Take a pledge and Go Green this Earth Day!

Celebrate Earth Day on April 22 with recycling, clean commuting options and more! Take the first step to help your Spartan community go green. Are you looking for ways to go green? Start small like walking to get your lunch instead of driving, carpooling with coworkers to work or recycling materials from home. Whether you’re at home or in the office you can recycle materials you aren’t using like plastics, paper, cardboard and glass.

MSU Recycling Center is taking the lead for reusable materials here on campus. The center is open 24/7 for dropping off recycling materials. They have labeled containers for collecting books, boxboards, cardboard, glass and more! You can find out what material is accepted at the MSU Recycle Center website.

If you are looking for clean commuting options on campus, try biking, CATA or Zipcar. MSU Bikes is one commuter option that you can use by finding 1-on-1 bike commuter assistance that can help you find the safest, lowest – stress route from campus to your home. Campus also offers secure covered bike parking with DIY repair and an air station for your convenience.

Zipcar is here to help you get to your on-campus destination or your weekend adventure. You can find local Zipcars in the area by visiting the Zipcar website or downloading the app. Zipcar offers a variety of cars, vans and SUVs for wherever you’re going. You also have the option to rent for a day, hour or weekend. Zipcar is offering commuter options for MSU staff and faculty, just locate the car you want, drive and return it back to its parking space. Find more information on Zipcar and where you can sign up at the Zipcar website.

CATA clean commute options are here for free ride matching services for bus routes, carpools, vanpools and bike buddies. You can find travel modes that best fit your needs for getting around campus. Clean commute options are guided to help you save money and have a no stress commute. CATA also offers a commute cost calculator by examining how much money you spend driving alone and how much you can save by carpooling. Visit the CATA website to get involved for a clean commute for your morning.

This Earth Day make a pledge to go green! Try one of these options, whether it’s recycling with the family or carpooling with coworkers in the morning. Putting in the effort this Earth Day will make for a better tomorrow.

Job of the week – Office Coordinator II

This week’s job of the week is an Office Coordinator II (#571137) for the College of Education. This position is seeking an individual to provide support to the chairperson in the Department of Teacher Education with administrative and operational responsibilities.

The responsibilities for this role include course scheduling, analyzing information and assisting with departmental reports like enrollment and faculty assignments. Other responsibilities for this role include acting as a resource for faculty and staff, maintaining graduate applications and developing departmental databases.

The ideal candidate would possess knowledge acquired in the first two or three years in college, technical school or a related field; one to three years of related and progressively more responsible or expansive work experience in a professional office setting, performing secretarial and administrative tasks, including experience with scheduling meetings, data entry and payroll processing; or an equivalent combination of education and experience.

For more details on the responsibilities of this position, and to view all our current postings, visit careers.msu.edu. Internal applicants should access postings through the Careers @ MSU tile in the EBS Portal.

Start a healthy lifestyle with MSU Student Organic Farm!

Are you looking for healthy food options that are organic and help support the local community? The MSU Student Organic Farm stand is run by MSU students who have an interest in farming and sustainable food resources.

The MSU Student Organic Farm is a 15-acre, certified organic farm that started in 1999. The goal of the farm is to provide a place where students can volunteer, work, visit and share their interest in the development of the land and farm. The farm has flourished over the years, becoming a place where people can engage with farming and creating learning opportunities through farming.

The Student Organic Farm Stand opened the first week of April and will run through the end of October; it is available every Thursday from 11 a.m. – 5:30 p.m. at Farm Lane and Auditorium Road next to the Rock, under the big white tent. All the food they have available is USDA Certified Organic and locally grown by students and the farm crew. Note: Due to inclement weather, the farm stand will not be open on Thursday, April 18.

Farm Production Manager, Sarah G. picking vegetables in a greenhouse.
Sarah G. Production Manager

Here are some of the items they offer throughout the season:

  • Spring: eggs, asparagus, spinach, lettuce, brassica salad mix, chard, kale, radishes, turnips, peas, and strawberries.
  • Summer:  tomatoes, peppers, eggplant, cucumber, summer squash, sweet corn, green beans, some cut flowers, raspberries, and other small fruit.
  • Fall: eggs, pumpkins, brussels sprouts, broccoli and cauliflower, raspberries, strawberries, pears, Asian pears, grapes, hazelnuts, and dried flowers.

The MSU Student Organic Farm offers many healthy food opportunities for staff and faculty with their Community Support Agriculture (CSA) and Market Share Program. The CSA program is designed to give you access to a diverse set of organic fruits and vegetables. You can expect 8-12 items each week ready for pick up at their farm and if you are looking for getting your hands dirty they also offer a U-Pick option. The Market Share program allows you to preload a card before you stop by the farm stand. If you purchase a minimum of a $100 share, you can receive 5-10% additional credit on your card. With the Market Share program, you can purchase fruits, veggies, herbs and flowers.

The Student Organic Farm is about connecting with the community and learning about farming and a healthy lifestyle. You can learn more about the CSA program at MSU Student Organic Farm and their Market Share program at their website. For information about upcoming events, join the MSU Student Organic Farm Stand Newsletter here. For general information about the MSU Student Organic Farm, visit their website.

Options for Using Your Educational Assistance Benefit

Are you an MSU support staff employee looking for professional development opportunities? There are a variety of ways for you to learn and grow in your career at MSU. If you find a course or learning opportunity you’re interested in, don’t forget you have access to Educational Assistance! This benefit offers financial assistance towards your professional development after you’ve worked at MSU for an equivalent of 12 full-time service months. If you work less than full-time, the benefit is prorated based on your employment percentage.

You may receive financial assistance for a variety of learning opportunities. For non-credit learning opportunities, you may have up to $800 per year to use towards registration fees. It must be considered job-related and from an approved institution/program to receive assistance. Some examples of learning opportunities you can use this benefit for include:

For credit courses, you can receive up to 14 credits per academic year. Your financial assistance level is determined by your union group, the type of course you’re taking (graduate or undergraduate), 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.

Find detailed information about Educational Assistance – including how to apply – on the HR website. Questions? We’re happy to help! Contact the HR Solutions Center at SolutionsCenter@hr.msu.edu or 517-353-4434.

Please note: Academic Specialists have a program similar to Educational Assistance, please see the HR website for details.

Job of the Week – Engineering/Physicist Accelerator I

This week’s job of the week is an Engineering/Physicist Accelerator I (#569539) for the Facility for Rare Isotope Beams. This position is seeking an individual to provide engineering designs and analyze particle accelerator applications.

The responsibilities for this role include providing engineering support for mechanical design, transforming technical requirements into design solutions and assembling and commissioning of technical equipment. Other responsibilities for this role include maintaining building information models and providing support for fabrication.

The ideal candidate would possess a bachelor’s degree in mechanical engineering or related +1 year in experience; in any related engineering occupation. Must have experience in mechanical systems design using Solid works and AutoCAD.

For more details on the responsibilities of this position, and to view all our current postings, visit careers.msu.edu. Internal applicants should access postings through the Careers @ MSU tile in the EBS Portal.

Enjoy the fresh air this allergy season with Teladoc!

As warmer weather approaches so do those seasonal allergies and other illnesses. Have you dealt with constant sneezing, congestion, runny nose and itchy eyes? They could be a sign of seasonal allergies, which come around when the weather becomes warmer and flowers begin to blossom. We know going outside can get difficult with pollen in the air, you’re not always able to enjoy those outdoor activities. Try to get ahead of it this season with Teladoc, you can get advice for allergies and other illnesses.

Allergies aren’t the only thing that can affect you during the spring time – different illnesses like asthma, Lyme’s Disease and respiratory viruses are all common illnesses during the warmer months.

Here are some tips to help you combat seasonal illnesses (Teladoc, 2016):

  • On dry windy days, stay inside as much as possible.
  • Hire someone to mow the lawn and other outside chores.
  • Keep doors and windows closed at night (that’s when pollen counts are high).
  • Use a dehumidifier to keep indoor air dry.
  • After spending time outside, remove and wash your clothes immediately.
  • Don’t hang laundry outside to dry.
  • Wear a pollen mask if doing outside chores and activities.
Transcript

Teladoc Allergy Season – Login Today from Teladoc Health on Vimeo.

We know that life can happen, and you may not always be able to see your physician. That’s when Teladoc comes in! Teladoc gives you 24/7 access to speak with a licensed health care professional by web, phone, or mobile app. Teladoc can send prescriptions to a nearby pharmacy when medically necessary. To speak with a licensed health care professional through Teladoc, you need to:

  1. Request: Ask to talk to a health care professional 24 hours a day, 365 days a year by web, phone or mobile app.
  2. Visit: Speak with a health care professional; take as much time as you need to explain your medical concern.
  3. Resolve: If medically necessary, a prescription will be sent to the pharmacy of your choice.

To find more information on this benefit you can visit the HR website. To sign up, visit Teladoc.com and click on “Member Login” to set up your Teladoc account. Then request a consult with an available medical professional. If you have any questions you can contact Teladoc directly at 1-800-Teladoc or visit the Teladoc website.

Teladoc. (2016, May 03). Seasonal Allergy Tips. Retrieved April 3, 2019, from https://www.teladoc.com/blog/2016/05/03/seasonal-allergy-tips/

Job of the week – Human Resources Professional

This week’s job of the week is a Human Resources Professional (#568434) for MSU Human Resources. This position is seeking an individual to support the university for pre and post hiring for units, employees and applicants.

The responsibilities for this role include reviewing and approving position request forms, approving hiring recommendations and assisting with onboarding questions. Other responsibilities for this role include hiring and applicant tracking, navigating questions and analyzing hiring and layoff reports.

The ideal candidate would possess knowledge acquired by completing a four-year college degree program in human resources or a related field; six months to one year of related and progressively more responsible and expansive work experience in recruitment and hiring, and/or human resources administration; customer service experience and data analysis experience; or an equivalent combination of education and experience.

For more details on the responsibilities of this position, and to view all our current postings, visit careers.msu.edu. Internal applicants should access postings through the Careers @ MSU tile in the EBS Portal.

Events Round Up – April

Community Festivals 

MSU Science Festival

Capital City Film Festival

Community Events

Winter Farmer’s Market at Meridian Mall

empowerHER Leadership Retreat

Food

Friday, April 12

Be Kind Rewind at Lansing Brewing Company

Tuesday, April 30

Lansing Brewery Company Beer Dinner at HopCat

Arts

Friday, April 5

Sad Trombone Comedy Show ft: Josh Adams

Thursday, April 11

Studio (in) Process

Friday, April 12

Art Showcase

Saturday, April 13

Floral Arranging Basics

Monday, April 22

Comedian Jackie Keliiaa: Indigenous Women’s Speaker Series

Friday, April 26

The Swan Princess

Saturday, April 27

Junie B. Jones at the Wharton Center

Music

Friday, April 5

A Blend of Classic and Contemporary Works for Strings

Saturday, April 6

Live Music with Chris Canas Band at Lansing Brewing Company

Wednesday, April 10

The Manhattan Transfer Meets Take 6

Thursday, April 11

MSU College of Music Presents: 39th Annual Jazz Spectacular

Saturday, April 13

Oriental Tableau Annual Spring Dance Concert

Tuesday, April 16

Celtic Woman

Thursday, April 25

Wind Symphony

Family/Kid Friendly

Saturday, April 6

Family Day: Water in Our Community

Saturday, April 6

Sensory Showtimes: Dumbo

Sunday, April 7

FREE Family Series: Five Winds, One Sound

Saturday, April 13

MSU Green and White Game

Saturday, April 13

Zoo in Your Neighborhood

Saturday, April 13

Autism Friends Event at Jumpin Jax

Saturday, April 13

Small Animals Day 2019

Thursday, April 18

Night at the Museum

Saturday, April 20

Community East Egg Hunt

Saturday, April 27

Animal Babies Campfire

Sports/Fitness

Saturday, April 13

Spring Bird Walks at Fenner Nature Center

Sunday, April 14

Hippity Hop 5k

Sunday, April 14

Race for the Place 5k Run/Walk

Friday, April 19

Howl at the Moon

Professional Development Opportunities:

EBS Financial System Roles/Onboarding

Leading Change

Accounting in EBS

Supervisor Strategies for Performance Planning

Best Practices for Writing Policies and Procedures

Influencer

Fundamentals of Supervision

Managing Difficult Customers

Crucial Accountability