Love your own heart by making regular check-up appointments and monitoring high blood pressure.
Heart disease is the leading cause of death for women in the United States. According to the CDC, only 54 percent of women are aware of this fact.
February is American Heart Month, a time to advertise the dangers of heart disease and the ways in which to prevent it. Tomorrow, February 5, is National Wear Red Day, a day organized by Go Red for Women, a nonprofit organization within the American Heart Association. To begin supporting the cause, all you need to do is wear red on Friday!Continue Reading… Get informed during American Heart Month
Michigan State University has launched Performance Excellence, the new performance management process for support staff. Performance Excellence is designed as a three-part continuous cycle that enables ongoing feedback and support for employees.
Training for all supervisors and support staff  is now available in elevateU and should be completed, at the very latest, by the end of February. The training program will review the process and the skills needed to carry out Performance Excellence effectively. Training will take approximately 35 minutes to complete. An average score of at least 75 percent correct on the post-topic questions and final test is needed to be considered complete. Once that is accomplished, you can print a certificate of completion.Continue Reading… Performance Excellence training available now
Here are some events happening over the next month that may be of interest to MSU faculty and staff. Please visit the links for more information. Many events require registration.
This week we are highlighting an Administrative Associate I/S position (posting #2705) with the College of Veterinary Medicine. The candidate will manage the fiscal and related administrative activities of a large and complex veterinary diagnostic laboratory including participation in the development of business and administrative goals, objectives, policies, and procedures; plan, direct, and manage the financial reporting process as it relates to the business of the laboratory; establish standards, procedures, and priorities for laboratory systems that impact cash flow and client services; interact with laboratory leadership team and advise on strategic initiatives; take an active role in the promotion of the laboratory to stakeholders; and supervise/mentor support staff.
For a complete description of this position, and to view all of our current postings, please go to www.jobs.msu.edu and select Support Staff under the Fast Jobs Search.
Work doesn’t always have to be “work.” Adding fun and humor to the workplace is a great way to boost productivity and morale. January 28 is Fun at Work Day, an unofficial holiday set aside to remind the workforce of the benefits of play, friendly competition and humor in day-to-day life.
A trip to the one of the MSU Dairy Store locations is a great mid-day break activity!
Here are a few ideas to get started:
Decorations
Add some flair to your work space! Putting up pictures, posters, comics and more personalizes your space and can give your coworkers a laugh when they stop by.
An organized cubicle or desk decorating contest can also engage the whole office and increase creativity. Who in your office can give their work space the most Spartan spirit?
Bulletin Boards
A bulletin board with thank-you notes, drawings, fun facts, jokes, newsclippings and more creates a space of community and public expression. Employees can pose a daily or weekly question for everyone to respond to on the board, such as “What’s your favorite movie” or “What superpower do you wish you had?” Dry erase boards are perfect for writing daily inspirational quotes or jokes or showcasing the talents of any artists in the office.
Midday outings
A change of scenery can boost energy and clear the mind. Health4U Â offers an abundance of activities from noon to 1 p.m. on weekdays. You can experience something new with your coworkers at a session involving relaxation, light exercise or instructional cooking.
Fun at work builds camaraderie, increases employee satisfaction and productivity and inspires creativity. We hope you have fun today!
Screen readers and other applications help those with disabilities interact with websites.
In an age in which almost all information is published and accessed online, it is essential that everyone can interact with web pages. Unfortunately, those with disabilities are often excluded from critical online information because of inaccessible websites or documents.
MSU has taken the initiative to ensure that all university digital content is accessible so all students, faculty, staff and members of the MSU community share equal opportunity in receiving and interacting with it. Digital Content and Accessibility, a part of MSU Information Technology, works to accomplish this goal. This team of staff and students, along with the cross-department Web Accessibility Working Group and the ADA Coordinator, all work together to provide an abundance of resources and tutorials that MSU faculty and staff can use to ensure that the new content they are creating is accessible and existing inaccessible content can be altered to uphold accessibility standards.
Every department at MSU has a different audience, structure, and digital content for their website. This is why each department is developing a five-year plan to best prioritize the order in which content is made fully accessible. Digital Content and Accessibility is here to help MSU staff throughout this process.
Learn more about accessibility, resources, tutorials, templates and policies at webaccess.msu.edu. You can also email webaccess@msu.edu.
Thank you, MSU IT, WAWG, and the ADA Coordinator, for helping MSU become a model for accessibility!
This week we are highlighting an Administrative Assistant I position (posting #2684)Â in Residential and Hospitality Services. The candidate collects, compiles, and interprets information for the Spartan Hospitality Group Accounting office; creates and maintains EBS accounting systems for Spartan Hospitality Group; monitors and oversees all accounting activities to assist with the operational functions of the Accounting office; administers and oversees a large variety of accounting activities for Spartan Hospitality Group; establishes, maintains, and oversees SHG funds and accounts; explains MSU, RHS, and SHG accounting policies and procedures to staff and guests in order to resolve any accounting issues; collects and interprets information to produce a large variety of accounting reports and budgets; compiles accounting records and submits bills for various services; and assists business manager with a variety of special projects as assigned.
For a complete description of this position, and to view all of our current postings, please go to www.jobs.msu.edu and select Support Staff under the Fast Jobs Search.
Snow-frosted trees line the Red Cedar River. Photo courtesy of Communications and Brand Strategy.
SAD isn’t just an emotion – it’s a type of depression related to the changing of the seasons, an acronym for Seasonal Affective Disorder. Those who have SAD might experience irritability, tiredness, loss of focus, difficulty sleeping and more.
Even without SAD, it’s easy to feel a little down in the winter. The lack of outside warmth, sunlight and outdoor exercise and activities contribute to a sluggish and gloomy mentality.
Fortunately, there are a variety of ways to keep your spirits up during the long, cold months ahead.
Healthy eating
It can be easy to fall into the habit of eating comfort food during winter. A healthy diet does wonders for overall mood and physical wellness by providing your body with long-lasting energy and essential vitamins and minerals.Continue Reading… Beat the winter blues
Ruth Jameyson died in 2007 at the age of 100 years. Photo courtesy of University Archives & Historical Collections
The Ruth Jameyson “Above and Beyond” Award  is a relatively new award that honors the late Ruth Jameyson, who served as the secretary to MSU President Robert S. Shaw from 1938 to 1941 and secretary/administrative assistant to President John A. Hannah from 1941 to 1969. While working full time at MSU she earned a master’s degree in economics.
The Ruth Jameyson Award is given to a deserving full-time MSU staff member that is working toward a graduate degree. The recipient will be honored at the Distinguished Staff Award reception in May 2016 and receives a $2,500 stipend.
A nominee must be a regular, active support staff employee with at least five years of service to MSU and must be enrolled and attending a post-baccalaureate program at MSU or elsewhere. MSU staff are encouraged to nominate coworkers that meet the qualifications and are considered deserving of the award.
The award recipient will be selected depending on job performance, academic success and contributions to his or her department and the university. The extent to which the candidate upholds the ideals of Ruth Jameyson will also be considered.
Nomination forms and supporting materials are due Friday, January 29, 2016. They should be sent to H. Michael Rice at riceh@msu.edu .
Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. and President Lyndon Johnson shakes hands after the signing of the 1964 Civil Rights Act.
MSU’s Project 60/50 began in 2014 as a community-oriented conversation starter that derived its name and mission from the 1954 Brown v. Board of Education of Topeka ruling and the Civil Rights Act of 1964. These two historical pieces of legislation were born from a diverse yet united community’s countless hours of organized campaigning and conversation to achieve the worthy and crucial goal of equality.
The struggle for civil rights continues in this country, and Martin Luther King Jr. Day provides us with the opportunity to reflect on progress and assess what lies ahead. Dr. King has brought hope, inspiration and motivation to millions during and after his lifetime. His encouragement of peaceful protest and widespread awareness of ongoing discrimination remain relevant today.Continue Reading… Engage with your community on Martin Luther King Jr. Day
