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

Published on by Abigail MillerLeave a comment

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.  

Start the School Year Off Right With These Exclusive Discounts

Published on by Josh WorleyLeave a comment

Whether your family loves shopping for back-to-school or dreads it every year, MSU Benefits Plus has you covered. All benefit-eligible MSU employees have access to tons of exclusive discounts by clicking the MSU Benefits Plus tile on the EBS Portal. Send the family back to school in style without breaking the bank. 

Tech & Electronics

Technology is an essential part of the school supply list, so enjoy extra savings on those investments through a variety of retailers.

  • Amazon: Enjoy up to 40% off Amazon devices
  • Apple: Receive preferred pricing on iPhones, iMacs, and more
  • Dell: Get the best pricing available on all Dell PCs, electronics, and accessories
  • HP: Save up to 50% off the full portfolio of HP products
  • Microsoft: Save over 70% on Microsoft Office Home and Business

Beauty and Apparel

Everyone wants to look great for their first day of school, whether you’re a student or an educator.

  • Bombas: 20% off with code CORESTREAM20 (plus a pair is donated with every pair purchased!) 
  • Crocs: Save $20 off a purchase of $100 or more using the code CROCS20
  • Geologie: Use code BESTSKIN20 to take 20% off skincare, haircare, or body care products
  • Snow Teeth Whitening: Save 15% on teeth whitening kits, toothbrushes, and more

Education 

Learn a new skill, stock up on textbooks for those fall courses, and show your Spartan spirit, all at a discount through these local organizations. 

Other Savings 

  • BetterHelp: 50% off your first month of online therapy using code corestream50
  • Budget Truck Rentals: 15% off local and one-way moves using code ACT#56000131121
  • Nectar: Save 33% off mattresses, bedframes, bedding, and furniture

For all of these discounts and more, visit the HR Website or click the MSU Benefits Plus tile on the EBS Portal. Employees can also call Benefits Plus at 888-758-7575 with any questions.

August Events Round-Up

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If you and your family are looking for activities in August,  you’ve come to the right place! Check out upcoming events for you and your family to savor the summer season! Visit the links below to explore upcoming events and register if required. 

Campus Events

August 2 – Family Day: UNDO: First Saturday means Family Day at the MSU Broad Art Museum. This month, we are making art in reverse – playing with materials and the ways things can come together after being apart. 

August 6 – MSU Summer Carillon Concert Series: Bring a picnic, chair, or blanket to Beaumont Tower to experience musical talent in one of the most beautiful locations on MSU’s campus. Don’t miss the last show of the season!

August 10 – Garden Edition: Deep-Rooted with Beal Botanical Garden: Join Applied Ethnobotanist and Education Director of the Beal Botanical Gardens, Maeve Bassett, to learn about the social, historical, and political narratives within plants in the garden and artwork in the MSU Broad Art Collection.

August 29 – First Michigan State Home Football Game: Visit Spartan Stadium to cheer on the Spartans for the first game of the year against the Western Michigan Broncos! 

Learning Opportunities

August 5 – Free Webinar – Unlock the Power of a Multigenerational Workforce: Professor Eileen Wilson from the Broad College of Business is leading a webinar where you will gain insights into the cultures of generations in the workplace and leave with five strategies to connect bridges and boost collaboration within your team. 

August 14 – TIAA Webinar – Your Guide to Living Well in Retirement: Reserve your spot now to learn more about retirement and the human factors that can help you add excitement to the next chapter of your life. 

August 21 – Maximizing the Spartan Experience:  In this interactive session, learn how you, as an MSU employee, can strengthen colleague relationships and strengthen customer service. This training is ground in real MSU scenarios, team examples, and self-reflection. 

August 21 and 22 – 2025 Fall Educator Seminars: Join MSU IT Educational Technology, MSU Libraries, the Center for Teaching and Learning Innovation (CTLI), the Enhanced Digital Learning Initiative (EDLI), and MSU IT Training at the virtual 2025 Fall Educator Seminars. These free courses are offered  to help prepare educators for the upcoming school year.

August 21- Identify and Maximize Your Strengths: Part 2 Unlock the Full 34: In this series, you have the opportunity to learn identify personal talents through the CliftonStrengths Full 34 Report, evaluate how these talents impact work relationships and performance, and determine how to develop further natural talents through the given tools.

August 27 – Introduction to Process Mapping: Learn how to define key processes improvement technology, create a process map, and reduce barriers in process mapping.

August 28 – Bystander Intervention Training: This course is designed to provide participants with strategies to prevent and help in problematic behavior associated with workplace harassment or discrimination. 

August 28 – TIAA Webinar – Your Guide to Understanding Longevity:  During this webinar, learn about challenges and opportunities that come with increased longevity, how it affects retirement and financial planning, and how to maintain wealth and happiness. 

Family-Friendly Events 

August 4 and 11 – Sensory Friendly Hour at Bath Township Library: On the third and fourth Mondays of each month, visit the Bath Township Library for sensory-friendly hours. Staff will dim lights, provide sensory-friendly toys, fidgets, and noise-canceling headphones for those seeking a calming environment to explore books. 

August 21 – Disney Trivia: If you can quote Disney movies by heart, know every song by memory, or are a casual fan of Mickey Mouse, now is the perfect opportunity to test your Disney knowledge at High Caliber Karting Disney Trivia Night!  

August 24 – Picnic with Princess: Elsa, Rapunzel, Ariel, Moana, and Belle invite you to join them for a fairytale celebration! Families can bring their own blankets and lunches and enjoy interactive performance, activities, and photo opportunities with the princesses.

Greater Lansing Area Events 

Select dates in August – Lansing Lugnuts Home Games: “Go Nuts” and cheer on your local Lansing Lugnuts baseball team at Jackson Field this month! Check out their website for themes, promotions, tickets, and dates for August games.

July 30 – August 3 – 2025 JazzFest Michigan: Visit Old Town Lansing for JazzFest Michigan – a music festival that has been going on over 30 years! Between four venues and five days, the music possibilities are endless for you and your family to see live. 

August 1 and 15 – Glow Paddle Night Kayaking: Come and watch the Lansing Lugnuts post-game fireworks show from the river at Glow Paddle Night! Kayaks are available for rent, or you can bring your own! 

August 5, 12, 19 and 26 – Sunset and Chill:  Bring yourself and the family to Charlotte to enjoy free live music on the brand new music wagon stage, take a ride on the Whiskey Wagon and watch the sunset!  

August 23 – A Night For Nature: Bring a comfy chair, a beverage of choice, and your friends for a night of music under the stars at the Harris Nature! All proceeds from the event will support Harris Nature Center’s educational programs and facilities.  

August 20 – Tomato Festival: Celebrate tomato season at the Lansing Tomato Festival! From cooking demos to entertainment and tasting, this is an experience you won’t want to miss.

Farmers Markets

Beginning August 3 – The East Lansing Farmers Market: Visit Valley Court Park from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. every Sunday in August for some shopping and fresh air at the East Lansing Farmers Market (ELFM). Here you can purchase a variety of fresh goods, farm-grown here in Michigan, including vegetables, fruits, bread, cheese, honey, flowers, and so much more. No registration needed. 

Beginning August 6 – 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 August, join us from 4 p.m. to 7 p.m. for some shopping, food trucks and fun in Downtown Dewitt on a warm summer night. 

Beginning August 7 – South Lansing Farmers Market: The South Lansing Farmers Market is open Thursdays, and is 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 August 7 – Dimondale Farmers Market: The Dimondale Farmers Market will run every Thursday in August 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!

Performance Excellence Strategic Goal Setting: Tips for Supervisors

Published on by Abigail MillerLeave a comment

With everything you juggle as a supervisor, it’s easy to fall into a rut of viewing the performance management of your team as completing an annual review form and a once-yearly review of upcoming goals. However, taking the time to examine the potential opportunities within the Performance Excellence process can lead to significantly higher yields, both in the short and long term — for you, your team, and the university.

A primary goal of Performance Excellence should be to connect individuals to the organization’s greater purpose and help develop employees to better achieve the university’s goals. Although perhaps requiring a more significant investment of time upfront, creating a unifying vision for your team and establishing regular, ongoing check-in sessions to align goals will then serve as a touchstone for all performance evaluation and planning sessions.

Here are some tips and best practices to better align the goals and priorities of your team with the strategic objectives of your unit and MSU’s strategic plan.

1. Create a unit vision statement.

If your unit doesn’t already have a shared vision, now is a great time to formalize this and bring your team on board. Consider creating a one-page plan to outline your unit’s initiatives and the alignment of resources (i.e., time, people, funding) to achieve results and align with this vision.

Ask yourself:

  • Why does our unit exist?
  • What do we do that helps the university achieve the overarching strategic priorities?
  • How do we know we are successful?

2. Communicate, communicate, communicate.

As a supervisor, you should regularly communicate your unit’s vision to your team, both one-on-one and as a whole team. Ensure that everyone is fully aware of the vision, its meaning, and why it matters to them.

3. Help employees understand how their work impacts the vision.

When we can clearly connect our daily work with a larger picture of the unit’s and the university’s goals and objectives, job satisfaction and productivity almost always improve. Employees should be able to see how their individual contributions are critical to the university’s continued growth and success.

4. Have your employees consider goals and priorities for themselves that align with the unit’s vision.

Allow your team to take ownership of their goals, prioritizing what’s important to them about their work, while understanding that some employees may require more guidance and support with this process than others. Goals should be clear and measurable — think SMART and HARD goals â€” with a clear connection to your unit’s vision statement.

5. Ensure an ongoing feedback loop is maintained.

Aligning the goals and efforts of an individual with the larger team and organization cannot be a “one and done” activity. Regular, ongoing communication via one-on-one check-ins provides brief but powerful opportunities to touch base on objectives, realign priorities, and clarify expectations. Strive to provide prompt, actionable feedback to your team, tying everything back to your unit’s vision and ensuring each person understands how their work contributes to the bigger picture.

Additional resources to support you through this process can be found below, and HR’s Organization and Professional Development department is available at avphr.hrdmail@msu.edu if you would like further information or guidance.

Related Resources

MSU Performance Excellence: Supervisor Tips and Tools (Collection of resources including sample goals for different roles, goal-setting tips, and conversation starters for high performance)

Instructor-led OPD Workshops

HR SourceLive Blog Posts

Sources

https://www.rhythmsystems.com/blog/how-the-best-ceos-align-employees-with-company-goals

https://www.hrfuture.net/strategy/staff-planning/five-best-practices-for-aligning-employees-with-corporate-goals/