M State News | Page 1

M State NEWSTHE COLLEGE NEWSLET TER FOR M STATE EMPLOYEES January 2015

Happy New Year, and w e l c o m e

back to the M State 2015 spring semes-ter! Hopefully you have had some time to relax, refresh and re-energize as we begin our 2015 spring term. Last fall term I shared with faculty and staff that I was very excited to begin the 2014-15 academic year because I knew it was going to be a great year. Although I do not say this of-ten, I was right! Here are some reasons why …

MetricsThe metric information just provided by the

MnSCU System Of ice revealed that we have met or improved in several signi icant areas: Our nursing licensure exam pass rates far surpassed the average; employee diversity has increased; the related employment of graduates and has improved to nearly 90 percent; the transfer of credits accepted has improved; our custom-ized training enrollment has increased; college institutional support, space utilization, instruc-tional costs/FYE and FCI have all improved; and dollars raised through our foundations have in-creased, as has grant revenue. All pretty amaz-ing! We do, however, still have work to do in the areas of student persistence and improving our CFI — both ongoing efforts which we hope to see results of by next year. I am very proud of our accomplishments and know that our continuing efforts will have positive outcomes in the years ahead. Thanks for everything you do to contrib-ute to college success!

MnSCU legisla ve requestThe 2015 legislative season began recently,

and the MnSCU emphasis this year is that every-

one in Minnesota should have the opportunity for a college education. Because 74 percent of the jobs in Minnesota now require at least some postsecondary education, it is our responsibil-ity to educate our students for careers and for life. The MnSCU system request is for funding of $142 million to cover 3 percent in lationary cost increases and 3 percent competitive per-sonnel costs. Closer to home, we are request-ing funding for HEAPR for boiler replacement for the Detroit Lakes, Fergus Falls and Wadena campuses, along with an alarm system for the Detroit Lakes campus and roof repairs for all campuses. Our bonding projects include: the-Center for Student and Workforce Success on the Fergus Falls campus; the Library and Stu-dent Development Center on the Wadena cam-pus; and the Allied Health Center design for the Moorhead campus. Keep your ingers crossed!

The legislative season is a busy time for me as well. Appointments are being set up for for-mal meetings with area representatives and senators to promote the MnSCU request and to inform them of the importance of the M State bonding requests and the issues we face in the northwest areas of the state. If I am not on cam-pus as much as I usually am, please understand that I am advocating for M State throughout our communities and with the Legislature. Higher education and pre-K-12 education were just an-nounced as a top priority for both parties, and with the budget surplus I am hopeful of positive outcomes. Understand also that our local legisla-tors are very supportive of M State all the time — I so appreciate their unwavering support.

High School Partnership:By now you have probably heard or read

about a co-location of a new high school on our Detroit Lakes campus and the possibility for a similar partnership on our Moorhead campus.

Dr. Peggy D. KennedyPresident

Great year . . . continued on page 2

Member of the Minnesota State Colleges and Universi es System. An Equal Opportunity Educator/Employer. Un Educador/Empleador de Oportunidad Igual.

minnesota.edu | 877.450.3322

toanwespfalwista15toten

MT

MnornuthetheimcreizeinstitioodoocreinggarrCCFresaceffahute

MT

an

INSIDEAcademicsDefi ning 'us' versus 'them'

Student ServicesFive ways we can all help students succeed

Academic and Student Aff airsSimple workplace gi sfor the new year

Custom TrainingTaking care of business

Finance and Facili esFinanceSafetyTips of the month

Informa on TechnologyData/device security awareness

Human ResourcesInsurance ratesW2sWeather emergenciesPre-tax reimbursementsFrontline conferenceWorksite WellnessStaff changes

Founda on NewsThe future is bright

Success Stories

It's a great academic year!

M State News | Page 2M State News | Page 2

A dministration vs. faculty? Student development ser-vices vs. academics affairs? General education facul-ty vs. program faculty? Campus versus campus? As a

culture, we have quite a few ways we de ine “us” vs. “them” on a daily basis. While the division may be natural to some ex-tent, it can also hinder M State (us) progress toward success-ful outcomes. A strong “us” versus “them” culture may hold us back from making M State the best place to learn and work.

Building a strong academic culture will challenge us to defi ne “us” more broadly than we have in the past.

De ining “us” more broadly requires distribution of leader-ship responsibilities. Academic leadership is an activity, not a role. Leadership doesn’t have to be synonymous with posi-tion, authority, power and/or in luence. Distributed leader-ship can be lexible, realistic and empowering.

Behaviors associated with distributed leadership are cre-ating and highlighting con lict, promoting non-linear in-teractions, creating simple rules and encouraging working without supervision among a team to achieve remarkable outcomes (Plowman, Solansky, Beck, Baker, Kulkarni, & Tra-vis, 2007). Distributed leadership builds a strong academic culture where our successes, risks, failures and opportuni-ties become a part of all of “us.”

A strong academic culture will mobilize our faculty, as lead-ers, to tackle tough challenges and lourish in new ways.

Building a strong academic culture requires pa ence, me and engagement.

If you are willing to be a part of building a strong academic cul-ture, I encourage you to take the winter distributed leadership movement challenge. As part of the M State distributed leadership team, I challenge you to:

1. Spend more time recogniz-ing the things people are doing right.

2. Speak up when people de ine the thoughts, ideas and beliefs of “them” without asking questions.

3. Focus on how you can move the culture needle in the right direction. (Take the lead of MJ (Michael Jackson) and start by looking at the “Man in the Mirror”… I love his music ).

I plan to participate actively in the challenge because I am excited about the future of M State. With you by my side, as a member of the distributed leadership team, I am con ident there isn’t a “them” out there that will outperform us! Reference: Plowman, D. A., Solansky, S., Beck, T. E., Baker, L., Kulkarni, M., & Travis, D. V. (2007). The role of leadership in emergent, self-organiza on. The Leadership Quarterly, 18(4), 341-356.

Academics

Dr. Carrie BrimhallChief Academic Offi cer

De ining ‘us’ versus ‘them’

Great year . . . continued from front

I am thrilled that our K-12 system leaders think so highly of M State and feel comfortable enough to include us in their plans for the future to better serve our communities. The American Association of Community Colleges published its Final Report on the 21st-Century Initiative Listening Tour (2012) and found that “there is a need to align expectations and partnerships between K-12 and community colleges.” Although still in its preliminary stages, the intent of these partnerships is to prepare all students for both college and careers through college and career academies. These acade-mies are based upon sound academic planning processes cur-rently taking place irst on our Detroit Lakes and Fergus Falls campuses and then moving along to our Moorhead and Wade-na campuses. College and career academies typically consist of three main elements: focused learning communities, a col-lege prep curriculum with a broad-based career theme and partnerships with local employers and communities.

You will hear much more information about these part-nerships during our campus forums beginning next month. Please plan to attend, and stay tuned!

College Magazine:I can’t tell you how many positive comments I have received

about our recent college magazines. The fall issue was delivered to about 200,000 mailing addresses in our service area, and an-other edition will be out this spring. Each edition features sto-ries and articles about career preparation, transfer education and workforce development — because that’s what we do, and we do it very well! We will continue to distribute summaries of our successes to our constituents in an effort to attract addition-al student enrollment and to let our supporters and community members realize what an asset we are to our region.

Thanks for your efforts in contributing to the success of M State! Have a great spring term.

Sincerely,

Dr. Peggy D. Kennedy, President

M State News | Page 3

Student Services

Five ways we can all help students succeed

There’s a lot of discussion around what we in com-munity colleges can do to

help students be more successful. Whenever I’m considering what’s being suggested in the literature, I’m weighing what is speci ic to another institution’s culture as opposed to what might be appli-cable to our own. A few good rec-ommendations came across my desk the other day from a Califor-nia group of community college-focused researchers and planners called the RP Group.

In a 2013 two-pager entitled Student Support (Re)de ined. 10 Ways Faculty Can Support Students’ Success: Helping Students Achieve the “Six Success Factors,” the RP Group identi ies ways in which community college students can feel more “focused, directed, nurtured, engaged, connected and valued” through their interactions with faculty. In my opinion, at least ive of the 10 ways suggested by the RP Group are things that we can all do to better support student success, both inside and out-side the classroom. In no particular order (although I believe the last one on my list is the most important), those things are:

1. Learn the names of students and ask how they are doing. It’s quite a feat for faculty to put names to fac-es in all of their sections, but many do. For those of us working with all students on a campus or within the entire college, it’s nearly impossible. All the same, ask yourself: How many times do you interact with stu-dents without irst asking their names and then intro-ducing yourself in return? It would takes less than 15 seconds to do so, and even those brief introductions would build a sense of community, helping students feel connected.

2. Ask students what their goals are in attending M State. To quote directly from the article, “By ask-ing students why they are in college and what their major is, you let them know you expect them to have a reason for enrolling in post-secondary edu-cation.” I would add that your question and her an-swer might establish another relationship she feels she has with a representative of M State, and we all know that students are more likely to persist in their educational pursuits when they feel as though they’ve connected with at least one college employee.

3. Give students feedback on their performance and progress. This is standard operating procedure in the classroom, so I’m recommending this more for outside of the classroom. When a student completes a inancial aid process successfully, navigates a new online pro-cedure or inds the courage to seek help in a Spartan Center, do we take the time to recognize it as an accom-plishment? If in the course of assisting a student who displays good grades on his transcript, do we take a moment to tell him how good he’s obviously doing? Stu-dents also need af irmation outside of the classroom. It’s too easy to think that our students are simply doing what they ought to be doing. Don’t pass up an opportu-nity to commend a student for a job well done.

4. Encourage students to tell their “story.” Studies con-ducted by the RP Group demonstrate that many un-derrepresented students appreciate the opportunity to have someone hear a bit about them. Taking a few minutes to inquire about a student’s familial support network, high school accomplishments or even just her hometown lets her know that her perspective is unique and matters. It also helps to make that student more engaged with us.

5. Let students know that you are proud to work for M State and that they should be proud they’re attend-ing M State. As I stated earlier in this article, I think that this is the most important of the ways listed here that we can all better support student success. Some students view community college as a fall-back plan to grander educational aspirations or something that doesn’t re lect well on them. Sharing with our students why we choose to work at a community college and why working at M State in particular is a source of pride helps them to view their enrollment as the great choice it truly is. If we show our pride in M State, they’re more likely to ind their sense of pride in being community college students at M State.

Dr. Peter WielinskiVice President of Student Development and Marke ng

M State News | Page 4

Academic and Student Affairs

I decided to mix it up a little from my informational articles of late to focus on a topic more in sync

with the holiday season and the arrival of a new year. There are many gift giving and sharing practices occurring in various cultures during this time of the year, from the simple to the extravagant. While we do not always think about the intangible gift giving that can occur in the workplace once we get back to the hustle and bustle of the academic term, there are so many ways we can consider sharing a gift with a colleague. Most of the simple gifts I’m about to mention are free and can have a powerful and positive impact on another person and the college as a whole. Take it upon yourself to consider offering one of these gifts in 2015.

EncouragementIt can be scary to take on a new class

prep, a new job responsibility or a new work project. In addition, thinking about completing that college degree or earning an advanced degree can bring on a wave of doubt in just about anyone. If you work with someone who is going through a change, thinking about earning another degree or considering any sort of professional

development step, some words of encouragement from a colleague can tip that person’s internal scale from thoughts of doubt to thoughts of con idence. Encourage someone.

Nomina onIf you see an opportunity

to nominate a colleague for an award, take it. There are signi icant opportunities throughout the year, and not only through M State and MnSCU. You may also ind opportunities through professional, trade or community organizations. In my view, we have been a bit shy about award nominations at M State. I think we are getting better at it, especially based on the overwhelming number of nominations for the BOT Award. When we all continue to join forces to identify nominating opportunities, we’ll get even better. A sincere nomination to recognize a colleague’s professional accomplishment is a meaningful gift. Nominate a colleague.

SharingIf you possess a treasure in terms of

how you teach, lead, serve or work, let that out of your treasure chest and use it to help others. Sometimes sharing a unique talent or skill can create fears of

losing control, being judged or giving up a future opportunity, and it never hurts to talk through those fears. The

upside of sharing your talents is that you open opportunity for

everyone and contribute to the

organizational culture that our students experience every day. You can start doing this internally by offering to lead a session at a faculty or staff duty day or by offering to lead an important meeting or project. If you have not done any of those things in the past, give one a try in 2015. Share your talents.

SponsorshipSponsoring someone can be

characterized as a more active and assertive form of mentoring, which is also a great gift. As described by author Linda Johnsrud, sponsorship involves “the advocacy of a speci ic individual for advancement” (p. 122). By sponsoring someone, you are advocating for that person’s professional advancement and development in a very tangible way. If you are mentoring someone currently and see opportunities for sponsorship, have a conversation with that person to see what thoughts they have. Sponsoring requires that you have a solid knowledge base about the other person’s skills, professional goals and interests. Learn more about sponsoring.

If you take a few minutes of time to re lect, I am con ident it will not take long for you to think of one speci ic and meaningful workplace gift you could share with a colleague in 2015. Enjoy the experience.

Reference: Johnsrud, L.K. (1991). Administra ve promo on: The power of gender. Journal of Higher Educa on, 62(2), 119-142.

Jill Abbo Associate Vice President of Academic and Student Aff airs

Simple workplace gifts for the New Year

considering any sort of professional If you possess a treasure ihow you teach, lead, serve othat out of your treasure cheit to help others. Sometimesunique talent or skill can crea

losing contjudged or gfuture opand it neto talk those fe

upsideyourthatoppor

everyocontribute

M State News | Page 5

Custom Training Services

Beginning this month, M State News will update the college on ongoing CTS

business/industry partnerships. Current projects include:

Providing welding training to KLN and Perham High School.

The KLN project focuses on improving the welding skills of the company's maintenance workers, and the PHS project is a two-credit course that provides entry-level skills to high school students. Both will be delivered using the welding training trailer at the KLN facility in Perham.

Providing train-the-trainer training for Lund Boat in New York Mills.

This 16-hour course is designed to improve the skills of Lund employees responsible for internal training. Deb Johnson will deliver this training.

Providing leadership training to cities and counties through NJPA in Staples.

The 16-hour Leadership Launch training will be delivered by Deb Johnson in Brainerd and Baxter to enhance leadership and communication skills of city and county front-line supervisors and police leadership.

Partnering with Lund Boat to conduct a Lund Dealer Service School in New York Mills.

Mike Ulmer will work with Lund staff to train service technicians who work for Lund dealers. The 32-hour training is designed to enhance the understanding of Lund products and their service/repair.

Providing OSHA General Industry 10 certi ication training at American Crystal Sugar.

Ben Doyle will provide training in Grand Forks to selected American Crystal employees.

Providing leadership training to supervisors and managers at D & M Industries in Moorhead.

Deb Johnson will deliver this 16-hour Leadership Launch training, which is designed to enhance leadership and communication skills.

Partnering with Care Ventures to provide leadership training to nurses and supervisory staff in long-term care facilities.

Care Ventures is a consortium of 18 long-term care facilities along I-94 from Fergus Falls to St. Cloud. Deb Johnson will deliver 15 different sessions of the 16-hour Nursing Leadership Academy training. The training is designed to enhance leadership and communication skills of front-line health care supervisors and managers. The training will be delivered over six months in Albany, Alexandria and Fergus Falls.

Partnering with Minnesota Board of Fire Training and Education to provide leadership and human resources training to ire leaders from rural ire departments throughout the state.

Deb Johnson has developed and will deliver the human resources training at Camp Ripley, and M State is partnering with Riverland Community and Technical College to provide the leadership training.

Providing cosmetology continuing education. A four-hour cosmetology refresher training is provided

monthly to 25-30 salon operators in several formats, including in person, ITV and online. Cosmetology faculty deliver the training.

GL TuckerDean, CTS and BES

Taking care of business

M State News | Page 6

Finance and FacilitiesFinance

Over the past several months the em-ployees within the inance division have been working on a structural reorgani-zation. Because of recent retirements we are able to reduce personnel costs by looking at different ways to do business. I have been communicating these chang-es over the past several months through campus forums, meetings and written communications. Although implementa-tion of the new organizational structure took place on Jan. 1, we will be continu-ally tweaking our systems to provide the best services to students and employees.

This reorganization will result in a more collegewide focus with managers having more speci ic collegewide respon-sibilities and fewer campus-speci ic re-sponsibilities. There will no longer be a business manager on each campus. I am asking both Al Behr and Wayne Wolden to take on more collegewide roles. Al will have the role of director of business ser-vices with direct oversight of all inance

employees and will be the point person relative to accounting activities, and Wayne will be the point rel-ative to purchasing activi-ties, with both of them also working in several other areas of the division.

Each of us will be trav-eling to the campuses and available to assist you, but there is no longer a campus business manager “down the hall.” Although procedures will change somewhat, it is still our goal to provide inancial services to students and employees at the same level that we have in the past.

Al will continue to have oversight of the bookstore and food service opera-tions in Moorhead and Detroit Lakes, and Wayne will oversee those opera-tions in Wadena and Fergus Falls.

It is our plan that we can assist em-ployees with a more self-serve approach

by continuing to document all inancial-related pro-cedures and having them located on the portal for easy access. Those proce-dures can be found under “ iles and forms” and then “business services.” How-ever, we also will continue to have a .25 FTE in each campus business of ice to assist with questions from students and employees.

SafetyIt is recommended that all employees

take a few moments during their work day to inspect cords and electrical de-vices in their work area. Things to look for include: Cracked, worn, or frayed electrical cords, missing ground pins and electrical power strips plugged into one another (or “daisy chained”).

Any devices plugged into electric-ity must be plugged directly into the

Pat NordickChief Financial Offi cer

TIP OF THE MONTHReceip ng of funds:

Many of you on occasion receive funds to be deposited into college bank accounts. Examples include payments received from resale ac vity, funds received from fundraising or funds generated from student club ac vi es.

Minnesota State Statute 16A.275 requires that all agencies shall deposit receipts totaling $250 or more into the treasury daily. Rela ve to this statute, the en re college is considered “the agency.” This means that, because M State as a whole has at least $250 in receipts each day, all receipts received each day need to be deposited within 24 hours. Although many of you will receive amounts less than $250, you s ll are required to deposit those funds daily because of the agency defi ni on. It is not acceptable or allowable to hold funds (cash or checks) in your desk, fi le cabinet, etc. for more than 24 hours. These funds need to be deposited at your campus bookstore daily.

By making a daily deposit you are not only following Minnesota law but also good business prac ces. Holding cash and checks can make you accountable for those funds should they disappear. Because the law requires daily receip ng, M State will not reimburse anyone for lost or stolen cash and/or checks being held.

TIP OF THE MONTHDisposal of equipment:

Any me you or your department is going to dispose of a piece of equipment, regardless of age or perceived value, you need to follow the M State Fixed Asset Disposal Procedure. The procedure is located on the employee portal under fi les and forms, business services, procedures. Depending on how you plan to dispose of the equipment, there is a sequence of events that needs to be followed. Equipment is to be disposed of using the following op ons in the order that they are listed:

• Off ering it to other M State departments or campuses

• Off ering it either for sale or free of charge to other MnSCU ins tu ons

• Off ering it for sale to the general public by sealed bid, public auc on, nego ated sale or pre-priced garage sale. Online auc ons are allowable and are an effi cient way to sell state assets.

• Dona ng it to a college founda on, other governmental en ty or a non-profi t organiza on

• Selling it through the State of Minnesota surplus property program

• Junking it

In all of the op ons, there are steps that must be followed in order to stay within MnSCU and State of Minnesota policies and statutes.

In NO SITUATION is it allowable to simply sell or give away state equipment to a friend, neighbor, student, other employees, yourself, etc., without going through a public sale process.

As the procedure outlines, the fi rst step when deciding to dispose of a piece of equipment is to complete the equipment disposal form located on the portal under fi les and forms, business services, budge ng and accoun ng. Once completed, scan or mail the form to Janine Corbin in the Central Accounts Payable Offi ce. The offi ce will assist you with determining the steps necessary to dispose of the equipment.

All proceeds generated from the sale of equipment or supplies are deposited back into the cost center where the equipment came from, to be used by the department. Likewise, any expense associated with disposing of the item such as adver sing the sale, commissions, etc. are charged back to the cost center that will receive the proceeds.

It is important to track the disposal of all equipment to ensure our equipment inventory is correct for our annual audit and to ensure that, in the event we have a the on one of our campuses, we know what equipment we should have and what might be missing.

Thank you for your coopera on regarding this procedure.

M State News | Page 7

Finance and Facilitieswall, or into a UL-rated power strip. Extension cords are not allowed. For electronic equipment, the power strip should include surge protection.

If you have questions or concerns about electrical cords in your work area, contact the facilities services su-pervisor or Computer Help Desk staff

on your campus location.

M State News | Page 7

Information Technology

Data\Device Security Awareness:This message is intended to raise your

awareness about what you can do and what is being done by the Information Technology Department to protect data and credentials at M State.

What can I do?Follow best practices:• Keep passwords secure – change

them regularly and no sharing (especially your StarID credentials, since they access many different systems).

• Dispose of con idential paper, CDs and DVDs securely by shredding.

• Work on a “clear desk” basis by securely storing hard copy personal information when it is not being used.

• Position computer screens away from windows to prevent accidental disclosure of personal information.

• Encrypt personal information that is being taken out of the of ice if it would cause damage or distress if lost or stolen.

• Keep back-ups of information. • Lock/log off computers when

you are away from your desk or computer (use Windows-L to lock your screen).

• Ensure your devices are patched – install the latest patches and updates for your devices and software, especially Web browser plug-ins such Microsoft Of ice, Adobe Reader and Flash, and Oracle Java.

• Con igure your browser to only execute plug-in content when clicked rather than automatically.

• Don't respond to an email that is asking you for your credentials or follow a link to do so. Messages continue to bypass email iltering

that are "phishing" for your credentials and information. Don't give it to them!

• Don't open email attachments that you weren't expecting. Many issues can result from opening an infected attachment.

• Always verify the URL listed in the Web browser; the browser lists the URL you are visiting in the URL message bar at the top of the windows. Links in an email messages can redirect you to fake sites.

• Don't click on advertising feeds on a website. Be aware that website ads within the page may be fed from an advertising service and could be infected, even on a trusted site. Best to stay away from them.

• Be aware that just visiting a compromised site can sometimes infect your device, especially if it has outdated browsing software and plug-ins that can't block the infection. Try to stick to sites that you know and trust.

• Never send private data such as Social Security numbers, grades or login credentials (StarID) via email. The data may be sent to multiple systems and devices including personal devices and cannot be guaranteed to be secure.

• Review the D2L course "Public Jobs Private Data" annually!

• Don't be afraid to contact a Computer Help Center for assistance if you see anything strange occurring on your device. It is better to have it quickly checked than to continue using an infected device that could further infect data or compromise your

credentials.

What is IT doing?Prevention:- Working to minimize

spam and infected content that comes into your email inbox. Two email gateway servers are in place that ilter incoming content.

Thousands of messages are blocked every day, but

many still get through. It is an ongoing battle.

• Working to help keep college devices patched to the latest software and plug-ins. Each time IT staff work on a device, extra time is taken to update software. We continue to work on ways to automate this updating process on the network.

• Continually scanning the network for vulnerabilities on all devices connected to it.

• Alerting visitors to our minnesota.edu site of their departure from our trusted site when they click on an external link.

Support:• Working to identify and clean

infected devices that are found on the network as needed.

• Working to plan network upgrades and better detection software and systems to combat how your devices are being infected.

Planning:• Identifying new products and new

technologies that can help block these unwanted infections and protect college data.

Dan KnudsonInterim Chief Informa on Offi cer

M State News | Page 8

Academics

Insurance Rates The new insurance

year began Jan. 1. The irst deduction for your

portion of all bene its, including pre-tax expense accounts, was taken from the paycheck you received on Jan. 9.

If you have not received your cards, please call your provider’s customer service number directly.

W-2sYour W-2 forms will not be mailed to

your home. 2014 W-2s will be available on the Employee Self Service website. Click Other Payroll>W-2 Information. You may print as many copies as you need.

North Dakota Residents: Anyone who lives in North Dakota and works in Minnesota needs to ill out an MWR form every tax year to be exempt from having Minnesota state taxes withheld from his or her paychecks. If the information is not entered by February 14, 2015, our payroll system will be reset and

Minnesota state taxes will begin to be withheld from your checks.

The preferred method is via the Employee Self Service website and entering your 2015 MWR information. There is an instruction link on the Other Payroll page.

Weather EmergenciesEmployees are encouraged to rely on

the college website and StarAlert for the most accurate information regarding campus closings and the State of Minnesota website for winter traveling information.

Below is speci ic information related to time off in emergencies, per the compensation provisions of MMB (DOER) Administrative Procedure 5.4:

Employees At Work When Emergency is Declared:

1. Employees who report to work and are then sent home shall

not be paid for more than their regularly scheduled hours. Employees shall not be enriched through additional compensation, including compensatory time, or increased bene its as a result of an emergency situation.

2. Employees who are required to remain at work shall not be paid for more than their regularly scheduled hours or the actual number of hours worked.

Employees On Leave When Emergency is Declared:

1. Employees on approved sick or prearranged vacation leave shall not have such leave time restored to their balance.

2. Employees on any approved leave without pay shall not be paid for any emergency leave time.

3. Employees who call in on the day of an emergency for vacation time or compensatory time will be credited with emergency leave from the point of the declaration of the emergency by DOER to the end of the scheduled shift.

Dacia JohnsonChief Human Resources Offi cer

Human Resources

New Year reminders from HR (and Payroll!)

M State Wellness Challenge – through Feb. 1!

It’s not too late to par cipate! Take the challenge and start healthy habits with the New Year!

Find out more in Employee Portal>Files and Forms>Worksite Wellness>2015 Wellness Challenge.

The Importance of Se ng Goals

Check out the American Heart Associa on’s My Life Check and the Simple Seven.

The online assessment points out where you stand in seven important areas and tells you how to: 1. Get ac ve 2. Control cholesterol 3. Eat be er 4. Manage blood pressure 5. Lose weight 6. Reduce blood sugar 7. Stop smoking When you complete the assessment, you will receive results that will help you to take ac on and develop a personalized plan to help you make changes for a long, healthy future.

Visit www.mylifecheck.heart.org to fi nd out your heart health score.

WORKSITE WELLNESS

Academics

M State News | Page 9

Human Resources

Reporting Leave for Declared Emergencies:

Employees should record “MSL” to designate this type of leave.

2014 Pre-Tax ReimbursementThe deadline is near! 2014 is over and

so is your 2014 pretax Medical-Dental Expense Account (MDEA). All requests for 2014 pretax reimbursements and the accompanying substantiation documentation must be received by Eide Bailly Employee Bene its by Feb. 28, 2015. Reimbursement submissions received after Feb. 28 will not be processed.

Reminder:Effective with the 2015 plan year, the

State of Minnesota’s MDEA will now

include a $500 carryover. This added bene it allows you to carry up to $500 of unreimbursed money from your 2014 account forward to the new plan year. The money carried over can be used for expenses incurred in 2015 (or expenses incurred in 2014 if submitted on or prior to Feb. 28), so the risk of forfeiture is greatly reduced. Good news!

AFSCME and MAPE Frontline Conference

The 10th Annual “Energizing Our Frontline Network” Conference will be Wednesday and Thursday, May 27 and 28, at Hennepin Technical College in Brooklyn Park. Check out the attached lyer and mark your calendars!

You are invited to attend the annual statewide staff development conference designed specifically for all

AFSCME and MAPE employees of the Minnesota State Colleges and Universities System.

Attention MAPE & AFSCME Employees

Save the date: Wednesday, May 27 - Thursday, May 28, 2015

Hennepin Technical College in Brooklyn Park, MinnesotaRegistration information will follow.

Sponsored by American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees,Minnesota Association of Professional Employees and Minnesota State Colleges and Universities.

The Minnesota State Colleges and Universities system is an Equal Opportunity employer and educator.

10th AnnualFrontline Conference

As it becomes available, information regarding the 2015 conference will be posted on the Frontline Conference website: https://connect.mnscu.edu/sites/frontlineconference/SitePages/Home.aspx

Login for all MnSCU employees is accomplished using their individual Star ID and Passwords.

STAFF CHANGESFergus Falls• Elizabeth Smith, Campus

Administra ve Support

Moorhead• Rebecca Ma nda, Data Analyst

Detroit Lakes• Bethany Der nger, promoted to

Accoun ng Offi cer

NEW

HIR

ESCH

ANGE

S

Detroit Lakes• Mary Drewes, CTS Product Director,

resigned

Fergus Falls• Dennis Zilmer, Business Manager,

re red• Terri Strom, Head Volleyball coach,

resigned• Erika Traphagen, Volleyball Assistant,

resigned

Moorhead• Paula Comeau, Study Skills Tutor,

resigned• Chesay Colson, Coordinator of

Diversity/Inclusion, resigned

NO

LON

GER

AT M

STA

TE

M State News | Page 10

Foundation News

The Detroit Lakes, Fergus Falls, Moorhead and Wadena M State foundations welcome 2015! This year sets the stage for exciting events, fundraisers, partnerships and building expansion.

Featured in the January edition are the Wadena Area College Foundation's Holes for Poles event and Detroit Lakes Area College Foundation's community luncheon.

Passion. Leadership. Service.

These are the life-transforming ideas we deliver to audiences young and old, everywhere from the middle school to the corporate world. –Mark J. Lindquist.

Save the Date ... Detroit Lakes Area College Foundation - Community Luncheon11:30 a.m. – 1 p.m., Monday, April 20 Guest Speaker – Mark J. Lindquist

Mark is a nationally recognized speaker, world-touring entertainer and author of the book, “Passion! 8 Steps to Find Yours.” Mark’s acting career includes ABC’s Lost, CBS’ Hawaii Five-O and the movie “Battleship.” He has performed across the

world for Grammy-winning artists and Academy Award-nominated actors, delivered keynote addresses for businesses, colleges and conferences, and sang the national anthem for professional sports teams.

In one hour, Mark can make you laugh until your side hurts, cry when you least expect it and change the way you think about life.

Watch for more details!

Coming this month: The Foundation website will introduce Crescendo GiftLegacy, a comprehensive multichannel planned gifts marketing system. Features include an interactive planned giving website, weekly eNewsletters for donors and professional advisors, a wills planner and campaign and more.

Denise LaymonChief Development and Alumni Offi cer

2015 –The Future is Bright!

Baudette Lineworker Scholarship Fundraiser

February 20-22In case of inclement weather, alternate dates for the event are March 6, 7 and 8.

Friday, Feb. 20 7 p.m. Welcome and SocialSportsman’s Lodge, 3244 Bur Oak Road NW, Baudette

Saturday, Feb. 2110 a.m.-2 p.m. Fishing DerbyCyrus Resort, 3298 Cyrus Rd. NW, Baudette

5 p.m. Fish FryLineworker SchoolThere will be raffl e prizes (including a $1,100 grand prize, an open water fi shing package from Cyrus Resort) following the fi shing derby as well as prizes for the derby winners. Door prizes at the dinner.

Sunday, Feb. 22Day of Ice FishingCyrus Resort, 3298 Cyrus Rd. NW, Baudette(Call or email Lisa Reddick for reservations)

$75Must be 18 to purchase raffl e ticket or win raffl e prize. Winner is responsible for any applicable fees or taxes.

For more information call Lisa Reddick at 218.631.7931

Proceeds support scholarships for M State Electrical Lineworker students in Baudette.Sponsored by Wadena Area College Foundation, a 501(c)(3) non-profi t.

TICKET

S

M State News | Page 11

SUCCESS STORIESSTORIES A success story for every student and stakeholder

Pat on the back

In the news

Food for thoughtNursing students on the Fergus Falls campus spearheaded two recent fundraising projects. During the two weeks prior to Thanksgiving, students collected 66 pounds of food and $40 for the local food shelf and co-sponsored a pancake feed at Applebee’s that raised more than $2,000 for Bryce Thal-mann, the toddler son of Nathan and Kristy Thalmann of Ot-tertail, who was recently diagnosed with a malignant liver tumor.

Say cheeseM State dental hygiene and assisting students, faculty and staff are volunteering Feb. 4 for the American Dental Asso-ciation’s Give Kids a Smile Day, providing preventive dental services such as cleanings and luoride treatments to young patients in the community at no charge. If you know of a fam-ily who would bene it from these services, have them call the M State Dental Clinic at 218-299-6560 for an appointment on Feb. 4.

Our students shine

minnesota.edu | 877.450.3322

A winning scoreM State instructor and composer Michael Trosvig scored big when his work was chosen as the best musical score in a recent 48 Hour Film Project, which challenges ilmmak-ing teams to write, shoot and edit a short ilm in 48 hours. Trosvig teaches music composition in the college’s ine arts program in Fergus Falls.

Leading the wayAngela Mathers, M State’s director of student engagement, has been selected to participate in the 2015 United Way of Cass-Clay 35 Under 35 Women’s Leadership Program. 35 Un-der 35 is a six-month program that focuses on leadership and giving back to the community.

Check out these links to M State cover-age in area news media:M State students in Fergus Falls hosted a walk to raise aware-ness of and help prevent sexual assault on college campuses.

One of the nation’s busiest Santas gets ready for his gig every

year with a little help from students in Wadena’s Cosmetol-ogy department.

Newspapers in Detroit Lakes and the Twin Cities reported on conversations about building a new Detroit Lakes high school on the M State campus in that community.

M State News | Page 12

GET TO KNOWMinnesota State Community and Technical College

A member of the Minnesota State Colleges and Universi es SystemAn Equal Opportunity Educator/Employer. Un Educador/Empleador de Oportunidad Igual. Detroit Lakes eCampus Fergus Falls Moorhead Wadena

Wednesday, February 4Building Trades ShowcaseMoorhead Campus9 a.m.-Noon

Friday, February 13STEM ShowcaseMoorhead Campus9 a.m.-Noon

Tuesday, February 24Trades and Technology ShowcaseWadena Campus10 a.m.-2 p.m.

Wednesday, March 4Fine Arts ShowcaseFergus Falls Campus9:30 a.m.-2 p.m.

Thursday, March 5Health Care ShowcaseMoorhead Campus9 a.m.-Noon

Friday, April 17Health Care ShowcaseFergus Falls CampusTime TBD

A end a program showcase to get hands-on experience A end a program showcase to get hands-on experience and visit with instructors in the elds that interest you.and visit with instructors in the elds that interest you.

Call 877.450.3322to sign up for an event.

Can’t a end but want to learn more?

Schedule a campus visit at

minnesota.edu/visit

minnesota.edu877.450.3322