Editor’s note: This is an updated version of this story. Please refer to our Corrections page for a breakdown of the specific changes.

Due to a photo depicting a racial slur on the inside pages, distribution of copies of a publication given to incoming freshman was temporarily halted.

The Brick, a 128-page booklet given to students at freshman orientation, contained a photo of the Free Expression Tunnel in which the N-word could be seen. Student Media representatives met July 8, and came to a compromise July 11: place a sticker over the word, and continue distribution.

The same photo was printed in Technician. Photojournalism ethics stipulate photos are not to be altered before going to print. Against those ethics, the photo was altered to blur out the racial slur.

A parent brought the photo to the attention of University administrators.

“[The photo] jumped out at me, and it is offensive,” said Tracey Ray, assistant vice provost for student diversity. “Students [at orientation] still have a decision of where they want to go, and we need to be welcoming to our entire  community.”

Orientation attendees receive a bag containing items organizers deemed necessary. Students at the orientation held Monday, July 11 did not have a copy of The Brick in their bags.

Although he did not have a copy of the booklet, incoming freshman Jonathan Miller was shown a copy, and shown the photo in question. Miller said he did not immediately recognize why he did not receive the booklet until the photo was pointed out.

“I don’t believe administrators made the right decision in pulling the book,” Miller said. “Personally it doesn’t offend me, so I don’t really worry about it.”

12 incoming freshman who had not received the booklet were also shown the photo.  Matthew Skinner, one of these freshmen, picked out the offensive word on his own. Four said the decision to pull the entire book was correct.

“They could have just taken the whole page out,” Skinner said. “That would be the easiest thing to do.”

A group of students volunteered to help Student Government place the stickers over the offensive part of the photo. Chandler Thompson, student body president, contributed to the booklet. Her photo can be seen on several pages, including a dedication page near the end. Thompson said she also attended the July 8 meeting.

“My brother has orientation Monday, and we all agree that this picture is not something we want to put in The Brick,” Thompson said.

Much of the talk at the meeting revolved around the apparent necessity for all content in the booklet to be University approved. Although it was a product of Student Media, orientation organizers said they do not want students and parents to start out their college experience with a negative view of the University.

According to Susannah Brinkley, editor of The Brick, orientation organizers said  they would not allow the publication to be distributed to new students and their parents with the photo left as it was originally printed. Brinkley said, however, that New Student Orientation Director Gabe Wical  open to working with them to find a compromise.

“We talked about the sticker idea, and everyone seemed to like it. It was approved Tuesday morning, and they were redistributed with the stickers on them Wednesday morning,” Brinkley said.

According to Brinkley, the stickers display a link to Student Government’s website for The Brick, where students can find information regarding the inaugural “Respect the Pack” tunnel painting event.

“The event, sponsored by many student organizations, will highlight the importance of accepting all members in our diverse N.C . State community. Everyone will have the opportunity to paint the tunnel with messages supporting N.C . State’s values for the upcoming school year,” reads the site.

Brinkley said prior to this approval, there were several other ideas discussed, though each had its own drawbacks.

“We thought about tearing the page out, but decided against it because it would compromise the ability of the book to stay together. We thought about cutting out the photo, but then it would look ugly,” Brinkley said. “We even thought about including a bookmark or insert with an apology, but as the editor I was against writing an apology. This was something we completely missed, but we certainly did not do it on purpose.”

While covering the slur with a sticker does not physically take it out of the photo, Brinkley said she hopes this solution will encourage open dialogue within the University.

“We decided this is an issue that kept coming up again and again, and we want students to talk about it. We don’t want to offend anyone,” Brinkley said. “There is more to this book than just that photo.”