2010-2011 MSU Fact Book now online

Thursday, September 2. 2010
The 2009-2010 Fact Book is available for view online at http://www.murraystate.edu/factbook. Scroll down and this link is the first in the list of Fact Book links. Print copies are being distributed. As always, we encourage any feedback on the Fact Book. Feel free to contact us at msu.oir@murraystate.edu.

Website update

Thursday, August 26. 2010
The new, high-performance server has arrived, the MSU website has been migrated to the server, and extensive testing is being conducted. MSU Information Systems personnel will soon be joined by technicians trained specifically for configuring the new hardware for our content management system. Once testing and fine-tuning are complete, the MSU website will relaunch, and the homepage will return to its former, dynamic state. The timeline for the relaunch will depend upon on the arrival of the technicians and the extent of their work. Watch for announcements in your email and elsewhere for specific dates.

Healthy LIFE Programs

Thursday, August 26. 2010
Healthy LIFE, MSU’s employee wellness program has many ongoing and upcoming programs this semester. To find out more, visit our website. View the calendar link for dates including upcoming Lunch and Learn sessions, the Pre-Health Fair Blood Draw, the Fall Health Fair, Tai Chi, plus more. For additional information, contact Amelia Dodd 809-6463 or amelia.dodd@murraystate.edu.

HEA 189: Health and Wellness course for MSU employees and spouses

Thursday, August 26. 2010
HEA 189 is course available to MSU employees and their spouses that serves to promote a healthy lifestyle. The class is designed to help individuals learn more about their own health & wellness. Benefits of the class include expansion of knowledge of a variety of health-related issues, awareness of on-campus and local resources, and the class allows those enrolled to access the Student Recreation and Wellness Center. HEA 189 is a pass/fail course and can be taken on a recurrent basis. For those taking the course for the first time, you must submit the HEA 189 Application (to Admissions), which is a streamlined application to the university (unless already enrolled). The application fee is waived for employees; however, the application fee ($30) applies to spouses. Once this process is complete and for those re-enrolling in HEA 189, please complete the Request for Waiver of Tuition and send to Human Resources. Please allow time for processing then contact Registration via phone (809-3776) or e-mail (Rhonda.timmons@murraystate.edu) to request that a permission override for HEA 189 be completed (please provide your M#). The employee/spouse must then schedule for the course using your MyGate account. Once enrolled, please allow 2-5 business days for your card to be activated prior to use for entering the Student Recreation and Wellness Center. Please contact Corky Broughton (809-3590) or Amelia Dodd (809-6463) with additional questions related to HEA 189.

Website update

Thursday, August 19. 2010
A new, high-powered server has arrived and MSU Information Systems personnel are currently loading the MSU website onto it. Configuration and testing should be completed by mid-week next. A relaunch of the website will follow on Thursday, August 26, or Friday, August 27.

Tai Chi for Employees

Thursday, August 19. 2010
Tai Chi for MSU Faculty/Staff will be offered Mondays and Wednesdays from 11:30 am -12:15 pm in the Dance Studio of the Carr Health Building. Classes will begin Monday, August 23, and will continue through December 15. The Monday Class will focus on the beginner while the Wednesday class will offer a challenge on the intermediate level; however, all interested individuals are welcome to attend both. The Tai Chi class is sponsored by Healthy LIFE, MSU’s employee wellness program, and will be taught by Wayne Harper who has 40+ years of experience in Oriental Martial Arts. For more information, please contact Amelia Dodd or 809-6463.

Investment consulting will be offered August 26

Thursday, August 19. 2010
Cary Bushman from Fidelity Investments will be conducting one-on-one consultations for any faculty or staff who might be interested in learning more about savings and investments. Schedule a one-on-one consultation to help you make sure you are on track with your saving and investing goals. The Mr. Bushman will work with you to help you:

• Assess your savings and investing needs

• Consolidate your retirement accounts (if appropriate for your situation)

• Identify strategies to help you meet your retirement and financial goals

One on one’s will be available at Murray State University on the following date.

Thursday, 8/26/10 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. in the Ohio Room at the Curris Center.

Schedule the confidential consultation today! Call: 800-642-7131 or visit: www.fidelity.com/atwork/reservations to schedule your appointment online.

Website update

Thursday, August 12. 2010
As most everyone has noticed, the new MSU website is not performing up to standards. We are experiencing significant slow-downs as traffic to the site increases during the most active period of the day. We realize how frustrating this is for users and have taken the following steps:

Assembled a team of MSU Information Systems professionals and programmers from two different outside technology companies, to diagnose and resolve the problem.

Expedited the shipment of new, high-capacity hardware on which we will redeploy the MSU website.

Reprogramming key, high-traffic pages as "detours" while the problem is worked.



It is critically important for faculty and staff of MSU to remember to use Racernet (campus.murraystate.edu) as their "homepage" at work, not the main MSU site (www.murraystate.edu). Much of the content for internal use (forms, help pages, etc.) has been moved out of the main MSU website and into Racernet, as have the tools MSU employees use most frequently (myGate, Blackboard, RacerMail, Tech Support, etc.).

The "www" site was built to sell the university, not service it. This is a big paradigm change and requires everyone at MSU to adjust their web habits accordingly. We appreciate everyone's patience as we work to solve this issue.

Students must reset network account logins

Thursday, August 5. 2010
All student network accounts will be disabled on Thursday, August 5th. This is the account used to log on to MSU computer labs and MSUwireless, and to register your computer in the Residential Colleges. Students should log in to myGate and select Change Student Active Directory Network Logon Account Password from the MSU Web Account Services channel on the Home tab to enable their account and set a password. For assistance with this process, students should contact the Helpdesk at (270) 809-2346.

Wireless upgrades

Thursday, August 5. 2010
Network Services will be performing major wireless infrastructure upgrades until Friday, August 13. During this time wireless may be unavailable in different locations around campus. For questions or concerns regarding availability, please contact the Helpdesk at (270)809-2346.

Reminder to update phone information

Thursday, August 5. 2010
For faculty and staff who are new on campus or have changed offices, please help us update your telephone directory information on People Finder and the phone display information. Here are links to forms required to update your information. Telephone Directory update form. Telephone Service Request form.

City stickers

Thursday, August 5. 2010
Anyone who is employed within the city limits is required to purchase and permanently affix a sticker on the vehicle(s) driven to work. Any Murray State student who is employed by the university or any other business in the city is required to purchase a city sticker. Non-residents who work inside the city are required to purchase and display a city sticker on the vehicle driven to work. Any Murray State student whose permanent address is within the city limits of Murray is also required to purchase a city sticker.

Name and address of vehicle owner, year, make/model of vehicle, and license plate number are required at time purchase. Vehicle stickers were $50 each, however, the due date for purchase was May 1. Stickers purchased now will carry a 100% penalty (sticker cost - $100). City stickers must be permanently affixed to the windshield of the vehicle. There is a $50 penalty for non-compliance. The City Clerk’s office is located at 104 North 5th Street. Office hours are 8 a.m. - 5 p.m., Monday - Friday. Phone (270) 762-0350 for more information.

The Bursar’s Office has moved!

Thursday, July 22. 2010

The Bursar’s Office is now located on the 1st floor of Sparks Hall across from the Registrar Office. While the Bursar’s Office (Student Loan Accounting and Accounts Receivable) has moved to the 1st floor, the Cashier’s Office is still located in the lobby of the 2nd floor of Sparks Hall. For questions about your student account, you may contact the Bursar’s Office by email at msu.bursaroffice@murraystate.edu or by phone at one of the following numbers:

Student account information, University and State tuition waiver or third-party billing - 270-809-4227

Private loans and Perkins/Nursing promissory notes - 270-809-2669

Payment Plans – 270-809-4211

We look forward to serving you this fall in our new location!