Classified Staff

If you are a parent you probably share an almost universal desire to make family occasions special for your children. You also may have to overcome certain obstacles in creating your own special experiences with your children such as finances, distance from family members, and the special circumstances created by divorce, step-parenting and blended families. Many parents work overtime only to find themselves frustrated by the experience and doubtful that the end result was particularly meaningful to their children.

For the first time in history, there is the possibility that an organization can have four distinct generations in the workforce. While we need to be careful not to make too many generalizations about different age groups, it is helpful to categorize some aspects of each group’s behavior, needs and working styles to promote working relationships built on mutual understanding.

In a relatively short timeframe, computers have gone from being a space-age dream to an everyday reality for many people at work, home and school. Children are learning how to use computers at younger ages— many are more computer-savvy than their parents! How does a parent support the need for their children to be familiar with computers in today’s society without letting the computer dominate their child’s time? 

When we’re at a crossroads, we often face ambivalence regarding the direction we should take. Common life challenges include: Should I attend college and, if so, where? Should I get married? Do I want children? Should I move? Should I get a divorce? Some people are able to make decisions without being bogged down by uncertainty. They make them quickly and with minimal anxiety over whether or not they made the wrong choice. For others, these decisions are filled with angst and can leave them feeling stuck. This session will provide helpful strategies to get unstuck.

All aspects of work and life require stress—everyone experiences it. Experiencing stress is not all bad, but how we perceive stress is what’s important. Stress is our body’s normal response to any extra physical, mental or emotional demand we place on it. This workshop will help you to understand more about stress, identify your stressors and learn ways to cope with and manage high stress levels.

This is a 1 hour webinar recording from September 2022. Click "Learn more and register" to access the recording*

It seems that more than ever, people are living busy, chaotic lives that often leave them feeling overwhelmed and out of control. Between work, parental responsibilities, community involvement, exercise, hobbies, friendships, family responsibilities and more, sometimes it feels as if keeping track of it all is just impossible. Fortunately, there are many tools available to help people gain control, though sometimes sorting through what’s available can add what seems like even more chaos to life.

Flex Pass class option: $5 per class session. Available for registration year-round! Expires mid-September of the next academic year, no exceptions/refunds.

Purchase your Flex Pass at the Faculty Staff Fitness (FSF) Office, Langton 123 - or online at https://health.oregonstate.edu/fsf and your pass can be held for pick up.  

Physical Activity Courses (PAC) have limited availability. There are many PAC classes offered and individuals may enroll in any PAC class that has available spots after the first week of the term. The PAC schedule can be found online at catalog.oregonstate.edu.

The recent housing collapse has changed the home buying process significantly. Where once it was easy to attain credit, it has become more difficult again and a home’s value as an investment is more uncertain. Banks have gone back to a more traditional lending approach as a result of the collapse and now having good credit and a down payment is essential. Lenders are also focused on offering more traditional mortgage products such as 30- and 15-year mortgages versus the exotic ARMs offered a few years ago.

For a long time, the scientific community believed we were born with a certain number of brain cells and neural pathways and that, once damaged, they could not be repaired. In reality, our brains are much more flexible. Depending on our lifestyle, we can weaken or destroy connections, or create new, stronger ones. Engaging regularly in certain behaviors and activities, like physical exercise, addressing mental health issues, meditation, and learning a new language or musical instrument, support new wiring and can make existing pathways stronger.