Welcome to the August issue of HR News!
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As we prepare for the start of a new academic year, Human Resources is here to help you stay informed and connected. Join us at the President's Welcome Address on August 21 to kick off the Fall 2026 term. Don't miss this month's updates, including a new Lactation Accommodation Space in Valera Hall, preparations for CalPERS Open Enrollment, and free employee wellness resources through Calm.
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This month's reminders: Complete required onboarding for new student employees and stay informed about CSUN's Youth Protection Program requirements for working with minors.
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Thank you for the important work you do every day to serve our campus community. Please contact us if you have any questions or feedback, or want to see an upcoming event included in a future issue of HR News.
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Explore HR Updates to learn about resources available to you and important employment updates:
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- Hiring a New Student Employee?
Whether hiring a Student Assistant (SA), an Instructional Student Assistant (ISA), a Graduate Assistant (GA), or a Teaching Associate (TA), be sure to have them sign-in with Human Resources. Check the Employment Paperwork | New Student Employees website for the process/required paperwork. -
CSUN Youth Protection Program
CSUN's Youth Protection Program helps the campus safeguard youth by defining the bandwidth of acceptable behavior when interacting with minors and establishing minimum requirements for youth programs operated by or at CSUN. Visit this page to learn more about these requirements and other best practices related to protecting youth in our care.
- New Lactation Accommodation Space Opens in Valera Hall
A new Lactation Accommodation Space has opened in Valera Hall, Room 354 on the third floor, expanding CSUN's network of dedicated lactation spaces to nine locations across campus. The new space reflects the university's ongoing commitment to creating a family-friendly campus that supports students, faculty and staff who are breastfeeding or expressing milk. For access, please call (818) 677-2780 or email lactation@csun.edu. To learn more or to find a CSUN Lactation Accommodation near you, visit the Women's Research and Resource Center here.
- Celebrating a Birthday in September? Complete the CalPERS Dependent Re-Verification Requirement | Deadline: September 1
Dependent Re-verification (DRV) is the process of re-verifying the eligibility of your spouse, domestic partner, children, stepchildren, and domestic partner children (family members) enrolled for state health and dental benefits. Read more here.
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Calm and HR Present: Calm Can Help You Build Resilience and Navigate Change
Into every life, times of change must come—but just because change is inevitable doesn’t mean it’s easy to deal with. You may be facing change or uncertainty right now, wondering how you’ll make it through and what life might look like on the other side. But times of transition can help you build resilience if you have the right tools to support your journey. That’s why Calm offers resources to help you handle whatever comes your way. Read more here. Activate your free premium membership to CALM and take advantage of this benefit.
- Helping You Make the Most of Your Benefits | Prepare Now for Open Enrollment: September 14 - October 9, 2026
Open Enrollment is just around the corner! Make sure you have registered for your myCalPERS account and stay informed on upcoming Open Enrollment information and resources. During the Open Enrollment period, employees may enroll-in, change, or cancel Health, Dental, Vision, FlexCash, Dependent Care Account (DCRA), Health Care Reimbursement (HCRA) or Voluntary Benefit Plans, or add or remove eligible dependents, for the coming year.
- See the Difference with CSU VSP Vision Care
During the CSU Annual Open Enrollment period, faculty and staff may upgrade to the VSP Premium Plan. VSP Vision Care offers access to a broad provider network and coverage for routine eye exams, lenses, and frames. The Premium Plan provides enhanced benefits and higher allowances for employees who want additional coverage. Open Enrollment: September 14 – October 9, 2026. To review plan details and compare options, visit: https://csuactives.vspforme.com/.
- LifeMatters Announces New Resources
View new features such as the Orientation Video and a Sleep Module has been added to the Digital Self-Help library. The Digital Self-Help library is a great resource for those not quite ready to start counseling but are just looking for more resources to address common issues. It is also a tool for those current working with a counselor but looking for additional support between sessions. View more information about LifeMatters here.
- Employee Resources:
- Summary of CSU provided benefits - View an overview summary of systemwide benefits to eligible employees on the webpage Employee Benefits Summary.
- Cal Employee Connect - Sign-up for easy online access to your monthly pay, W-2 information, Direct Deposit, and Withholdings changes. Read more here.
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Total Compensation - This includes your salary and the value of your benefit package, based on your appointment type. To see the equivalent value of your total compensation, use the Total Compensation Calculator.
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Dive into this section to find campus news, events, and programs you can participate in this month.
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- AS Summer Movie Fest | August 6
Join Associated Students on Thursday, August 6 for the last AS Summer Movie on the library lawn, for a night full of fun and of course, a movie. Students, faculty, staff, the local community, and families are welcome to attend. The movie will start at dusk and Superman (2025) will be shown. - President's Welcome Address | August 21
Start the new academic year with the President's Welcome Address. The address will be held at the Younes and Soraya Nazarian Center for the Performing Arts from 9-10 a.m. Reception with light refreshments will follow in The Soraya Courtyard, RSVP by August 13 here. -
Volunteer for CSUN Navigators | August 24 & 25
Help welcome and guide new and returning students and volunteer for CSUN Navigators. Now it 14th year, be on the lookout for more information coming to your email. - Bank Smarter with Premier Plus Checking
As CSUN's official credit union, Premier America makes banking convenient with an on-campus branch and Premier Plus Checking—an interest-bearing account earning up to 3.50% APY. Enjoy up to $20 in monthly ATM fee refunds, early payday with direct deposit, Zelle®, and a CSUN-branded debit card. From grabbing coffee with a co-worker to paying for your share of lunch, we make managing your money simple, so you can focus on what matters this semester. Stop by our campus branch or visit premieramerica.com to learn more.
- From Here to Career Fall 2026 Cohort | Register by September 8
Are you interested in preparing your student assistants for life beyond CSUN? From Here to Career (FHTC) is looking for CSUN supervisors and student employees to form the Fall 2026 cohort! Applications are being accepted through 5:00 p.m. on September 8. A supervisor (CSUN Staff or Faculty) must complete the following registration form to enroll themselves and their student employees: FHTC Registration 2026-27. For questions, please contact Isabel Casas, Career Advisor, at isabel.casas@csun.edu. Learn more here.
- Mindfulness Based Stress Reduction Class (MBSR) | September 9 - November 10
Are you looking for practical tools to reduce stress, improve wellbeing, and build resilience during challenging times? We have a new date for our Fall Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction (MBSR) class. MBSR is an evidence-based in person course designed to support mental, emotional, and physical wellbeing. MBSR is an internationally recognized program that combines guided meditation, mindful movement, and experiential learning to help participants respond to stress with greater awareness, balance, and ease. For more information go here.
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Professional & Personal Development |
The Professional & Personal Development Program provides online discussions, training workshops, and development sessions available to all Faculty and Staff. Click the links for more information.
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- Resources
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Becoming a Savvy News Consumer - Living in a world of 24/7 news and social media may make it more difficult to determine the actual facts about an event. Fast-moving crisis situations are particularly prone to generating misinformation, such as rumors, inaccuracies, and theories or speculation.
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Self-Care Strategies - During difficult times, it is important to periodically refresh and renew your wellbeing. Self-care will create a more solid foundation for starting the healing process, both for yourself and for others.
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Alzheimer's Association Live Learning Webinars - Free live learning webinars from the Alzheimer's Association offer real-time conversation, information, education and resources on a variety of brain health, dementia and caregiving topics. Register for an upcoming virtual learning program today.
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Professional/Personal Development Sessions
- LifeMatters | View Live and On-Demand Webinars in the Month of August 2026
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Blue Shield's Webinar - Blue Mind Science: The Healing Power of Water | August 3
- Professional Development with LinkedIn Learning | August 4
- Broadcast Email Training Session | August 5
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CSU Ask Fidelity: Retirement Basics | August 5
- ChatGPT Edu for Everyday Work | August 5
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Kaiser Permanente 2026 Medicare Workshop | August 11
- Tuesday Tune Ups: LinkedIn Learning | August 11
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Microsoft 365 at CSUN | August 12
- CSU Ask Fidelity: Making Your Money Work as Hard as You Do | August 12
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CalPERS - Pathways for Women 2026 Conference | August 17-18
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2026 Kaiser Permanente Thrive Thursday Webinar Series - Healthy Cooking Made Delicious (Live Cooking Demo) | August 20
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CalPERS Member Education Video: Family Status Changes | August 20
- Fidelity Financial Webinar | Learn the Basics of When and How to Claim Social Security | August 25
- Blue Shield's Webinar | Embracing Change: Tools to Navigate Life's Transitions with Confidence | August 27
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Accessibility Sessions
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New CSU Community of Practice for faculty: Accessible Instructional Materials | August 6
- Accessibility for Academic Support Staff | August 12
- Learn How to Improve Canvas Course Accessibility the Easy Way | August 12
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Learn How to Improve Canvas Course Accessibility the Easy Way | August 13
- Accessible Instructional Materials Webinar | August 28
- Faculty Technology Sessions
- Tuesday Tune Ups: Panopto | August 4
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Have a New Class? Use the CSUN Canvas Template | August 11
- AI Ignite A New Tool in Canvas | August 13
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Teaching in-person? Come learn about how to use the Classroom Technology | August 14
- Record Your Lectures with Panopto | August 17
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Get Started with Canvas Basics | August 17
- Canvas has New Quizzes | August 17
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Tuesday Tune Ups: Canvas | August 18
- For Academic Continuity use Canvas Insights | August 18
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Make Sure to Have an AI Syllabus Statements | August 18
- Have a New Course Prep? Use the Canvas Template | August 19
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Get Started with Canvas Basics | August 21
- Record Your Lectures with Panopto | August 21
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Learn About How to Use the Classroom Technology | August 21
- Create an AI Syllabus Statement | August 24
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Get Started with Canvas Basics | August 24
- Zoom Beyond the Basics (Teaching with Zoom) | August 25
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Intro to AI: Train the Trainer | August 26
- Record Your Lectures with Panopto | August 26
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Learn How to Effectively Use and Set Up Your Canvas for Teaching | August 27
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Course Set Up Clinic: Use Canvas for Materials, Grading, Student Interactions, and More | August 27
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Course Set Up Clinic: Use Canvas for Materials, Grading, Student Interactions, and More | August 28
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Do You Use Zoom in Your Course? Check Out Zoom's New Functions | August 31
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