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***This is part of a series of articles compiling useful resources and information for new graduate students. Some of the information in this series will be relevant for anybody new to MSU, including undergraduates, postdocs, faculty and staff. The topical areas range from settling into East Lansing and Michigan, getting to know which services can be found on campus to administrative steps and information needed throughout a graduate program at MSU. For the full series, see this playlist dedicated to (international) graduate students.***
 
Health Insurance
As an international student, you need to have health insurance. MSU will automatically enrol you in the Blue Care Network health insurance. There are only very few circumstances in which you can waive the health insurance coverage. This insurance can be used for pretty much anything except for dental and vision care.
Dental insurance is covered through Delta Dental and can be purchased in two enrolment periods (July-October for a Fall semester start and November-February for a Spring semester start). Depending on your employment type at MSU, you probably qualify for a reduced fee (i.e. MSU will pay half of the cost of coverage).
Vision insurance can be purchased any time of the year through Vision Service Plan.
I’d strongly recommend going to the Health Insurance information session organized by OISS to get a good explanation of how health insurance and the health care system work in the US. Here, I am listing just a few important words in American health insurances.
Deductible: Amount you must pay before your insurance “kicks in”. This is not applied to all services and is a yearly amount to be reached before the insurance covers the services (you may be left with Co-pays or Co-insurance payments).
Co-Pay: A fixed amount you pay for specific services. E.g. for visits to a specialist.
Co-Insurance: Your share of the cost of covered services, calculated as a percentage. This only applies to some services.
Out-of-pocket maximum: Amount to be reached beyond which the insurance pays 100% of covered services (deductible, co-pays and co-insurance payments all count towards the out-of-pocket maximum).
You can contact both OISS or the Blue Care Network representative at Olin Health Center if you have specific questions. Make sure to look at your member guide also.
Health Care Services
MSU has its own health services. The main health centre is Olin Health Center on the northern end of campus, though there are also some neighbourhood clinics dotted around campus. Students have 3 free visits at Olin per year. After that you will have to pay a Co-pay for your visits. Make sure to bring your student ID and insurance card. The doctors there can also refer you to a specialist if needed. And there is an in-house laboratory (in the basement) in case you need any blood work or other tests done. You can also get a free flu shot (i.e. vaccination) there.
There are 3 main access points to health care depending on the severity of your condition – Primary Care, Urgent Care, and the Emergency Room. See this resource for when to go where. If you are unsure where to go or need other immediate advice also after hours, there is a 24/7 phone nurse available.
Appointments, reminders for check-ups, test results, contact forms to directly communicate with your doctor, online payment for services rendered and more can be found in your online Health Portal (MyMSUHealth).
Mental Health
There are several mental health services available on MSU’s campus (free for students) as well as independently off-campus that are covered by your Blue Care Network insurance.
The Counselling and Psychiatric Services (CAPS) located at Olin Health Center offer up to 8 free visits per year for all students. They offer drop-in, mini sessions (10-15 minutes) called CAPS Connect at different locations on campus too. CAPS also organizes several support groups, including one dedicated to international students.
If you are employed by MSU (as a Graduate Research Assistant or Teaching Assistant) you are eligible to use the Employee Assistance Program (EAP). EAP offers short-term counselling services and can also refer you to counsellors outside of MSU if you are looking for more long-term/ regular support. Their services are usually limited to 6 sessions per “issue”.
There is a regular offering of mental health or wellness courses/ workshops offered through Health4You. A popular one is “Breaking free from the monkey mind” or workshops on mindfulness, stress management or emotional eating to name but a few. The exact workshops offered continuously change, so keep an eye out for e-mails from the Graduate School and check the Health4You website or sign up to their newsletter for updates.
A note on mental health…
Life gets messy sometimes and we all struggle on occasion. If you have a mental health concern, or just need someone to talk to about dealing with stress, your adjustment here, relationships (at work or in your private life), etc. PLEASE make use of the mental health services provided. In the US, there is much less of a stigma attached to seeking help for mental health issues and it is more openly talked about than in some other countries. You do not need to be in crisis in order to benefit from counselling. Note that all services are confidential.

Topic Area: Student Success
Presented By: Jesse Beal, Heather Shea
Abstract:
In this interactive, data- and practice-informed presentation, we will explore LGBTQA+ student success as a vital component of University student success efforts. Due to the lack of data on traditional student success metrics (persistence, retention, time to degree, and graduation) for LGBTQA+ students, LGBTQA+ student success work must be creative, collaborative, cross-disciplinary, and expansive. We will show how developing LGBTQA+ inclusive policies and practices supports student success and increases a sense of belonging. We will share the impact of implementing LGBTQA+ inclusive data collection practices on understanding student success on other campuses. We will explore the mental health challenges LGBTQA+ students face due to LGBTQA+ oppression, how these challenges have intensified during the COVID-19 pandemic, available mental health support services, and promising practices for intervention and support. We will also discuss ways in which each of us, as educators, can make a real and tangible difference for our LGBTQA+ students. The ability of LGBTQA+ students to learn, develop, and succeed is inextricably tied to their sense of belonging and the support provided to them by the University to face and overcome challenges. This session will provide an introduction to theories of LGBTQA+ student success, as well practical application, creative solutions, and methods of intervention.

The Fact: 
38% of incoming students frequently feel overwhelmed, women more so than men. 
[From: Cooperative Institutional Research Program (CIRP)]
 
First Aid For When You Feel Overwhelmed:
 
Step 1:
Find a comfortable position sitting in a chair, on floor or on lawn. 
Step 2: 
Listen to all the sounds around you for a minute.
Step 3: 
Focus on your breath as it moves in and out of your nostrils with        your mouth and eyes closed (2-3 minutes or longer)
Step 4: 
If you have thoughts arising acknowledge these and let them go     and bring our attention back to your breath.
Step 5: 
Slowly open your eyes and deeply breathe in through your nose,    out through your mouth. Repeat three times.    
 
Practical Tips:

If you don’t see changes right away, remember it takes consistent practice to change a habit.
Use Mindful Breath Meditation Practice every day and also be aware of your breath throughout the day to combat stress and feeling overwhelmed.
Do not judge yourself for not being able to focus on your breath for a long time, after all this is a practice to of mindful awareness.

 

As the pandemics continue to impact our personal lives, many educators are exhausted, stressed, and overworked. Some are burned out. The constant “pivoting”, adapting, working more, differently and harder has taken its toll. Selfcare is not the usual ‘go to’ for educators who are inclined to help others. But research, science, experience, stories tell us taking time for ourselves [including listing to a podcast!] is very important. We invite you to experience …  
The Spartans Will, Spartans WELL Podcast: A space where educators can dock to get a second wind
During this biweekly podcast, guests respond to questions submitted by educators with stories and strategies that can inspire hope as listeners deal with challenging realities that have changed their lives. Spartans Will, Spartans WELL is hosted by members of the MSU Community with expertise in educator and student well-being. The podcast has been designed to let listeners know they belong, they matter, and they make a difference.
New episodes, which are released every other week, are determined by listener suggestions.  Find this podcast at Spartans Will Spartans WELL Podcast Playlist.
Connect with us!
Please send comments, ideas, questions, suggestions for future podcast topics to worklife@msu.edu.

If you are concerned about a student, employee or other individual for any reason, please consider making a CAIT referral — this is the centralized reporting system at MSU.
The Care and Intervention Team consists of university personnel with expertise in student affairs, mental and physical health, student conduct, human resources, and law enforcement/campus safety.
Membership on the Care and Intervention Team represents an ongoing commitment to the mission of the Care and Intervention Team. Team members are critical to the functioning of the team. They are responsible for completing ongoing training, attending meetings, and assisting with follow-up and intervention as designated by their membership category.
CAIT Mission
The Care and Intervention Team strives to promote individual well-being and success, while also prioritizing community safety. Utilizing a collaborative and proactive approach, the team is committed to identifying, preventing, assessing, intervening, and reducing threats to the safety and well-being of the MSU community.
CAIT Goals

Provide a safe and supportive physical and emotional environment for members of the university community. 
Identify, assess, and intervene with individuals who are struggling or who demonstrate concerning or threatening behavior.  
Provide support and resources to community members who are concerned for another individual.

When should I refer a student or employee?
Make A Referral

Job Title: Health Sciences Educational Technology LibrarianDepartment: MSU Libraries Team: Health Sciences Bio: Andrea Kepsel, MLIS, AHIP (she/her) is a Health Sciences Educational Technology Librarian at the Michigan State University Libraries. Andrea is the liaison to the College of Veterinary Medicine, the Department of Animal Science, the Biomedical Laboratory Diagnostics Program, the Department of Biomedical Engineering, and the Department of Food Science and Human Nutrition. Andrea is the EndNote Instruction Coordinator for the MSU Libraries and teaches both EndNote and EndNote Online.

Thank you for helping our students achieve their goals; recommendations include:
Keep Teaching: recently updated to include a guide to in-person, hybrid, online, remote teaching - syllabus and instructional support, mental health and wellbeing, MSU core tools and accessibility and professional development opportunities, etc.
Keep Learning: recently updated to include in-person, hybrid, online, remote student success resources for students - academic advising, academic support, tutoring and mentoring, career planning, undergraduate research, online learning, and mental health and wellbeing resources, etc.
Quick Tip Student Success Series for Instructors: easy-to-make changes which positively impact student learning and success, including suggestions from students on how to build attention, strategies to diminish educator burnout, small changes that have BIG neural and learning impacts   
Faculty One-Pagers on Difficult Dialogues in the Classroom (scroll to the bottom of the page): setting up an inclusive classroom, interrupting bias, dialogue basics, intercultural dialogue facilitation, strategies for managing hot moments in the classroom, microaggressions
Faculty and Staff Resources to Support Students Who May Be Experiencing Distress or Who May Have a Mental Illness: syllabus language, Behavioral Threat Assessment Team (BTAT), The Green Folder [who to contact, how to support students who are struggling], addressing student mental health concerns in online courses, Kognito for Faculty [online simulation tool that allows educators to practice having challenging conversations with students through role-play], counseling services for faculty and staff
 
Who Are Our Students? Our students reflect a diverse population; some of our students are members of historically underserved groups; all of our students matter and can learn, thrive and graduate
American Indian Community  
Asian, Pacific Islander and Desi American (APIDA) Community
Black/African American Community
Latinx Initiatives Community
Office of Cultural and Academic Transitions (OCAT)
Students from migrant and seasonal farm working communities
First Generation Students
Students who were in foster or kinship care, have experienced homelessness, or are otherwise independent
LGBTQIA2S+ Members
International Students
Student Veterans
Student Parents
Students with Disabilities
Graduate Students
 
Resource Center for Persons with Disabilities: disability services and accommodations; programs; resources that support students, faculty, and staff to maximize ability and opportunity for full participation at MSU
Career Services Network: opportunities to customize class workshops and career education lesson plans aimed at integrating career development into your curricula or guide your students in career assessments as they explore majors and career paths
Student Affairs and Services: creates a multitude of opportunities for students on campus, in the community, and throughout our global society that support student success
COVID FAQs: vaccine mandate, face coverings, students, faculty and staff, general and conversation starters when talking with students who do not comply with mask expectations

Leadership Fellows

2016-2019: Jacob Bradburn
2019-2020: Courtney Bryant & Tatiana Bustos
2020-2021: Kionna Henderson & Jaleah Rutledge
2021-2022: Cordelia Martin-Ipke & Jessie Pink
2021-2023: Qi Huang

Jacob Bradburn (2016-2019)Jacob Bradburn constructed a thorough and thoughtful approach to building the Social Science graduate student community as the first Fellow for the college. He began by surveying the college’s landscape in order to gather information on departmental procedures, college structure, and identify possible intervention points in which to enhance the graduate student experience. He created an organizational chart mapping the graduate departments and degree programs and a supplementary Excel spreadsheet with information on each of the departments, programs, and graduate student organizations (GSOs). Jacob took his research further by analyzing the survey results from two specific departments, Psychology and Social Work, and presenting his findings to department leadership. Jacob also advocated for graduate student representation on the College of Social Science Dean’s Student Advisory Council, which consisted of only undergraduates at the time. He worked with GSOs to help register them with the university and to facilitate outreach through his organizational chart.
Jacob was a key author in the Leadership Institute’s 2019 grant proposal to the Office for Inclusion and Intercultural Initiatives CIEG. He worked closely with then-Coordinators, Madeline Shallgren and Makena Neal, and former Coordinator, Megumi Moore, to outline the Institute’s vision, purpose, and leadership development curriculum. This document is an important reflection of the Institute’s ethos during a time of past leadership and helps us understand how the Institute has grown since. In short, Jacob was a key player that went outside the bounds of his Fellowship responsibilities to support the Institute’s development and lay a strong foundation for future Social Science Leadership Fellows.Courtney Bryant & Tatiana Bustos (2019-2020)Courtney Bryant and Tatiana Bustos leveraged Jacob’s leadership network to build a strong relationship with the Assistant Dean and gather connections within the College to inform their multi-tier support system for underrepresented graduate students. Their project specifically focused on diversity and inclusion within the College and utilized a needs assessment survey to help define the different tiers within the support system. Example initiatives they considered included getting a physical space in the college, creating a section on the website including diversity and inclusion resources, and implementing a program to teach multicultural mentoring to faculty. As they were faced with the time-consuming and difficult challenges brought on by graduate student life amidst the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic, Courtney and Tatiana were unable to see these initiatives through. However, their work brought awareness to unequal graduate student representation in the College and they built an incredible network of connections and data that will inform future graduate student diversity and inclusion initiatives.Kionna Henderson & Jaleah Rutledge (2020-2021)Kionna Henderson and Jaleah Rutledge’s project, All About Academic Entrepreneurship, consisted of a four-part series that introduced graduate students to academic entrepreneurship. With the understanding that graduate students possess a variety of skills and talents that can be applied to a wide range of fields, this series aimed to help graduate students turn these skills into for profit business opportunities. The series covered an introduction to academic entrepreneurship, marketing and building your brand, finding the right partners and financial resources, as well as a panel of academic entrepreneurs. Speakers included Dr. Jasmine Abrams, Dr. Paul Elam, and Christine Beamer. The panelists included Jen Fry, Dr. Tatiana Bustos, Dr. Sederick Rice, and Dr. Valencia Moses. Kionna and Jaleah worked closely with the Director of Graduate Student Life and Wellbeing, Dr. Megumi Moore, and Social Science Deans Mary Finn and Anna Maria Santiago. Their series was received extremely well by their audience, with many remarking that it exceeded their expectations and provided valuable and inspiring content.Cordelia Martin-Ipke (2021-2022)Cordelia began the year by looking at how to recruit more underrepresented minorities into the Geography Department. She worked to strengthen the Advancing Geography Through Diversity Program and community building among underrepresented minority groups in the geography field. She worked with her department chair as well as director, and established a network to create a recruitment pipeline from Chicago State, which does not have a Geography PhD program and is a minority serving institution. Cordelia has been exploring the sustainability of this program.Jessie Pink (2021-2022)Jesse’s project addressed environmental justice and racism. He used an interdisciplinary approach that tied environmental justice with health inequities. Jesse has been working to highlight the importance of activism and community engagement in solving environmental health issues in vulnerable communities.Qi Huang (2021-2023)Qi worked with CAL Fellow, Hima Rawal, to address international students’ use of mental health services on campus. They hope to build bridges to increase access to and decrease stigma of mental health services. They collaborated with the Office of International Students & Scholars, Counseling and Psychiatric Services, the Trauma Services Training Network, and more to learn more about how these offices support international students. They also interviewed over a dozen international students to deepen their understanding of the concerns and barriers international students have concerning mental health. Using this data and their partnerships, Qi and Hima hope to create a Wellness Ambassador program where selected international students are trained to reach out to other international students to help them learn about mental health services on campus.