Thank you REHS!

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South Neighborhood Engagement Center
Each neighborhood at MSU has an Engagement Center. Photo courtesy of  MSU Today.

It’s been a month of settling in, meeting new people and adjusting to the rigor of academics for new and returning students. The semester kicked off with the packed, crazy and exciting series of days that is student move-in. This event is highly coordinated, requiring intensive planning to ensure a smooth move-in process for everyone.

Residence Education and Housing Services has been there to provide students with outstanding residence halls, engaging activities and a wide array of resources that are especially important for freshmen. For many in this group, this has been the longest time they have been away from home, which makes the efforts of REHS that much more vital to ensure they feel welcome in this new environment.

Thank you, REHS, for making MSU a second home for our students!

Use ElevateU and PDS to become an effective influencer

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"Influencer" book cover
“Influencer” is one of thousands of texts available through ElevateU

Do you want to create a lasting impression among your colleagues and enact change within your organization? You have the ability, but just might lack the in-depth knowledge of behavior necessary to influence those around you.

Attend the Professional Development Services “Influencer” session to learn how to be more effective in your everyday interactions and create strategies for lasting change. You will learn a proven model for creating change by applying six sources of influence. Find the root/real causes behind behavior problems, effectively motivate and enable others regardless of formal authority. The information in this two-day session is founded on tested research and case studies from trusted professionals. This session is in 10 Nisbet on Wednesday, October 21, from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. and Friday, October 23, from 8:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m., with attendance required both days.

You can also read the book that this class is based on, “Influencer,” for free through ElevateU. “Influencer” is a New York Times bestseller that will empower any reader, regardless of background, skill level or profession, to create inevitable change through influence. It was written by distinguished scholars and behavioral scientists.

Use these resources provided through MSU to take control of your influence!

Embrace fall with three delicious in-season produce recipes

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Summer produce is on its way out to make room for fall fruits and vegetables. Pumpkins, cranberries, apples, squash and more will soon be gracing the East Lansing Farmer’s Market and the MSU student-run Farm Stand.

Once again Residential and Hospitality Services Senior Executive Chef Kurt Kwiatkowski helped us out by giving us some amazing seasonal recipes. This time, he gave us three of his personal favorites. You can view Chef Kurt’s crowd-pleasing Baked Fresh Herb Spaghetti Squash and Butter Beans with Kale recipes here.

Chef Kurt’s roasted squash soup recipe is also a favorite of many. You’ll be sure to impress anyone with this dish.

Student Farm Stand
The MSU Student Organic Farm Stand operates from 11 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. every Thursday in front of the Auditorium. Photo courtesy of MSU Student Organic Farm Stand

Roasted Squash Soup

1 butternut squash

1 t.+2 T. canola oil

½ c. diced onionContinue Reading… Embrace fall with three delicious in-season produce recipes

Health Matters: Rheumatoid arthritis

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Old hands
According to the CDC, RA prevalence is believed to range from 0.5 to 1 percent in the general population.

Rheumatoid arthritis is just one of many forms of arthritis that affect millions of Americans every year. RA is an autoimmune disease of the joints, in which immune cells attack and eventually destroy the healthy lubricating tissues that surround joints. This causes painful swelling that can result in bone erosion and joint deformity.

According to the Center for Disease Control, rheumatoid arthritis can begin at any age, although it is more common in patients over 65.

Patients with moderate to severe rheumatoid arthritis experience chronic inflammation in many or all joints, while fewer joints are affected in those with mild RA.

There is no cure for RA, but there are treatments that can decrease the severity of symptoms and slow the disease. As is the case with many ailments, the sooner a patient begins treatment, the better. That’s why it’s important to look out for arthritic symptoms such as fatigue, loss of energy, lack of appetite, low-grade fever, and muscle and joint aches and stiffness that are especially noticeable in the morning and after periods of inactivity. Talk to your physician if you experience these symptoms.

Treatment includes medication supplemented with exercise and occupational therapy.

View the entire Best Doctors article to learn more.

Your feedback needed for HR’s customer experience survey

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Our previous customer experience survey helped MSU Human Resources understand what areas it needed to improve in order to better serve faculty and staff.

customer experience survey graphic in sheild
Your honest feedback benefits all staff and faculty at MSU.

We need your input once more in our new customer experience survey, which will be sent out Monday, September 14 to your MSU NetID email address. The survey features questions such as which area of HR is contacted the most, how employees contact HR for questions, how fast our response time was and how easy it was to have questions answered. It should take about 15-20 minutes to complete.

Since the completion of the survey in 2013, HR has opened the Solutions Center as a central point of contact for all faculty and staff questions. Your honest feedback is vital in the evaluation of the effectiveness of our reorganization.

You can read the results of the 2013 customer experience survey here.

Thank you for helping MSU Human Resources in our pursuit of excellence.

MSU Benefits Open Enrollment begins October 1

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It’s that time of year again!

Open Enrollment graphic element
The plans selected in October will go into effect in January.

Mark your calendars for MSU Benefits Open Enrollment, which runs October 1–31. The Benefits Open Enrollment period allows eligible MSU faculty and staff to change their desired benefits plans, such as health, dental, life insurance, flexible spending accounts and voluntary MSU Benefits Plus programs.

Benefits Fairs will take place at the Breslin Center on October 20 from noon to 6 p.m., October 21 from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. and October 22 from 7 a.m. to 3 p.m. They feature Open Enrollment sign-up assistance and health, dental, retirement, life, flexible spending account and MSU Benefits Plus vendors. Some other MSU units will be in attendance, such as the Clinical Center, which will offer flu shots again this year.

Now is a good time to re-evaluate your benefits needs to prepare for the October enrollment period. Find more information and resources relating to Benefits Open Enrollment here.

Stay safe with MSU police guidelines and resources

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Preparedness is the first step toward safety in any emergency. The MSU Police Department provides several resources to the MSU community members so they are prepared and informed during an emergency.

MSU Alert on phone
MSU parents and guardians and visitors can also sign up for MSU Alert. Photo courtesy of MSU Police.

New classroom emergency guidelines are being posted in all of MSU’s classrooms as a quick reference for fire, active violence, hazardous materials release or severe weather emergencies. The guidelines apply to MSU staff working in office buildings as well. They offer important information such as rally site locations, how to act during a secure-in-place and guidelines for those with disabilities.Continue Reading… Stay safe with MSU police guidelines and resources

Events Round-Up September 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

Thursday, September 10

Beal Garden Tour: The History of American Indian Agriculture, 12:10 p.m.

Friday, September 11

Lansing Remembers September 11, 10 a.m., Lansing Center

Sunday, September 13

BroadLovesLansing end of Summer FUNale, noon–5 p.m., Broad Art Museum

Wednesday, September 16

An Evening with Director Eugene Jarecki, 7:30 p.m., Wharton Center

Tuesday, September 18 – Wednesday, September 19

Old Town BluesFest, Old Town

Saturday, September 26

American Heritage Fesitval , 10 a.m. – 5 p.m., Woldumar Nature Center

Sunday, September 27

Grand Adventure Race, Grand Ledge

Monday, September 28

Lang Lang, 7:30 p.m., Wharton Center

Development, Training and Wellness

Thursday, September 10

Active Stretching, 12:10 – 12:50 p.m., IM Circle Dance Studio

Tuesday, September 15

Records Management and Retention at MSU, 1 – 3 p.m., 10 Nisbet

MSU Travel 101, 8:30 a.m. – 4:30 a.m., 10 Nisbet 

Wednesday, September 16 – Thursday, September 17

Crucial Accountability, 8:30 a.m. – 4:30 p.m., 10 Nisbet

Monday, September 21

Rest with Music, 12:10 – 12:50 p.m., Abrams Planetarium

Wednesday, September 23

Managing Confrontational Customers, 8:30 a.m. – noon, 10 Nisbet

Thursday, September 24

Boosting your Career with elevateU, 11 a.m. – 2 p.m., 10 Nisbet

Tuesday, September 29

Writing Executive Summaries and Abstracts, 3 – 4:30 p.m., 10 Nisbet

Wednesday, September 30

 The Healing Power of Guided Imagery, 12:10 – 12:50 p.m., Abrams Planetarium

Donate school supplies to Fill the Bus!

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Children deserve high-quality education, and that requires basic educational resources such as pencils and notebooks. Unfortunately, families and schools cannot always afford these essential tools.

Fill the Bus graphic
Small donations make big impacts. Picture courtesy of Center for Service-Learning and Civic Engagement.

You can help students in Greater Lansing by participating in the 7th annual MSU Fill the Bus event, which runs from August 30 to September 4.

If your department has already registered as a team, donation bins should be set up where you work. Other donation sites are already placed in all of the residential neighborhoods and at the Union.

The following items are needed the most: crayons, pens, pencils, dry-erase markers and erasers, notebooks, loose-leaf paper, pencil sharpeners, glue sticks, folders, rulers, protractors, compasses, tissues, hand sanitizer, backpacks and colored construction paper.

Show your Spartan spirit by making a positive difference in your community!

Reminder: University holiday on September 7

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Kayaks on Lake Lansing
Lake Lansing is a great nearby location for Labor Day activities. Photo courtesy of Communications and Brand Strategy.

End the summer right with a day off work and in the sunshine. Labor Day falls on Monday, September 7 this year. Regular working hours resume the next day.

At MSU, classes always begin the Wednesday before Labor Day, so prepare for the return of thousands of students as well.

If you haven’t already, make fun plans for the long weekend to celebrate all the hard work you do!

Enjoy the day off!