Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, UTRGV implemented a face mask protocol for the safety of the campus community but breaking those measures may have consequences.
According to a UTRGV police report earlier this month, an officer responded to a student not following mask protocol at the Edinburg University Library.
The report states the student was warned before and the incident was referred to Student Rights and Responsibilities for further review.
UTRGV Senior Associate Dean for Student Rights and Responsibilities Douglas Stoves said in general, there is a lot that goes on when assessing reports that are sent to his department.
“We have to try to understand what’s happening on the ground. You know, what brought us to this place of needing a referral to our office, what caused campus police to get called?,” Stoves said.
He said the department’s goal isn’t to punish students but to help them gain an understanding of why it is important to wear a mask and the reason to follow the protocols.
“It’s more of a matter of what are some things that we can do that will be assistive to you and understanding, but then also at the end of the day, accomplishes the goal of keeping everybody healthy,” Stoves said.
According to the UTRGV website, the mask protocol is part of the university’s ongoing COVID-19 mitigation efforts to maintain a healthy environment for all members of the campus community.
The protocol states that anyone entering campus must wear a face covering that covers their mouth and nose. The only exception, in which a face-covering may be removed is in office space when social distancing of 6 feet is possible and maintained.
UTRGV Assistant Chief of Police Van Slusser said the incident was the first time they had to write a police report since the protocols were implemented.
“That’s something that we’re gonna do our best to try to avoid, to have something escalate to the level where we have to come out and take a police report,” Slusser said.
The website states it is important to remain respectful when reminding an employee, student or visitor of the university’s face covering protocol.
Slusser said the department wants to try and resolve these types of issues at the lowest possible level and not have to call university police.
“If we’re called out there, that means that somebody’s already been asked to wear a mask by either a peer or a staff member or professor in charge of that area,” he said. “And then they’ve refused to comply, or it’s somebody that has been a repeat offender to where they’ve been asked several times over the course of several different days to wear a mask.”
Stoves said it would be in an extreme case to ask for a student to not be on campus for not following protocols.
To report any incidents, call the UTRGV Campus Police Department at (956) 882-7777 or visit Vaqueros Report It on the university website.
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