Implicit Bias Certificate Program

APA DEI Committee 

By Jeremy Romel & Elbony Hawkins 

Great Learning opportunity for you to better understand

 Implicit Bias we all have!

Understanding Implicit Bias Certificate Program (Free, Virtual, three 1.5 hour sessions)
This series of three course sessions brought you to by the Office of Inclusion and Intercultural Initiatives allows participants experiential opportunities to thoroughly examine implicit bias and begin the work of interrupting their own biases and those embedded within systems at MSU. We all play a role in MSU’s ambition to achieve excellence through full participation, and this program will give you the tools to make a difference.

Upon certification, participants will:

  • Understand the lenses through which they see and experience the world, and how those lenses can be tinged with unconscious, implicit bias.
  • Have an increased understanding of power dynamics and privilege, and the barriers they create for full participation.
  • Be able to identify implicit bias and microaggressions when they play out in real life, and how to begin the work of interrupting them.
  • Have an increased sense of their own biases and a plan for continued self-education.
  • Better understand the challenges MSU faces in retaining top talent, and how you will contribute to an inclusive campus that opens doors to full participation.

Please click on this link for more information and how to sign up.
Information can also be found on the MSU Human Resources website.

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Resources

APA DEI Committee 

By Jeremy Romel & Elbony Hawkins 

Resources  

FAMILY MEDICAL LEAVE ACT (FMLA) 

The Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA) is a federal law to help employees balance work responsibilities with family and medical needs. FMLA requires eligible employees be allowed to take unpaid leave, or earned paid leave, for up to 12 work weeks in any 12 month period in the event of: the birth of a child or placement of a child for adoption or foster care; the employee is needed to care for a family member (child, spouse/eligible partner, or parent) with a serious health condition; the employee’s own health makes her/him unable to perform essential job functions. Leave can be taken intermittently, or the employee may work a reduced schedule when appropriate to meet the employee’s medical necessities. Family Medical Leave Act (msu.edu) 

 Resource Center for person with Disabilities (RCPD) 

The Resource Center for Persons with Disabilities (RCPD) assists students, faculty, and staff by maximizing ability and opportunity for full participation at MSU. If you are a student or employee at MSU, and you have a disability that substantially limits a major life activity, you can register with the RCPD and you may be eligible to receive accommodations. Please note this information is kept strictly confidential. Self-identification is voluntary. However, if you have a disability, not registering with the RCPD may delay or compromise the availability of accommodations. As many reasonable accommodations require significant pre-planning, registration with the RCPD prior to situations requiring accommodations is essential. Welcome | MSU – Resource Center for Persons with Disabilities 

Employee Assistance Program (EAP) 

The Employee Assistance Program (EAP) is a confidential short-term counseling and referral service provided at no cost to MSU faculty, staff, graduate assistants, retirees, and their insurance eligible dependents who are located within the state of Michigan. MSU Employee Assistance Program 

Work Life Balance  

Michigan State University is committed and offers to its faculty and staff an excellent and supportive workplace. However, balancing one’s multiple roles is a struggle for all of us. Organizing your professional life in order to have the time you need to attend to family can be one of the most difficult challenges that we face over the course of our careers. This central website provides comprehensive, “one-stop,” information regarding policies, practices, programs, events, and resources pertaining to all aspects of Work Life at MSU. It is designed to help you organize your personal and professional life so that you can focus on being your most creative and productive self. Home | MSU WorkLife Office 

Health 4U Program 

We are about celebrating, promoting and valuing health from an individual, environmental, and community perspective. Health4U is focused on helping the MSU community explore the fundamentals of a health-promoting lifestyle. We provide access to high quality, evidence informed, and culturally conscious health education and support. Welcome to Health4U – MSU Health4U 

MSU Safe Place 

The primary purpose of MSU Safe Place is to ensure the personal safety, welfare, and dignity of those who experience relationship violence and stalking within the MSU and greater Lansing communities. MSU Safe Place Relationship Violence and Stalking Program  

Other MSU HR Resources: Resources & Helpful Links (msu.edu) 

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A note from our DEI Committee

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Your Fellow APAs

Meet Fellow APA Trevor Hartwick 

  1. What is your job title? Greenhouse Coordinator 
  2. How long have you been at MSU?  About year and 9 months 
  3. Have you been a member of the APA the whole time?  Yes 
  4. What department do you work in, and can you tell me a little bit about what you do?  College of Agriculture and Natural Resources (CANR) – My team and I maintain the Plant Science Research Greenhouses here on campus.  
  5. What brought you to your job at MSU?  I knew I wanted to work in a greenhouse after graduating. The main reason, though, is that one of my former bosses at Purdue knows my current boss. My former bosses put in a great recommendation, one that my current boss knew she could trust.  
  6. What do you enjoy most about working at MSU?  The superior benefits we have here are relatively unmatched in the greenhouse field.
  7. I have 2 cats
  8. I like all music except for (most) country
  9.  My favorite area restaurant is Leo’s Lodge. 
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Legislative Chair Update

Dear Members, 

I hope all is well with you and your family & friends! 

Many people have had questions about PSLF (Public Service Loan Forgiveness) over the last couple of months. I am going to share a little information to help you understand and possibly benefit from this government program.  

PSLF is a program that started under the College Cost Reduction and Access Act of 2007 to provide indebted professionals a way out of their federal student loan debt by working full-time in public service. 

The program has various requirements, such as, being employed with public sector employers (i.e., schools & non-profit organizations) and making qualified payments determined by the loan servicer. However, due to a temporary change in the act that went into effective October 6, 2021, the U.S. Department of Education (ED) announced a provisional period during which borrowers may receive credit for payments that previously did not qualify for PSLF (Public Service Loan Forgiveness) or TEPSLF (Temporary Expanded PSFL). This means that if you have a Direct Loan and worked full-time for qualified employers, like Michigan State University, you might qualify to benefit from this act. 

However, you must submit the appropriate paperwork by October 31, 2022, to take advantage of this temporary waiver. I would encourage anyone who is interested in utilizing this program to visit the link below to obtain all the necessary information and required documents. Please do not wait until the October deadline to submit your information! Note-This program does work. I have had my Direct Loans forgiven under this program by completing the required documents.  

Get your paperwork started today!! Use the link below. 

https://urldefense.com/v3/__https://studentaid.gov/manage-loans/forgiveness-cancellation/public-service__;!!HXCxUKc!m-gd2wo1wLW0I31tioen52FaUZ6oREstpxrMhHoUzVwjhJgeXYxtjtPzA9sYZUog$ 

Tonya Jamison 

Legislative Chair 

 

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A Word from the APA President January – February 2022

Awakened and empowered 

As you know, we are witnessing a great shift in the workplace and the workforce from what we knew. The COVID crisis has exposed the value that our skills bring to the world and to MSU. These changes also brought on a new definition of work life balance, while we revised our own priorities.  Remote work, hybrid schedules, and virtual meetings have become a new normal for some. Others don’t have those options due to the nature of their positions. But that combination of all our talents is what keeps MSU running.  

The whole country is now competing for the skills previously taken for granted. Now there is a sense of empowerment for our support staff professionals. For far too long, these positions have not been valued or rewarded properly. It was not until the COVID crisis tore open that wound and exposed the truth about their importance to the university. A recent shortage of staff caused the university to ask staff from other units to donate their time, because the critical support positions could not be filled. This is not an isolated issue. It exists campus wide. These actions have not gone without notice as we now hear members speaking up. The tide is turning as the importance of keeping talented staff grows.  

The APA represents nearly 350 classifications covering roughly 2,800 talented professionals. Our members should be proud of themselves and what they provide. Opportunities are opening up all around and finding that new balance is more possible than ever before. The power to affect the needed changes now rest with the skilled individuals of the APA membership. Standing up and saying I am worth more can be scary but the time to speak up is now.   

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APA Election Information

APA Election March 2022 

This communication serves as notice of the election and candidate nominations.  All nominations must be submitted no later than 5:00 pm, February 18, 2022.   

The 2022 election will include:  

APA Executive Board   

Five (5) three-year positions on APA Executive Board serving 9/1/2022-8/31/2025 

One (1) one-year position on APA Executive Board serving 9/1/2022-8/31/2023 

 MEA and NEA Representative Assembly Delegate/Region Council Delegate 

Four (4) three-year positions serving 9/1/2022-8/31/2025 

 Individuals must be APA members in good standing to nominate or be nominated for office.   

How to nominate someone: 

  1. Email [email protected] the following: 
  1. Candidate’s name. Since there are some individuals on campus who have the exact same name, it is suggested to also provide the name of the department where the individual works or their email address to avoid confusion.  
  1. Indicate which position(s) the person is being nominated for 
  1. Complete nomination information must be submitted by 5:00pm February 18, 2022. 

After the close of nominations, properly nominated candidates will be contacted by the Nominations and Elections Committee to confirm their willingness to run and to provide some additional candidate information by March 2. 

Each year, the APA Nominations and Elections Committee works diligently to operate an efficient, accurate and transparent election in compliance with the APA Constitution and Bylaws.  The 2022 election voting will be online and is scheduled to run from March 15, 2022 – March 24, 2022 4:00p.m.  A paper-based ballot option is available by contacting [email protected]. Paper ballots must be received by the closing time of the election.  

Election results will be tallied on March 24, 2022 at 4:05pm. Due to COVID-19 in-person restrictions, the results will be tallied via Zoom and any member in good standing is welcome to attend.  Information on how to register for the Zoom will be provided at a later date. Election results will be communicated via the APA Distribution list. 

 Further announcements around the election will be provided via the official APA Distribution list.  Information will also be posted on the APA Website under the tab titled 2022 Election.  Candidate information will be posted on the website for member viewing before the voting period begins.  If you have any questions please contact [email protected]. 

The APA Elections Committee includes: Heather Litts, Chair; Jared Andrews, and Kasey Wilson 

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Calling All Advocates – Area Representatives Needed

Check all the qualities you believe you possess:

  • You are good at your job & respected by your colleagues
  • People ask for your advice
  • You have a strong sense of justice & clear principles
  • You are responsible
  • You are honest
  • You are compassionate
  • You are a good listener
  • You like solving problems as a team
  • You put interests of the whole first, ahead of your individual concerns
  • You respect group decisions
  • You are knowledgeable about MSU and your contract
  • You can stay cool under pressure
  • You handle stress well

If you checked 5 or more of the above, your APA Administrative Professional Association wants you! 

For more information on how to get started as an Area Representative (AR), Contact: Pat Hampton at [email protected]

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