48824 
  • October 13  | 2 to 5 p.m. | Virtual 
  • October 17  | 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. | In-person 
    International Center, 427 N. Shaw Lane, Spartan Rooms B and C, East Lansing, MI 48824 
  • October 23  | 7 to 10 p.m. | Virtual 
  • October 31  | 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. | In-person 
    HR Building, 1407 S. Harrison Road, Room 125, East Lansing, MI 48823 

Learn more about the HR Site Labs on the HR website, including directions, parking information, and how to join the virtual site lab. 

As always, you can find information about all things Open Enrollment on the HR website. In addition to the events above, MSU Human Resources is available to answer your questions at SolutionsCenter@hr.msu.edu or 517-353-4434 (toll-free: 800-353-4434). 

Time to Choose Your Benefits for 2026: Your Open Enrollment Checklist 

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October is just around the corner, which means the MSU Benefits Open Enrollment period 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 2026 plan year between October 1 and 31, 2025. 

STEP 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 or dependent care) 
  • Health savings account 
  • Life or accidental death and dismemberment insurance 
  • Voluntary accident, critical illness, legal, or vision 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 (QLE), so please review your options and take action in October. 

STEP 2: Please review the updated premium threshold requirement for spouse/OEI health care coverage. 

To enroll your spouse/other eligible individual (OEI) in MSU coverage, your spouse/OEI must enroll in health care coverage through their own current or former employer (if applicable) if the annual employee premium cost for single-person coverage is $1,850 or less. You may still cover your spouse/OEI on your MSU health coverage as a secondary plan.  

New for the 2026 Plan Year: Although the premium threshold for a spouse/OEI to be enrolled in MSU health care coverage remains in effect, the affidavit you are accustomed to submitting via the EBS Portal each year is no longer required to enroll in or continue their coverage. If you currently cover a spouse/OEI on your health care plan, their coverage will automatically continue in 2026 without any action.  

Please review the  Open Enrollment FAQs  for more information about this update. 

STEP 3: Review important updates and reminders for the 2026 plan year. 

We encourage you to review all important updates and reminders.  Learn more about the highlighted updates below on  page 6 of your  Open Enrollment guide.  

  • Please review Step 2 above for information about the updated premium threshold requirement for spouse/OEI health care coverage. 
  • Increase to Some Health Care Copays and Deductibles: For the Blue Care Network (BCN) and BlueCard Out-of-State plans, the annual deductible will increase. Copays for doctor’s office and urgent care visits will increase for BCN, BlueCard Out-of-State, and Community Blue PPO plans. There are no changes to health care costs for the Consumer Driven Health Plan.  
  • Increase to Some Prescription Copays: Prescription copays will increase for all medications except preferred drugs. 
  • Introducing a New Accident Insurance Option: Accident insurance through Prudential is a new voluntary benefit option that pays you a lump sum after a covered incident, such as a fracture or concussion. You may only enroll in accident insurance in October during the Open Enrollment period unless you experience a QLE. 
  • Introducing a New Pet Discount Plan: In addition to the existing pet insurance option offered through Nationwide, we are pleased to provide a new pet discount plan. Pet Benefit Solutions offers instant savings on pet prescriptions, products, and in-house medical services at any network vet, as well as additional benefits. 

Other updates include new flexible spending account (FSA) contribution limits, increased premiums for employee life insurance and the voluntary vision premium plan, new coverage options for voluntary critical illness insurance, and plan enhancements for voluntary legal insurance. Please review all updates and reminders in your Open Enrollment guide. 

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

  • MSU Benefits Fair: Join us on Tuesday, October 21, from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. at the Breslin Student Events Center on campus. MSU benefit providers and HR staff will be available to answer questions and help you enroll in your benefits on-site. Flu shot appointments are available by appointment only from Noon to 5 p.m. Find a link to make a flu shot appointment.  
  • HR Site Labs: MSU HR will offer in-person and virtual site labs throughout October. Consider attending if you have questions about your benefit options or need assistance with enrollment.  

STEP 5: Make your changes online before October 31. 

You must participate in Open Enrollment between October 1 and 31 (view enrollment instructions) to change your benefit selections. 

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 MSU Human Resources at SolutionsCenter@hr.msu.edu or 517-353-4434 (toll-free: 800-353-4434). 

September is Self-Improvement Month

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This September, make yourself a priority, and celebrate Self-Improvement Month! From learning something new, maximizing your strengths, or focusing on your physical or emotional wellbeing, there are endless ways to grow. Celebrate this month and the months ahead by exploring these MSU resources. 

Breathe In, Branch Out – Explore MSU’s Campus

Explore our beautiful campus or take a stroll through the East Lansing area. Walking is great exercise, but it can also improve your mental and emotional wellbeing. Opportunities include: 

Sign Up for a Professional Development Course

  • 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 they apply to your role in the workplace. This workshop will take place on September 11. 
  • The Power of Habit: Learn how habits are created, and how to replace undesirable habits with productive ones. You will learn how to spot your habit loop, turn bad days into good data, and create habits that get the results you want. This virtual course will be held September 18. 
  • Breaking Free From Stress:  This four-part series explores how becoming aware of your own thoughts can bring your personal and work life together. Become a wise leader of your personal and work life, move beyond anxiety and depression, stay steady in difficult times, embrace change, and more in this series.
  • Strengths-Based Leadership Course: Looking to maximize your strengths and become a more supportive leader? Join HR’s Organization and Professional Development team on Thursday, October 16 to learn new ways to manage more effectively, meet your goals, and improve your team’s success. 
  • Find books, videos, courses, and more on elevateU, a free online learning resource for MSU employees. 
  • MSU IT Educational Technology offers a variety of valuable resources and technology training for the MSU community.

Desk Decompress

Join University Health and Wellbeing on Tuesdays for full-body and Thursdays for upper-body Desk Decompress. From now through December 9th, take a few minutes to join one of these sessions to stretch and strengthen your neck, spine, wrists and shoulders, all from the comfort of your own desk! 

Mindfulness and Meditation Resources

From now through December, University Health and Wellbeing is offering multiple Mindful State courses. Throughout this five week course, you will learn about the benefits of mindfulness, explore techniques that can be applied to daily life, learn how mindfulness can foster a more compassionate learning environment, and more. 

A Campus Meditation Map was created by Beal Scholar Anhad Viswanath as part of the Garden’s Wellness program.

Spartan Resilience Courses

From September through December, University Health and Wellbeing is offering various virtual Spartan Resilience courses at no cost and open to anyone! These courses invite you to build your own framework for resilience, recognize elements of burnout and stress cycles, understand shame, and build resilience skills overall. 

Share your favorite self-improvement tips and comment below!

September Events Round-Up

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If you and your family are looking for activities in September,  you’ve come to the right place! Check out upcoming events to celebrate the start of fall! Visit the links below to explore upcoming events and register if required. 

Campus Events

September 3, 10 and 17 – Move in the Garden:  Need a midday recharge? Stop by under the gingko tree at the Beal Botanical Garden with a yoga mat or towel, and refresh your body and mind through this stretching and strengthening class. This free session is designed for all ability levels. 

September 7 – Curator Tour: Unbecoming: Join Assistant Curator Dr. Rachel Winter at the MSU Broad Art Museum to learn more about what an artist’s process teaches us about transformation in our personal lives. 

Opening September 14 – Mekong Voices: Transnational River Justice in Mainland Southeast Asia: Open until February at the MSU Broad Art Museum, the Mekong Voices exhibit displays the Mekong River, which is revered as the “Mother River” across Mainland Southeast Asia. Mekong Voices celebrates the necessary and innovative work of traditional craft and art in translating the river’s voices, both human and more-than-human, across national and linguistic boundaries.

September 16-21 – A Beautiful Noise: The Neil Diamond Musical: Coming to the Wharton Center, A Beautiful Noise is the uplifting true story of the life of Neil Diamond shining on Broadway. 

September 28 – Shape Shift: The Art of Coming Undone: This three-part studio series at the MSU Broad Art Museum invites you to explore transformation through art. No previous art experience required – just a willingness to explore, reflect, and reimagine! 

Learning Opportunities

September 2 and 9 – Desk Decompress: This virtual 15-minute class offers the perfect mid-day reset. Stretch and strengthen your wrists, neck, spine, and shoulders, all from the comfort of your own desk. 

September 9, 10, and 11 – Getting Things Done: This course teaches skills to manage the constant flow of requests, tasks, and interruptions that face employees at all levels of an organization. Learn how to organize incoming requests, manage stress in the workplace, prevent missed deadlines, and enhance your personal development at work. 

September 10 – Promapp, Interactive Process Creation: Continue your process improvement journey and build upon the knowledge and skills learned in Introduction to Process Mapping. 

September 10 – Hunger Free and Basic Needs: MSU Meets the Food and Nutrition Needs of Students and Staff:  Join MSU Nutrition Services and MSU Food Bank and Basic Needs Program staff to explore the resources available to support food and nutrition needs on campus. Learn how you can access help and help others. Register for Hunger Free and Basic Needs via Learning Stream.  

September 10 – Women Talk Money: How to balance saving and tackling debt: Join this webinar with MSU retirement vendor, Fidelity, for a step-by-step guide that will help you learn how to organize your financial priorities. 

September 10 – Fidelity Front Row 2025: Join Fidelity to listen to the Active Trader Pro beta team, a live Q&A, a special giveaway, and timely insights. 

September 11 – Tips for working with a financial professional: Having a financial professional supporting you on every step of your journey is key to creating a secure financial future. In this webinar, learn about how a financial professional can help you and how to find a financial professional and prepare for your first meeting.

September 17 – Women Talk Money: What you should know about investing: Investing may help you reach your short- and long-term goals, but sometimes it’s hard to know where to start, what questions to ask, or what step to take next. Join Fidelity to learn more about different investment options and management styles that can help you decide how to keep your goals on track.

September 17 – Maximize Your Concur and Travel Skills: Recommended for new employees, learn how to understand the Concur system, create a travel request, book travel, reconcile travel expenses, and more. 

September 18 – The Power of Habit: Learn how habits are created and how to replace undesirable habits with productive ones. You will learn how to spot your habit loop, turn bad days into good data, and create habits that get the results you want.

September 25 – How to get the most from your employee retirement plan: Your workplace retirement plan is one of your most important employee benefits. In this webinar we’ll show you how to take advantage of all your plan has to offer so you can save and invest with confidence and get the most from your money.     

Family-Friendly Events

September 12-14 – 2025 MSU Family Weekend: Visit Michigan State University’s campus this weekend in September to enjoy a football game, visit your Spartans and the beautiful campus, and explore the Greater Lansing area! Check out the Choose Lansing website for help with lodging, tickets for the game, and parking information. 

September 11 – Chipmunk Story Time: Storytime comes alive at the Harris Nature Center Chipmunk Story Time event. Meet Chicory Chipmunk and his animal friends. 

Recurring Fridays and Saturdays – Toddler Time at Launch Lansing: Visit Launch Lansing Trampoline Park during select times to enjoy children’s music, visits from Joey the kangaroo, and a special toddler section with your little ones. 

September 20 and 21 – Capital City River Run: This year marks the 32nd anniversary of the Capital City River Run, a two-day event that includes a half-marathon, 5k walk/run, and the Sohn Kid’s Race. All proceeds will support the Impression 5 Science Center and its mission to provide families with hands-on science exhibits and learning opportunities. 

Greater Lansing Area Events 

Wednesdays in September – Meridian Township Summer Concert Series: Savor the last bit of summer weather and visit Marketplace on the Green for the Meridian Township Summer Concert Series! Visit the website to see who is playing and when, every Wednesday in September.

September 17-20 – 2025 Michigan BluesFest: Michigan BluesFest is an annual event held in Old Town Lansing, bringing people of all ages together through the shared love of Blues Music. 

September 19-21 – Lansing LIT:  Join the city of Lansing for the second annual Lansing LIT book festival! Explore local bookstores, author events, a bookstore crawl, and more at Michigan’s capital city. 

Farmers Markets

Beginning September 7 – The East Lansing Farmers Market: Visit Valley Court Park from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. every Sunday in September for some shopping and fresh air at the East Lansing Farmers Market (ELFM). Here, you can purchase a variety of fresh goods, farm-grown in Michigan, including vegetables, fruits, bread, cheese, honey, flowers, and more. 

Beginning September 2 – Downtown Dewitt Farmers Market: Come to the Downtown Dewitt Farmers Market for an evening of exploring small businesses, home-grown foods, treats, and more! Every Tuesday in September, join from 4 p.m. to 7 p.m. for some shopping, food trucks, and fun in Downtown Dewitt on a warm summer night. 

Beginning September 4 – South Lansing Farmers Market: The South Lansing Farmers Market is open on Thursdays and located at the corner of Jolly and S. MLK in Lansing. Stop by for farm fresh fruits and veggies, fresh cut flowers, arts and crafts, natural body and household products, and a food court featuring Mexican, Chinese, Lebanese, and Southern Soul food – a little something for everyone! 

Beginning September 4 – Dimondale Farmers Market: The Dimondale Farmers Market will run every Thursday in September in the Village Square. The Market is celebrating their 18th season and hosts over 15 vendors providing locally produced products, including fruits, vegetables, chicken, fish, jams, honey, flowers, and more!

New Academic Year, New Professional Development Opportunities

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Fall is almost here, and HR’s Organization and Professional Development (OPD) team has spots open in the following courses to support your learning and development. Class enrollment is completed within the EBS Portal, and employees may use available educational assistance funds towards course fees (if any).

Personal Development

Bystander Intervention Training | August 28 | In-Person  
Learn strategies to prevent and interrupt problematic behavior associated with workplace harassment or discrimination. 

Getting Things Done | September 9, 10, and 11 | Virtual 
By learning how to capture, clarify, and organize incoming requests, participants are more likely to make strategic decisions about where to invest their time and energy in ways that improve results and decrease missed deadlines, mistakes, and stress. 

The Power of Habit | September 18 | Virtual
Discover how habits are created and how to replace undesirable habits with productive ones.

Breaking Free from Stress | October 1, 8, 15, and 22 | In-Person 
Learn how to be less reactive to people and events in your life and form a deeper perspective of common sense and wisdom.

Roadmap To Retirement| October 9 | In-Person 
If you are an MSU faculty or staff member and you have decided to retire within a year or two, this half-day workshop covers a range of topics critical to your successful retirement.

Everything DiSC: Productive Conflict | December 18 | In-Person
Learn techniques to improve self-awareness and handle conflict. You will take an assessment to better understand your personal responses to conflict. Pre-work must be completed before taking this course.

Leadership

Crucial Influence | October 7, 8, and 9 | Virtual
Targeting mid to high-level leaders responsible for leading change and improving efforts in the workplace, learn about the Crucial Influence Model, which explains why people do what they do and how you can influence results.

Strengths Based Leadership | October 16 | In-Person   
Understand manager-specific strengths using the newly released CliftonStrengths for Managers Report. Your top strengths — the things you naturally do best — can help you manage more effectively, meet your goals, and improve your team’s success.

Resilient Leadership Series | November 3 and 4 | In-person
Explore with other campus leaders some essential resilience skills required for effective leadership for the common good, including: emotional intelligence, emotional resilience, psychological flexibility, mindfulness, effective stress mitigation practices, and practices of compassionate accountability for self and others. 

Operational

Introduction to Process Mapping | Various Dates | In-Person  
Learn how to define key processes improvement terminology, reduce barriers to success, and create a process map.

Promapp Interactive Process Creation | Various Dates | In-Person  
Learners will continue their process improvement journey and build upon the knowledge and skills learned in Introduction to Process Mapping.

You can find all current Organization and Professional Development courses on the HR website.

Aerial view of MSU campus in the fall, featuring Beaumont Tower at the center.

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

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Dear Spartan Colleagues,

As the fall semester begins, I want to take a moment to welcome you and thank you. The start of a new academic year is always a time of renewed purpose and energy—and this year, that sense of renewal feels especially important.

The past several months have been especially challenging for all of us. The financial adjustments shared by President Guskiewicz have deeply impacted many across our community. In HR, we recognize the weight of these changes and the emotions they carry. I want to acknowledge the care, compassion, and professionalism so many of you have shown as we navigated this difficult period together.

At the same time, this moment gives us space to look ahead—with optimism and determination—to how we continue supporting one another moving forward. At MSU Human Resources, our focus remains on creating an exceptional employee experience and a strong, supportive workplace culture.

In that spirit, I’m proud to share several recent milestones:

  • Our Tuition Assistance Benefit has been enhanced to offer access upon hire and expanded credit coverage, helping employees—and their families—pursue full undergraduate degrees with fewer barriers.
  • We’ve also relaunched the Spartan Experience program, empowering more employees to create service-centered interactions that reflect MSU’s mission, vision and values.
  • Finally, we reached a new agreement with the Coalition of Labor Organizations, reinforcing our commitment to competitive, meaningful benefits and the vital partnership between HR and our union leaders.

These efforts are just a few examples of how we continue working to make MSU a place where people feel supported and inspired to grow.

Thank you for all you do to make our campus community stronger—through challenging times and promising new beginnings. I wish you a smooth and fulfilling start to the semester.

Go Green!

Donna Donovan, J.D.
Interim Associate Vice President
MSU Human Resources

Educational Assistance: Fall Reminders 

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 The Educational Assistance, or “Ed Assist,” support staff benefit resets with the start of the fall semester. Now is the 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, such as professional development courses offered through HR’s Organization and Professional Development, 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. 

Seeking Nominations for Support Staff Awards 

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We are seeking nominations for three prestigious awards available to support staff: the Ruth Jameyson Above and Beyond, Gliozzo Clerical-Technical Recognition, and Jack Breslin Distinguished Staff awards! 

All award nominations are due Friday, October 24, 2025. 

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 in supporting the mission of MSU. In recognition of Ms. Jameyson’s 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. Learn more about the award on the web page,  Ruth Jameyson Above and Beyond Award. 

To nominate an employee, complete the nomination form and return it to Ray Gasser at gasserra@msu.edu by October 24.   

Gliozzo Clerical-Technical Recognition Award 

The Clerical-Technical Recognition Award is presented annually to a Michigan State University support staff member performing Clerical-Technical duties. The recipient is selected from nominations received by the CT Recognition Award Selection Committee. The award is sponsored by the Thomas and Concettina Gliozzo Endowment Fund to recognize outstanding MSU Clerical-Technical employees. Learn more about the award on the web page,  Clerical-Technical Recognition Award. 

To nominate an employee, complete the nomination form and return it to serviceawards@hr.msu.edu by October 24.  

Jack Breslin Distinguished Staff Award 

This award is presented annually to six university support staff members selected by the Jack Breslin Distinguished Staff Award Selection Committee from all nominations received. The award is named in honor of Jack Breslin, who served Michigan State University as a student leader, honored athlete, top administrator, and steadfast advocate. Jack was the personification of the “Spartan Spirit.” His strong and innovative leadership played a pivotal role in MSU’s growth and development as the nation’s premier land grant institution. Learn more about the award on the web page,  Jack Breslin Distinguished Staff Award. 

To nominate an employee, complete the nomination form and return it to serviceawards@hr.msu.edu by October 24. Â