Michigan State University apologized for misspelling a name on its annual student memorial plaque.
The "MSU Student Memorial Tribute" plaque was dedicated in July 2024 and lists the names of students who died during the 2023-2024 academic year. Among them is Tariq Thabet, a former MSU Humphrey Fellow who was killed in an Israeli bombing outside of his apartment in Central Gaza City in 2023.
His name on the memorial was misspelled: "Thaber."
It went unaddressed by MSU until it was mentioned by public commenters at Friday’s Board of Trustees meeting.
University spokesperson Amber McCann said the meeting was the first time MSU heard of the spelling issue.
The university appreciates the speakers who brought the misspelling to their attention, she said, and is "deeply sorry for the mistake and is actively working to resolve the matter."
For some who spoke at the board meeting, the misspelled plaque represented a carelessness about Thabet and the Israel-Hamas war. Student advocates have complained that the university did too little to acknowledge Thabet's death, and have even argued that the MSU is complicit in it, citing investments in an Israeli bond and portfolios they tie to weapons manufacturing.
"I think this plaque thing has shown how little care has gone into it," said Education junior Vincent Delgado. "Because this should be a big deal that one of our students was killed by an Israeli airstrike that MSU funds through its investments – and has complicity in that, and refuses to even consider divestment."
The misspelling issue was raised last week by a friend of Thabet, according to Delgado, who was among the students who spoke at the board meeting.
After a campus vigil honoring the late Humphrey Fellow, Delgado and the friend decided to visit the plaque.
"We had a few extra flowers and I thought it would be nice for (Thabet’s friend) to also see what MSU did for him," Delgado said.
After they arrived, they realized the name was mispelled.
"I remember feeling just really embarrassed," Delgado said. "Because, this was his friend, and all I had to show him was a plaque with his name misspelled."
Astrophysics freshman Peyton Squires, who also spoke about the plaque at the board meeting, said he believes that MSU is remorseful for the mistake. But, he wants the university to publicly apologize and reach out to those who knew Thabet.
"What really matters is the people who were affected, that Tariq impacted – and how much that misspelling hurt them," he said.
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