Support Staff

Support Staff Employee Handbook Overview

Michigan State University Spartans work every day to advance the common good in uncommon ways.

Together, we tackle some of the world’s toughest problems to find solutions that make life better—from alternative energy to better food safety to breakthrough medical and environmental applications achieved through rare isotope research. We're good at it, and we've been at it for more than 150 years.

The nation’s pioneer land-grant university, MSU began as a bold experiment that democratized higher education and helped bring science and innovation into everyday life. The revolutionary concept became a model for the nation.

Today, MSU is one of the top research universities in the world—on one of the biggest, greenest campuses in the nation. Home to nationally ranked and recognized academic, residential college, and service-learning programs, we're a diverse community of dedicated students, scholars and staff, athletes and artists, scientists and leaders.

As an MSU staff member, you play a vital role in supporting the continuing success of Michigan State University. In ways both practical and profound, every Spartan is part of a larger, unstoppable team that creates a stronger, more sustainable and more hopeful future for all.

There are approximately 6,200 Support Staff employees on campus and around the state. Our employees perform work that is essential to the operation of the University and includes a wide range of functions. Support staff employees include groundskeepers who maintain the pristine campus, boiler operators who work at the power plant, employees who cook and serve foods in the various dining halls, technical employees who maintain the University’s electronic resources and much, much more.

Employees who are represented should also reference the appropriate collective bargaining agreement listed below.

Collective Bargaining Agreements

These are the certified support staff collective bargaining units at MSU:

Clerical Technical Union of MSU (CTU)

Local 274, International Alliance of Theatrical Stage Employees and Motion Picture Machine Operators

Local 324, International Union of Operating Engineers

Local SSTU, Council 25, AFSCME, AFL-CIO

Local 1585, Council 25, AFSCME, AFL-CIO

POAM, MSU Non-Supervisory Division

MSU Administrative Professional Association (APA)

MSU Administrative Professional Supervisors Association (APSA)

In some cases, collective bargaining agreements may alter or modify personnel policies and benefits described herein. In these cases, the applicable provisions of the collective bargaining agreements will prevail. Details of collective bargaining agreements are available online.

Additional University information, including current MSU facts, rankings, Board of Trustees and central administration are available on the MSU website.