Radford University to send new diplomas after misspellings 

Some 2013 Radford University graduates put their education to good use this week.

They, and even a parent or two, noticed two spelling errors in diplomas that were awarded this spring – and they lit up social media with photos and complaints.

But did any of their 2012 predecessors notice they had the same errors?

Two misspellings – “Virgina” and “therto” – showed up on 1,481 Radford diplomas over the past two years, Radford spokesman Joe Carpenter confirmed Tuesday.

He said university officials first heard of the errors on Tuesday morning.

Carpenter emphasized that new diplomas will be printed and mailed to those affected as soon as possible.

Human error exacerbated by computer technology caused the problems, Carpenter said.

“The error was caused when the commercial software system used to produce the diplomas within the university’s registrar’s office was upgraded in the Fall of 2012,” Carpenter wrote in an email. “That software upgrade required that the diploma narrative be rekeyed into the program. It was during the rekeying process that the typographical errors were introduced into the template.”

Frustration was vented on social media – and editors out there will notice a few issues with those posts as well.

A Facebook posting under the name Becca Barteau read: “When you send out a document that is supposed to be a professional piece of paper. You might want to check the spelling. Good job Radford you have officially spelled Virginia wrong on my diploma!!!”

Meghan McNeice commented on Twitter.

“Well I sure hope my thousands of dollars is going to cover a reprint of my diploma! Way to go Radford Virginia isn’t that hard to spell..” McNeice tweeted.

And at least one parent took to Facebook to note the issue.

Woody West posted: “My daugter got her diploma from Radford University It states that it was issued by the Commonwealth of Virgina, not Virginia.”

University officials have set up a customer service email and phone number and will provide that info to graduates in case they have questions, Carpenter said.

And, Carpenter noted, the university regrets the error and any inconveinience it has caused.

Wait, that should be inconvenience.

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