May 2015

Best Doctors offers three great services

Published on May 27, 2015 by MSU Human ResourcesLeave a comment

Best Doctors is available to all members of MSU health plans. They offer three main services at no out-of-pocket costs to you:

In-Depth Medical Review & Interconsultation, where experienced medical professionals can answer any questions you may have about a medical diagnosis or treatment options.

When to call:

You have questions about your existing diagnosis or treatment options.
Your doctor hasn’t given you a diagnosis or you aren’t getting better even with treatment.
You wonder if you really need surgery or other recommended medical procedures.
You want to make sure you are getting the right care from the right medical specialist.

Have a question about a medical diagnosis or treatment options? Ask the Expert.

When to call:

You have any general or specific medical question, and don’t want to rely on the Internet for information.
You have heard about a new treatment option or medical procedure and wonder if it’s right for you.
You are uncertain if the medications you’re now taking are the best options for you.

Need a pediatrician? Want the best surgeon in your area? Looking for a world-class medical specialist? Just contact Best Doctors to Find a Best Doctor, and they will locate the right doctor for you—one who’s nearby and in your health plan.

When to call:

You just moved to a new area and are looking for a doctor.
You believe you need to consult with a specialist.
You would like additional providers you can see about your condition.

To get started, call 1-866-904-0910 or visit their website.

Job of the Week 5/22/15

Published on May 22, 2015 by MSU Human ResourcesLeave a comment

This week we are highlighting an Administrative Assistant I (Posting #1105) in the Controller’s Office. The successful candidate will assist in the day-to-day operational activities of the Loans Receivable Office; serve as liaison between department and six outside collection agencies; perform all activities associated with the agencies, including producing all reports and notification letters, monthly file transfers, and monthly and annual reports; be responsible for daily cash receipt reconciliation, balancing Short-Term loan and Direct-Loan fund ledgers, monthly Short-Term Loan and Direct-Loan funds reconciliation, write off of short-term loans to Delinquent Receivables and year-end supporting reports; be responsible for producing daily, monthly and annual Access reports and Excel graphs and charts; serve as backup to the assistant manager; utilize MSU’s student loan billing system maintained by a third-party service provider while performing department responsibilities.

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.

MSU Benefits Plus – Discounts and Programs

Published on May 20, 2015 by MSU Human ResourcesLeave a comment

A reminder to all MSU benefits-eligible faculty and staff, you have the opportunity to enroll in several voluntary employee-paid benefits programs through MSU Benefits Plus. The optional programs include Vision Insurance, Group Legal Services, Critical Illness Insurance, Long-Term Care Insurance, Auto and Home Insurance, Pet Insurance and discount shopping.

Vision, legal and critical illness insurance have an annual open enrollment period during the fall of each year. That means you can only enroll at that time each year and once you enroll, you cannot change or cancel that enrollment until the next annual open enrollment period (unless you have a qualifying life event). Other programs, like auto, home, long-term care and pet insurances allow you to enroll at anytime throughout the year.

Discounts are available year-round on the MSU Benefits Plus website. These include discounts tied to MSU departments, local businesses and many other online shopping discounts.

Keep up on all of the discount information and programs that are available through the MSU Benefits Plus page. Sign in or create an account on www.MSUBenefitsPlus.com using your MSU ZPID number and password to view your benefits programs available to you.

Direct Deposit and W2 Reprints

Published on May 19, 2015 by MSU Human ResourcesLeave a comment

Direct deposit is available for all MSU employees through the Michigan Automated Clearing House Association (MACHA). The university will deposit your paycheck electronically into an account you designate at any financial institution within the U.S. Your pay will be automatically deposited into your checking or savings account safely and confidentially on pay day. You will also be provided with a detailed earnings statement accessible on the EBS Portal.

Enrollment is simple. Access Employee Self Service (ESS) at www.ebs.msu.edu and follow the step-by-step directions given here.

After an extended absence, the ability to reprint the W2 form can be handled online using ESS at www.ebs.msu.edu.

Find easy-to-follow directions and other important information regarding W2 Reprints here.

Try a Health4U Class This Summer!

Published on May 12, 2015 by MSU Human ResourcesLeave a comment

MSU’s Health4U program aims to promote a healthy lifestyle within the MSU community. Health4U focuses on emotional wellness, food and nutrition, health consumerism, movement and fitness, and alcohol, nicotine, and drug information by providing opportunities to participate in programs, services and activities. If you’re looking to get in shape this summer or simply to enhance your personal health and wellness, do so in an accessible way by taking advantage of all that Health4U has to offer!

Monday, May 18

Rest with Music: “World Music”

Wednesday, May 20

Relaxing Under the Stars

Thursday, May 21

Active Stretching – begins Thursday, May 21

How to Eat – begins Thursday, May 21

Living Abundantly – begins Thursday, May 21

Wednesday, May 27

Healing Power of Guided Imagery

June 2015

Tuesday, June 2

Kitchen Skill Drill: “Marinades and Rubs for Grilling”

Wednesday, June 10

Recipe for Health Cooking Series: “Yellow Perch”

Monday, June 15

Rest with Music: “Ukulele”

Thursday, June 18

Relaxing Under the Stars

Spring cleaning for your documents

Published on May 12, 2015 by MSU Human ResourcesLeave a comment

Every office has one: the person who saves every file they work on to their desktop as an icon. Not only does this slow response time for start-up, it puts you at risk of losing that data should your desktop machine fail. Instead, move files that you want to keep to your network file space, and if absolutely necessary, create a shortcut on your desktop to the network location. Storing your files on the network ensures that they are being backed up on a regular basis.

Sort through your documents and archive or remove those you don’t need anymore. It can be scary, like opening a file cabinet that hasn’t been opened in months–or years–and is covered with dust. Do it, though. If you don’t, every time you search, the computer has to search through all those outdated files.

To make this easier in the future, give your folders and files meaningful names. If you save a document every month with updated data, keep the base name the same every month but append the date. For example: MonthlyStatusDATE.xls. If working on a project, develop a naming convention at the start and be consistent throughout the project. That way even if players change as the project progresses, everyone can still find the information they need.

And empty your trash! If you haven’t gone back to restore it within a few days or weeks, you probably never will.

Mother’s Day Madness!

Published on May 6, 2015 by MSU Human ResourcesLeave a comment

Mother’s Day is just around the corner, falling on Sunday, May 10 this year. While presents are always a thoughtful gesture, the most valuable gift that you can give to mom is your time! The East Lansing area offers an abundance of activities to enjoy while celebrating family.

Mom’s Day Brunch, 10 a.m. – 12:30 p.m., Kellogg Center

What better way to honor your mom than with a delectable, mouth-watering brunch? The Kellogg Center’s State Room restaurant will serve up a meal fit for a queen, so don’t hesitate to make a reservation.

Mother’s Day Golf Special, all day, Forest Akers Golf Course

If your mom enjoys being active, then Forest Akers has the perfect deal! Golf green fees and cart fees are free for moms all day. Take advantage of this discount on either course.

Public Tour, 1 p.m. or 3 p.m., Eli and Edythe Broad Art Museum

Soak up a little culture by bringing mom to a free docent-led tour at the Eli and Edythe Broad Art Museum. Tours last 45 minutes and teach visitors about the structure of the building and the current exhibits.

Family Show, 4 p.m., Abrams Planetarium

If relaxing under the stars is mom’s cup of tea, visit the Abrams Planetarium. The planetarium will be showing “Our Place in Space.”

Regardless of how you choose to spend the day, don’t forget to share your gratitude! Mothers deserve the world for all that they do.

Congratulations to the class of 2015!

Published on May 5, 2015 by MSU Human ResourcesLeave a comment

We would like to offer our congratulations and best wishes to all graduates in the class of 2015. Congratulations on your academic achievements that have led you to this very special and exciting time! We hope you follow in the footsteps of past graduates and find success in your careers as Michigan State University alumna! We wish you all the very best in your endeavors!

We would especially like to thank those graduating students who have worked in HR this year.

Julia Breza will be graduating with an Economics degree.
Ryan Hasselbach will be graduating with a Communication degree.
Stephen Muer will be graduating with an Applied Engineering Sciences degree.
Cris Munoz will be graduating with a Media and Information degree.
Rebecca Tencza will be graduating with a Communications and Professional Writing degree.
Alex Webber will be graduating with a Human Resources Management degree.
Autumn Weidenhamer will be graduating with a Human Resources Management degree.
Alex Zuker will be graduating with a Civil Engineering degree.

Congratulations to all of these graduates and the class of 2015!

Events Round-Up 5/1/2015

Published on May 1, 2015 by MSU Human ResourcesLeave a comment

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.

Community Events

Friday, May 8

MSU Spring 2015 Commencement begins, times vary, locations vary

Saturday, May 9

Take a Breath for PH and Get Moving for MS, 8 a.m., DeWitt High School Track

Letts Spring Family Carnival, 1 p.m. – 4 p.m., Lansing

Friday, May 15

Lansing Symphony Orchestra Firebird, 8 p.m., Wharton Center

Saturday, May 16

East Lansing Art Festival begins, times vary, East Lansing

Saturday, May 23

Yoga at the Broad Museum, 11 a.m., Eli and Edythe Broad Art Museum