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What HR is Making for Thanksgiving

Published on November 20, 2018 by Megan MacGregorLeave a comment

Are you looking for some last-minute recipe ideas for the Thanksgiving holiday? Members of the HR team share their favorite holiday dishes below. Whether you’re looking for a unique addition to your holiday menu or you’re still trying to plan what you’re going to make, these recommendations will help make your Thanksgiving meal a success!

Sharon Moore’s Cranberry Sauce
This delicious homemade cranberry sauce is a special garnish to put with any Thanksgiving turkey. Sharon found this recipe a few years back and decided to try it out on the family. They love it and now it is requested every year.

Edita Herbstova’s Cream of Peanut Soup
This yummy soup dish is served with chopped toasted peanuts on top and sippets. What are sippets, you ask? Click the recipe above to find out!

Monica Burrow’s Pumpkin Layered Magic Cake
The pumpkin and cake layers in this Betty Crocker Kitchens dessert recipe magically switch places while it’s baking (awesome!). Finished with a fluffy cream cheese whipped cream on top.

Danielle Devota’s Signature Sweet Potato Casserole
This recipe from The Pioneer Woman blog is so tasty it has become a trademark dish at the Devota Thanksgiving.

Becky Proctor’s Classic Sage Stuffing
If you’ve been looking for the very best stuffing recipe, look no further. This stuffing recipe is remarkably simple to make and will be the star dish at your table.

Megan MacGregor’s Vegan Lentil & Sweet Potato Shepherd’s Pie
If you have any friends or family members with dietary requirements coming over for Thanksgiving, this dish is dairy-, egg-, and meat-free (but full of flavor!). Perfect for the vegans or vegetarians at your table.

Happy Thanksgiving from the MSU Human Resources team!

Commuting Options: Be “Spartan Green” and save money getting to campus

Published on January 17, 2017 by MSU Human ResourcesLeave a comment

Are you considering commuting to campus for work or school, but unsure about your options? Would it be helpful to have more information so you can make a decision that fits your needs? Coming soon is the opportunity to join a discussion and learn from experts who will share information about services that can be used to get to and from campus. These options will enable you to save money, save the environment and “Be Spartan Green!”

commuting1 — Photo courtesy of Communications and Brand Strategy.

A panel discussion will take place Wednesday, January 18 from noon – 1:00 p.m. in Room 110 Chittenden Hall. Participants will learn about:

CATA Clean Commute Options – a free service that helps interested individuals find alternative ways to commute to work; including car/vanpooling, bus, bike and walking. Learn about the options that fit your commute and the Emergency Ride Home program, which acts as “commuter insurance” if you’re ever left without transportation.
CATA bus service on and off campus, including the Spectran service for individuals with physical mobility concerns in the tri-county area.
MichiVan vanpool program – sponsored by MDOT and operated by vRide and Enterprise Rideshare, this program supplies fully insured passenger vans to commuter groups.
Biking – with support from MSU Bikes to help navigate your way safely to campus.

In addition to receiving information about commuting options, participants will also hear experiences from two commuters: Jen Bruen a Michivan driver/coordinator who has been commuting from Novi to Lansing since 2011 and Layne Cameron who rides his bicycle from Williamston to campus ( a 12-mile commute one way).

This informational session is free and open to all! RSVP to the MSU WorkLife Office by emailing worklife@msu.edu (subject line: “Commuting Options) or by calling 517-353-1635. For additional information about this event, visit the WorkLife Office website.

Have You Heard About Care.com?

Published on January 11, 2017 by MSU Human ResourcesLeave a comment

The WorkLife Office helps the university community be productive on campus while managing the inevitable demands of personal life. An example of a service provided through the office is Care.com. This is a resource for the MSU community that can help you find childcare, housekeepers, pet care, senior/elder care support, even house sitters. Work-life issues are complex and diverse. Care.com is a tool that enables MSU staff, faculty and students to be high performing while solving the work-life puzzle of needs throughout the lifecycle, from childcare to elder care.

The Care.com website allows you to view detailed profiles of care providers and you can search according to your requirements: ZIP code, experience, hourly rate, availability and more. Care.com gives individuals 24/7 access to qualified care providers for every day, occasional or back-up care. Users can either search for providers or post a job to have candidates apply directly.

Security

Care.com is concerned about security and therefore includes safeguards. They conduct criminal background checks, and provide reviewed profiles and recorded references, which adds confidence when you make decisions regarding personal family care needs.

Measures of success

The MSU community has embraced Care.com. In a recent survey, 87% of respondents who tried to hire help through Care.com succeeded, and 95% of MSU respondents said they would recommend Care.com to a friend or colleague at the university.

How do you access the service?

Enter the MSU portal so you will not be charged for the service, then log in with your MSU Net ID to be identified as an MSU affiliate.

The search service is free, wages for care providers are negotiated between the provider and the user.

Want to Become Nicotine- or Tobacco-Free?

Published on January 10, 2017 by MSU Human ResourcesLeave a comment

Are you thinking about quitting tobacco or nicotine products? If so, you should consider attending an information session about the MSU Breathe Easy: Tobacco & Nicotine Cessation program.

Anti-Smoking Symbol — Take control of your tobacco or nicotine addiction, register for Breathe Easy today!

Quitting tobacco and nicotine products is extremely difficult. That being said, this program is available to provide the support that you need to make this change. Nearly 30 percent of MSU Breathe Easy participants have remained nicotine free. This is an excellent figure when you consider the fact that other cessation methods report success rates between 3 and 12 percent.

The next information session is Wednesday, January 25, 2017 from 1:30 p.m. – 3:00 p.m. in the Olin Student Health Services Building. To register for the information session, you and/or your adult benefits-eligible family members should call Health4U at 517-353-2596, send an email to Health4U@msu.edu or register in person at 330 Olin Health Center.

Attending this information session does not obligate you to enroll in the Breathe Easy program. This session is only meant to provide you with information so you can decide if the program is the right fit for you. Both the information session and the Breathe Easy program are free for benefits-eligible MSU employees and their adult benefits-eligible family members. The total time commitment for the program is 17 hours, which is spread out over the course of the 15-month program commitment. You will not be required to use your own time accruals to participate in the Breathe Easy program, so long as you are compliant with attendance at the meetings and your supervisor approves release time.

A limited number of off-campus employees now have the option to participate in the program via teleconferencing. Participants will join the information session, support sessions and medical-related sessions through Zoom. If you’re interested in participating remotely, let Health4U know when you register for the information session.

Year-end Records Tips for Tax Filing

Published on December 28, 2016 by MSU Human ResourcesLeave a comment

For some, the end of December brings the need to de-clutter and reorganize their lives before the new year. Unlike many habits, this practice is one people should pick up, especially when pertaining to tax records. TurboTax offers several tips for year-end records and tax filing that can help make April a little easier.

The first tip is to start tracking paperless records as they arrive. Create a spreadsheet dedicated to tax records, and don’t forget items like expense titles, check numbers, payee names, dollar amounts and dates. Also be sure to track potential deductions such as charitable donations, outlays for health care, job-search expenses and unreimbursed work expenses.

tax

Next, try to think about deductions throughout the year, especially with life events you experience. Maybe keep a mileage log in your car to record the miles you use for volunteering, work, business or medical appointments. Be sure to keep cash receipts that document transportation, charitable work, job-search and other tax-deductible activities. Also, keep documents related to events like the birth or adoption of a child, marriage, death of a spouse or divorce, and buying a home.

Tax returns and supporting documents should be kept for at least seven to 10 years, but consider shredding anything past then. Creating a system for tracking and organizing your tax records, potential deductibles and other documents, while updating it throughout the year, will help make the days leading up to April 18 a little less stressful.

Winter Break Dining Hall Hours

Published on December 15, 2016 by MSU Human ResourcesLeave a comment

Now that fall semester is over, students will be leaving for winter break and the dining halls on campus will be altering their hours.

dining-hall-hours-edited — Student employees work at The Gallery. Photo courtesy of Communications and Brand Strategy.

The dining hall hours for winter break are as follows:

December 17-22:

Brody Square and The Edge at Akers are open 8 a.m. to 9 a.m., 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. and 5 p.m. to 7 p.m.

December 23 – January 2:

All dining halls are closed.

January 3:

Brody Square and The Edge at Akers are open 8 a.m. to 9 a.m., 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. and 5 p.m. to 7 p.m.

January 4-6:

Brody Square and The Edge at Akers are open 8 a.m. to 9 a.m., 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. and 5 p.m. to 7 p.m.

Riverwalk Market at Owen is open 7:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.

January 7:

Brody and Akers are open 8 a.m. to 9 a.m., 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. and 5 p.m. to midnight.

Riverwalk Market at Owen is open 11 a.m. to 11 p.m.

Heritage Commons at Landon, The Vista at Shaw and Holmes are open 5 p.m. to 8 p.m.

South Pointe at Case is open 5 p.m. to 9 p.m.

The Gallery at Snyder / Phillips and Wilson are open 5 p.m. to midnight.

January 8:

Normal hours resume.

To find additional information about winter break dining hours, visit the Eat at State website.

Get to Know ALEX

Published on November 17, 2016 by MSU Human ResourcesLeave a comment

Do you still have questions about your benefits? ALEX is available to help!

featured_blobby2 — To learn more about ALEX, click here.

ALEX is a virtual benefits counselor that is
provided by MSU HR to walk you through everything you need to know about your benefit options. Even though open enrollment has ended for the 2017 plan year, ALEX can still be used in order to learn more about your benefits.

When you first navigate to ALEX, it will ask you some basic questions in order to figure out which benefit plans apply to your situation. You then have the opportunity to go through and take a closer look at all of the plan options. ALEX will give you the choice to learn more about each plan or to move on to the next section. There is also a menu bar on the side if you want to skip around and learn about certain plans.

It is important to note that ALEX is strictly an educational tool; you are not able to enroll for any benefits through this tool. Enrollment must still be completed through the EBS portal. To navigate to ALEX, visit the HR website and select the link under the section that applies to you (faculty and academic staff, support staff, variable hour employees or graduate assistants). Be sure to take advantage of this helpful interactive tool!

2016 Outstanding Supervisor Award Recipients

Published on November 15, 2016 by MSU Human ResourcesLeave a comment

MSU Human Resources would like to congratulate the 2016 Outstanding Supervisor Award recipients!

The University-wide award was established to draw attention to MSU supervisors who are highly regarded by their employees for their consistent support of the work/life (professional/personal) needs of their employees. Previously established by the former Family Resource Center in the spring of 2001, this award is now managed through the WorkLife Office. Various academic and support staff units submitted excellent nominations this year. The nominees and nominators represent a wide variety of departments and position levels.

In celebration of “National Bosses Day and Work & Family Month” the recipients were honored at surprise celebrations with their staff and family held on various dates surrounding National Boss’s Day on October 16.

This year’s five winners include:

Karen Crosby – Chief Financial Officer, Deans Office, College of Human Medicine

“Karen has fostered a culture of support and respect. The office is a very positive place to work, and I feel our team is professional, personable and high performing.”

Amy Driver – Data Entry Supervisor, Enterprise Information Stewardship

“[Amy] assumes and believes in the excellence of our staff which empowers us all, and has created a work environment that makes me want to come to work every day.”

Sherman Garnett – Dean, James Madison College

“Whether there is a need for flexible hours, for a long time away to care for loved ones, or our own health issues, Dean Garnett has created a productive and engaging environment where faculty and staff know that they are respected, listened to and cared for.”

Jessica Nakfour – Management Analyst, MSU Extension Director’s Office jessica-nakfour-team

“[Jessica] is a cheerleader who motivates me to be a better employee.”

Jeremy Wilson – Director, Center for Anti-Counterfeiting and Product Protection, Jeremy Wilson Team.JPG School of Criminal Justice

“Jeremy has high expectations of high quality work that are balanced with the desire to attend to the needs at home”

MSU is proud to have leaders who support the balance between work and personal well-being. Thank you for making our university a great place to work!

TIAA Visa Gift Card Challenge

Published on October 27, 2016 by MSU Human ResourcesLeave a comment

Sometimes a little knowledge goes a long way. At least that’s what happened to Eric Strouse of IPF Safety and Security Services who stopped by retirement vendor TIAA’s table at the Big Ten Network MSU vs. Wisconsin game tailgate on September 24. Eric simply tested his knowledge about financial life and work fundamentals and won TIAA’s Apple Watch sweepstakes.

applewatch-001 — TIAA sweepstakes winner, Eric Strouse, is a proud new owner of an Apple Watch!

You too can be entered to win amazing prizes through TIAA’s educational challenge quiz. Now through December 15, each time you play, you are entered for a chance to win one of 60 $25 Visa gift cards. Take the challenge as many times as you’d like, and learn something new about work life and finances each time. Put your knowledge to the test today!

Spartan Spirit: Homecoming 2016

Published on October 10, 2016 by MSU Human ResourcesLeave a comment

When the air begins to crisp, the leaves start to change and football season is in full swing, there comes an overwhelming sense of pride that falls over campus. This sensation is known as Homecoming. Students, alumni, staff, faculty, fans, friends and family are brought together by the mutual love and respect of Michigan State.

The Homecoming Game vs. Northwestern Wildcats is on Saturday, October 15, but the festivities will take place all week. Events like Hayrides and History, a “Game of the Century” viewing party and Dairy Store ice cream at The Rock will begin on Monday, October 10 and continue throughout the week. A full list of events can be found on the Alumni Association website.

The 2016 Homecoming Parade begins at 6 p.m. on Friday October 14. Starting at the Hannah Community Center, the parade will be led by Grand Marshals Tom and Lupe Izzo, and will travel down Abbot to Grand River and turn on to campus at the Collingwood entrance. Traffic on campus will be extra busy before the parade, and several roads will be closed, so you may want to leave work a little earlier than usual.

homecoming-parade2 — The Homecoming parade is always a Spartan Community favorite

Don’t forget the tradition of “glowing green”! Spartans anywhere in the world can show their school spirit by switching their front porch, window or any light with a green bulb for the week. Submit your “Glow Green!” photos on the MSU Alumni Association’s Facebook page, or use #GlowGreen on Twitter or Instagram for a chance to win prizes.

The leaves may no longer be green, but our hearts always are.