Student center “Welcome” translations misspelled, blacked out

The signs misspelled “Welcome” in Arabic and Farsi.

By Allison Prang

Published Aug. 31, 2010

Banners were hung displaying the word “Welcome” in various languages in the student center when it opened, but some of the translations were spelled incorrectly.

Student Unions Assistant Director Joe Hayes said after the signs were printed, it was discovered the Arabic and Farsi translations of “Welcome” were misspelled.

Student Unions staff painted over the misspelled words with black paint, but left the banners hanging in the student center.

“(The Unions staff) blacked out the Arabic and Farsi languages,” Hayes said. “It was an attempt to be as welcoming as possible but unfortunately our translation was incorrect. To be respectful, we blacked them out.”

The misspelled Arabic and Farsi words were painted over during office hours in the student center. The signs have since been taken down as originally scheduled since the student center’s opening was more than one week ago.

“They were up for the first week,” Hayes said. “When we do it again next year, we’ll get it right. It was an honest mistake.”

Hayes said the incorrect words were painted over while patrons were present because the student center staff was probably made aware of it at that time.

“We blacked them out when we were made aware of it,” Hayes said.

Senior John Thomas said he was getting a slice of pizza when he said he observed that certain languages had been painted over in black.

“That’s very unwelcoming if an Arabic student were to notice that,” Thomas said, who also acknowledged the reason the words were painted over could have been due to a printing mistake.

MU International Center Director Jim Scott said he was not aware of the mistakes painted over on the welcome signs, but wasn’t concerned about them.

“It’s great to provide welcome in languages our students speak,” Scott said. “It’s OK with me that they tried. These things happen.”