New Performance Excellence Program Starts in January 2016

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MSU_PE_Brand2On behalf of Michigan State University, MSU Human Resources has launched Performance Excellence, the new performance management program that will replace the current Performance Development Program. If MSU is to continue to be a leading research university, talented staff who are continually developing their skills to meet the demands of a rapidly changing world are needed.

Performance Excellence includes the following three important stages:

  • Performance Planning and Goal Setting
  • Continuous Feedback, Coaching and Development
  • Annual Performance Review

Employees will move to the Performance Excellence program in 2016.

There are two key items to note during the transition from the old process to the new process:

  1. Performance Excellence will have new forms to aid in this process. For annual reviews that are due between January 1, through June 30, 2016, supervisors and staff will use the new Annual Review form with the current rating system (which is included on the PDF form). On July 1, the rating system will change to four performance levels and the Annual Review form will reflect those changes for reviews due from July 1 forward.
  2. Beginning in January, after an Annual Review form is completed, supervisors and staff must also complete the Performance Planning form, either on the same day as the review, or within 30 days of the review.

All support staff and those who supervise support staff need to complete an online class on Performance Excellence. The class will be available in mid-January and will be accessed through elevateU. MSU HR will announce when the class is available.

For detailed information about the Performance Excellence process, additional learning opportunities, forms, tools for employees and supervisors, and much more, please visit the Performance Excellence website.

If you have questions regarding rollout of the program in your area, contact your college or division-level HR representative.

Travel safely this winter

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A Snow-covered bridge. Photo courtesy of Communications and Brand Strategy.
A snow-covered bridge. Photo courtesy of Communications and Brand Strategy.

It’s easy to forget the trials of winter transportation after months of clear roads. Here are a few safety tips for getting around in the cold and snow.

Driving

  • Drive slowly and leave extra room between you and the vehicle in front of you.
  • Anticipate extra time needed for scraping ice and snow off your vehicle and/or slower driving.
  • Always have at least a half tank of gas in your vehicle.
  • Leave with warm clothes. If you get in an accident or your vehicle gets stuck, you will need to spend some time outside.
  • Don’t warm up your vehicle in an enclosed area, such as a garage.
  • Make sure the exhaust pipe isn’t clogged with snow, ice or mud.

Read more driving tips from AAA and all about snow removal at MSU.Continue Reading… Travel safely this winter

Health Matters: Knee and hip replacement

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HipKneeReplacement_Standard-smallJoint replacement surgery has become very common in the United States, with surgeons replacing more than a million hips and knees each year with very high success rates. Nine out of 10 people who get a hip or knee replacement have significantly reduced pain and increased mobility.

Who is a candidate for replacement surgery?

Although joint replacement is usually needed later in life, anyone who experiences chronic joint pain or reduced mobility in the knees or hips is a candidate for replacement surgery (depending on a variety of other factors). Surgeons will look for signs of osteoarthritis or joint degeneration, the most common forms of arthritis, as the starting point for a plan of treatment.Continue Reading… Health Matters: Knee and hip replacement

‘Tis the season … for phishing, credit card skimming, and email offers that are too good to be true

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The holiday season is a boom for hackers, phishers and scammers. Phishing is a form of fraud in which the attacker tries to learn information such as login credentials or account information by masquerading as a reputable entity or person in email, IM or other communication channels. One of the most common ways to send malicious software to your computer or steal account information is through email. You should be wary of emails that are from unknown sources or that you were not expecting. Never open an attachment from these sources.

A safe way to look at emails that are in question is to drag them to your junk email folder which disables links and attachments and allows you to read the content of the actual email safely.

You should also be wary of emails that do the following:

  • Example of a phishing email
    An example of a phishing email, disguised as an official email from a fictional bank.

    Promote amazing deals on the hottest gifts. If it looks too good to be true, it is!

  • State that you need to confirm your credit card number on an online order.
  • Ask for any personal or banking information – no reputable company will ever ask you to email personal information.
  • Encourage you to follow a link to a login page to verify your account or fix a problem. Even if the URL looks real, it could be disguised that way. Hover over the link and look in the lower left corner of your screen to see the real URL. If you think it is legitimate, go directly to the company’s website and log in from there, or call the company.
  • Appear to be real messages from your bank or credit card company. Go directly to the website you use for online account management or contact them by phone.

You should monitor the statements for your bank accounts and credit cards closely, and contact your credit card company if you see unknown charges on your account.

If you know that you have received a phishing email, contact the company that the email is pretending to be from to bring their attention to the scam.

If shopping online, shop only with reputable companies and avoid shopping on unsecured Wi-Fi.  It may be convenient, but you might as well put your credit card number on a billboard.

The new chips in credit cards can be scanned from several feet away. RFID blocking wallets or card sleeves can help to protect your information.

Stay on the lookout this season to secure your money and your identity!

2015 MSU Holiday Arts & Crafts Show

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Get something original and hand-crafted this season at the 52nd Michigan State University Holiday Arts & Crafts Show!

UAB arts and crafts pic-small

On Saturday, December 5 from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. and Sunday, December 6 from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., the Union will be filled with the work or more than 130 artisans from across the country. This event is one of two arts and crafts shows presented by the University Activities Board each year.

Some of the handmade items for sale include candles, furniture, jewelry, home and yard decor, aromatherapy, clothing, children’s toys, painting, photography, pottery, sculpture and much more! You’ll be sure to find the perfect decoration or gift with such a variety of specially crafted items, and attending the event supports the UAB and the artists.

Make sure to check out the abundance of family-friendly activities just north in downtown East Lansing at Winter Glow!  The free event is Saturday, December 5 from 2 to 5 p.m. and features ice carving, a winter barnyard, horse and carriage rides, a special outdoor holiday farmer’s market, a heated music tent, carolers, games and much more.

Remember that parking at MSU is free on weekends, too!

Find out more about the holiday craft show here.

Events Round-Up December 2015

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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

Daily through December 20

River City Holiday MRKT, noon – 7 p.m., Lansing

Thursdays and Sundays through Sunday, December 27

Wonderland of Lights, 5–8 p.m., Potter Park Zoo 

Saturday, December 5

Winter Glow, 2–5 p.m., downtown East Lansing 

Old Town Scrooge Scramble 5K Run/Walk, 10 a.m.–noon, Old Town

Saturday, December 5 – Sunday, December 6

MSU Holiday Arts and Crafts Show, times vary, MSU Union

Saturday, December 12

Breakfast with Santa, 10 a.m., The State Room Restaurant 

Sunday, December 13

Christmas in the Village, 2–4 p.m., Meridian Historical Village

Thursday, December 17 – Saturday, December 19

Cirque Dreams Holidaze, times vary, Wharton Center

Saturday, December 19

Cocoa + Classics, 3–5 p.m., Broad Art Museum

A  Jazzy Little Christmas, 8 p.m., MSU Auditorium

Development, Training and Wellness

Thursday, December 3

Boosting Team Performance, 8:30 a.m. – noon, 10 Nisbet 

Friday, December 4

D3.js for Interactive Data Visualization, noon – 3:15 p.m., Main Library 

Tuesday, December 8

Accounting in EBS, 8:30 a.m. – 4:30 p.m., 10 Nisbet

Tai Chi Exercises at the Broad MSU, 12:30 – 1:30 p.m., Broad Art Museum

Navigating Business Intelligence, 2:30 p.m. – 4:30 p.m., B110H Wells Hall

Academic Women’s Forum, 3:30 – 5 p.m., MSU Union 

Wednesday, December 9

Cascade Server Content Manager, 1 – 5 p.m., 210 Computer Center 

Thursday, December 10

New Supervisor Essentials, 8:30 a.m. – 1 p.m., 10 Nisbet 

Relaxing Under the Stars, 12:10 – 12:50 p.m., Abrams Planetarium 

Tuesday, December 15

Creating Accessible PDF Documents, 1 – 5 p.m., 210 Computer Center 

Showing thanks to co-workers

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thanksgivig graphic-smallThe spirit of Thanksgiving is sometimes buried behind hectic food preparation, travel plans and premature holiday and shopping distractions. It’s important to remember that Thanksgiving provides us with a time to reflect upon the good fortune and good people in our lives.

Many of these good people are those that you work with, sharing experiences as you work toward the same goal. It’s easy to show them your gratitude in simple gestures that will bring the spirit of Thanksgiving in your office. Here are a few ways to show thanks:

  • Bring in a treat. Food brings people together and gives you an opportunity to show off your cooking skills. Bringing in some Thanksgiving leftovers is also a great way to clear out an over-stuffed fridge.
  • Write a note. You don’t need to clear out the shelves of the Hallmark store for this one. Even just a sticky note placed on your co-worker’s computer or a quick email can be enough to convey your gratitude.
  • Say “thank you.” Perhaps the easiest of them all, simply telling your co-workers that you appreciate them, especially by mentioning something specific that they have done for you, can brighten their day.

Before heading home to your family this long weekend, remember to send a smile or a kind word to those in your MSU family.

Learn how to improve your emotional intelligence

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The upcoming Skillsoft Live Event, free to MSU employees through elevateU, focuses on a particular human quality that affects your everyday thoughts and actions.

elevateU offers thousands of online resources for free to MSU employees
elevateU offers thousands of online resources for free to MSU employees

On Wednesday, December 2 at noon EST, Travis Bradberry will present “Emotional Intelligence 2.0: Taking Your Game to the Next Level.” His presentation will take place in San Diego, but you can get a front row seat through your computer screen.

Bradberry is the award-winning coauthor of Emotional Intelligence 2.0 and the cofounder of TalentSmart, the world’s leading provider of emotional intelligence tests and training services. Emotional Intelligence is ability of an individual to recognize their own and other people’s emotions, to discriminate between different feelings and label them appropriately, and to use emotional information to guide thinking and behavior. It is responsible for 58 percent of your job performance. Bradberry will enable you to capitalize on your emotional intelligence and in turn improve the overall quality of you decision-making skills, leadership capabilities and much more.

You can view this presentation live and for free through elevateU. You do not have to sign up in advance; log in to EBS, select your ESS tab, click the Professional Development link and then the elevateU link. Once you are in elevateU, click the title of the presentation in “Live Events” under “Upcoming Events” in the home page before the presentation begins.

Safe Commuting Tips

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This article was written by the MSU Bike Advisory Committee.

MSU has upgraded to the silver level of the Bicycle Friendly University Award! As we continue to advance the bicycle-friendly nature of MSU, it’s important for drivers to do their part in ensuring safety on shared roads.

A cyclist travels alongside cars on Farm Lane. Photo courtesy of Tim Potter.
A cyclist travels alongside vehicles on Farm Lane. Photo courtesy of Tim Potter.

As you drive to work, why not use more attention and compassion towards your fellow commuters and make the morning commute safer and more enjoyable for everyone? Remember that your fellow commuter might be on foot or on a bike and that every one of them means one less car on the road and one less car competing for a parking space!

If you drive a car to work you should take special care when passing cyclists. Cyclists have the same rights and responsibilities on Michigan roads as other vehicles. When passing a cyclist, make sure to pass at a safe distance. Don’t attempt to squeeze by cyclists in the same lane even though you think there’s enough room, as they may suddenly need extra room to avoid potholes, dead animals, or an icy patch on the road. Many places, including the City of Grand Rapids, already have safe passing laws that require 5 feet of safe passing distance.

Also, don’t forget to watch out for pedestrians at cross walks. Michigan law requires vehicles to yield to pedestrians in cross walks.

At the same time cyclists and pedestrians are required to follow traffic rules: don’t cross a street when you have a “don’t walk” signal or a red light. Michigan law requires cyclists to stop at stop signs and red lights just as any other vehicle.

But besides following basic rules, even more important is to be alert and courteous. This makes commuting a better experience for everyone. Just remember, the cyclist you just buzzed might be working at the Clinical Center and giving you a flu shot later, or it might be the professor of your next MSU class.

All commuters share two goals: get to work safely and get home safely after work. Let’s work together to make that happen!

Want to help MSU become more bike friendly? Attend a meeting of the MSU Bike Advisory Committee

Resources:

MSU Police MOVE SAFE campaign 

League of Michigan Bicyclists safe cycling handbook 

MSU Bike Commuter Benefits:

Learn More about Safe Bicycling 

Michigan Law Regarding Bicycling

Clerical-Technical Award 2015

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Congratulations to Mindy Nienhouse, the 2015 recipient of the Michigan State University Clerical-Technical Award!

CT Award 2015
From left to right, Clerical-Technical Union President Deb Bittner, MSU Human Resouces Assistant Vice President Sharon E. Butler, award recipient Mindy Nienhouse and director emeritus of the MSU Study Abroad program Dr. Charles Gliozzo at the 2015 CT Award ceremony.

The Clerical-Technical Award is sponsored by the Thomas and Concettina Gliozzo Endowment Fund and recognizes outstanding clerical-technical employees. For six years Mindy has done amazing work with the College of Human Medicine, and she embodies the ideals emphasized in the award. These include respect for everyone in the workplace, concern for students, faculty, staff and colleagues, providing significant contributions to the community and innovative thinking.

Mindy exhibits these qualities every day as she juggles two clerkships, two elective rotations, serving as the administrative assistant to the Emergency Medicine department and the variety of additional responsibilities that Mindy has volunteered to take on. In her nomination, one faculty member wrote that she is “innovative, creative, and has an amazing capacity to complete her own work diligently, while still taking time to help others in the unit.”

Outside of work, Mindy serves as a youth counselor, advocates for healthy living and fundraises for important causes. One staff member wrote, “What is impressive is that her fundraising efforts are typically not a requirement of any of the races – her fundraising is a result of her own care and passion.”

Watch this video to learn more about Mindy and her work with the College of Human Medicine.

Mindy’s efforts were recognized at an award ceremony in Grand Rapids attended by her family, colleagues and Human Resources staff. Congratulations and thank you to Mindy Nienhouse for serving MSU, your colleagues and your community!