Students, faculty react to campus signage misspelling
Photo courtesy of Nancy Langley
The new campus signage misspells library as “libray.” The sign is located near the David L. Rice Library and the Recreation, Fitness and Wellness Center on University Boulevard. (Photo courtesy of Nancy Langley)
March 30, 2023
The university recently updated the campus signage and misspelled “library” on a sign. The university spent $700,000 on the new campus signage.
The misspelled sign, located on the median near the David L. Rice Library and the Recreation, Fitness and Wellness Center on University Boulevard, spelled library as “libray.”
Students and faculty react to the signage misspellings.
Ollie Parmenter, sophomore psychology major, said they were aware of the new sign on campus but not about the misspellings.
“I think it’s really embarrassing for the campus and just the whole facility as a whole,” Parmenter said.
Parmenter said once the sign is fixed, it should not be a big deal.
USI is obviously trying to make a brand, especially since we’re transitioning into DI, and having campus tours, and having that seen, definitely degrades the perception of USI just in general.
— Ollie Parmenter, sophomore psychology major
“USI is obviously trying to make a brand, especially since we’re transitioning into DI, and having campus tours, and having that seen, definitely degrades the perception of USI just in general,” Parmenter said.
Becca Neel, assistant director of resource management and user experience, said she would like the signage to spell library correctly, but she thinks it is funny it is misspelled.
There was a bit of irony in the fact that library was the one word that was misspelled.
— Becca Neel, assistant director of resource management and user experience
“Personally, I thought it was kind of funny. I mean, clearly, we want the library to be spelled correctly,” Neel said. “There was a bit of irony in the fact that library was the one word that was misspelled.”
“I didn’t realize that in going to DI, we got fancy and would be rebranded as the ‘Rice lab-array,” Neel said.
Alayna Richardson, freshman criminal justice major said, she was not aware of the misspelled sign.
“I think they should have double-checked before putting them up,” Richardson said.
Richardson said she would have taken the sign down and put up a new one.
Neel said she is excited the university updated the signage.
Unfortunately, a few errors have been identified and will be corrected.
— Kindra Strupp, vice president for marketing and communications
“I’m really excited that we finally have good signage on campus,” Neel said. “That’s something that has been lacking for a long time. But, you know, attention to detail is important for signs.”
Kindra Strupp, vice president for marketing and communications, said more than 475 signs have been installed on campus.
“Unfortunately, a few errors have been identified and will be corrected,” Strupp said.
