Lorem

Bennett 1

Sky Bennett

Iana Robitaille

RHE 306

10/05/2021

Controversies of Mandating Masks in the University of Texas, Austin

Coronavirus disease has affected many people in different parts of the world. To prevent

the spread of the virus, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention emphasize measures like

regular washing of hands, vaccination, and masking. However, in early March of 2021, Governor

Greg Abbott abolished the mask mandate in Texas. The decision caused a rift between University

of Texas at Austin administrators, who strictly follow the governor’s directive, and the faculty,

who protest on campus demanding protection against Covid-19 (Burt, p. 3). The UT faculty

members argue that the campus administrators should defy the governor and issue a mask mandate

in and around the campus (Menchaca, p. 1).

The main argument against the ban on mask mandate is that failure to wear masks risks an

increase in the spread of Covid-19. Many schools have enforced the wearing of masks on campus.

However, in-state schools masking is not mandatory. The University of Texas at Austin established

measures of health and wellness to prevent the spread of Covid-19. However, the students are not

forced to wear masks in school but only adhere to the recommended guidelines such as regular

washing of hands. The UT faculty members are concerned about the well-being of everyone

around the campus. They filed a petition contending that UT faces a crucial public health crisis

that requires strict Covid-19 measures. The faculty thus advocates that UT should mandate masks

and COVID-19 vaccines for students, staff, and faculty (Menchaca, p. 1). However, Governor

Greg Abbott remains adamant about his decision of not reinstating mask mandates. He argues that

Bennett 2

Texans have the right to individually decide whether or not they would wear masks (Diamante, p.

3). The U.S. CDC, however, continues to urge people to follow the Covid-19 guidelines. The CDC

recommends that all students, teachers, staff, and community wear masks regardless of their

vaccination status (Diamante, pp. 2-3).

Evaluating the Sources Rhetorically

While researching, it is vital to carefully consider sources related to the topic of discussion

in all ways possible. Nicotra suggests that people should critically analyze their research sources

before using them in their research (p. 268). The following is an evaluation of the purposes of my

chosen sources.

The Creator of the Source

My sources were newspaper articles that relate to the current affairs in the U.S. and the

University of Texas at Austin. The pieces showed great appeal to the interests and concerns of the

campus faculty members and students. Moreover, the sources were readily available to the public

on the internet.

The Purpose of the Source

The articles make an argument for the mask mandate in UT. They all address the

controversy between UT faculty members and the campus administrators regarding the ban on the

mask mandate.

The Age of the Source

Bennett 3

The sources are from 2021, so they are recent. Thus, they make the article appealing since

the issue at hand is an ongoing controversy, and it is important to consider current news and

updates for efficient information.

The Venue of the Source

I found the sources online through newspaper and magazine articles while searching for

controversies of mandating masks in the University of Texas at Austin. Thus, they are ideal since

they create a catalog of different points of view on the topic of concern.

The Relevance of the Source

The sources are relevant for my research since they analyze the governor’s, UT faculty,

UT administration, and students’ perspectives. They, therefore, help me understand how people

within the campus feel about the mask mandate.

Rhetorical Analysis

Source 1: UT Staff and Students Call for COVID-19 Vaccine Requirement, Mask Mandate

at Rally on Campus

I found this article online from KVUE, virtual channel 24, published on August 25th, 2021.

The piece addresses the concerns of UT staff and students regarding mandating masks in the

University of Texas at Austin (Ashbrook, p. 1). Therefore, the following rhetoric analysis argues

that the Governor’s decision on the mask mandate endangers both the staff and students' lives. The

article thus creates a powerful sense of ethos that inspires action to protect university students and

staff from the impact of coronavirus.

Bennett 4

The title, "UT Staff and Students Call for COVID-19 Vaccine Requirement, Mask Mandate

at Rally on Campus,” clearly gives readers an insight into the main point discussed in the text. The

author contends that students and staff are at higher risks of contracting Covid-19, and thus UT

should strictly observe the rule of masking to prevent the spread of the virus (Ashbrook, p. 1).

The author makes her argument convincing by adopting caring and empathetic characters.

She takes positions of the faculty and students and argues her points in both perspectives; this,

therefore, builds ethical credibility in her contention. The rhetorical strategy used in the text is thus

ethos.

The author also uses ideal words, such as responsibility, in her article to appeal to the

audience's emotions. Ashbrook hence, makes readers feel a sense of responsibility to make mask

mandates decisions based on the variation in COVID-19 infections across the state. The article

also enhances bravery and courage in its conclusion by harnessing the UT faculty and students to

demand protection against Covid-19 and uplift the mask mandate.

The author uses an empathetic tone, which expresses great concern for the health and

wellness of the campus staff and students. The article is thus in informal language, which

welcomes readers of all ages and statuses. Moreover, words like “demand” and “mask mandate”

have been repeated severally in the article to emphasize the topic (Ashbrook, pp. 1-2).

It is, therefore, clear from this analysis that the campus needs to take action to protect

students and staff from the coronavirus disease. The author hence utilized ethos and tone that

inspires people to act and protect the campus community from the impact of coronavirus.

Source 2: ‘It makes me uneasy’ — Incoming UT-Austin freshman on mask optional policy

Bennett 5

Source 2 is an August 17th, 2021 online article from KXAN, the Austin, Texas NBC

affiliate. KXAN provides news coverage through in-depth investigations and brands as the most

viewed news station. The article, by Clare O'Connor, expresses students' concern about resuming

school terms in the pandemic era through the perspectives of a UT freshman student. Thus, this

rhetoric analysis argues that wearing masks is crucial for all students. The article creates a strong

sense of pathos that evokes students' concern regarding the impact of coronavirus on their

education.

The main point expressed in this article is the UT students’ concern about the effects of

Covid-19 on their education, especially with the ban on mask mandates (O'Connor, p.3). The

author makes his main point convincing by noting the concern as expressed by a UT freshman

student. O'Connor adopts a responsible and empathetic character. He narrates the article from both

his perspective and that of a concerned student; this makes him appear credible to readers. He thus

invokes pathos as his rhetorical strategy (Wachsmuth, 3754).

O'Connor used a freshman’s narration in his article to appeal to his readers' emotions. He

invokes feelings of empathy and concern. Moreover, O'Connor also creates hope for students that

their education will continue. The author used an optimistic tone in his article. He expresses hope

that students will continue their education. O'Connor also uses informal language and few

repetitions such as return, campus, and students.

The article, therefore, shows UT students’ concern with the impact of Covid-19 on their

education. Students are skeptical about adapting the no masking idea. They fear the virus may lead

to a pause in their education.

Bennett 6

Source 3: Hundreds of staff members sign petition asking UT to require vaccines, masks on

campus

Source 3 is an online article from KVUE, virtual channel 24, published on August 19th,

2021. The article explains the controversy over the ban on mask mandate in the University of

Texas and the staff reaction. It, therefore, analyzes the dispute between Governor Abbott’s and UT

faculty stance concerning the mask mandate.

The main point discussed in the article is the dispute concerning whether or not it is safe to

abolish the mask mandate on campus. UT is an agency of the State of Texas, so it is bound to

follow Gov. Abbott's executive order (KVUE News Staff, p. 1). However, the school’s staff

members petition against the executive order arguing that it is unscientific and dangerous (KVUE

News Staff, p. 2). The author makes his point convincing by expressing the staff’s concerns and

opinions.

The article hence appeals to audience emotions; it evokes feelings of responsibility and

bravery. The author uses logos rhetoric to persuade readers into seeing the effects of not wearing

masks (Wachsmuth, 3754). The author used formal language with an authoritative tone. There

were also few repetitions in the text.

The main strengths of the rhetoric strategies used in the three sources are that they

showed credibility, emotional appeal, and persuasion to readers. The sources, however, showed

weakness in transitioning of thoughts; hence affects readers’ ability to follow through. Thus a

more successful design would involve adding strategies like illustration, definition, and

comparison to engaging more with the audience.

Bennett 7

Works Cited

Ashbrook, Maeve. “UT staff and students call for COVID-19 vaccine requirement, mask mandate

at rally on campus.” KVUE abc. 25 August, 2021, 12:51 p.m.,

https://www.kvue.com/article/news/health/coronavirus/ut-staff-students-rally-covid-19-

vaccine-requirement-mask-mandate-weekly-testing/269-cf58a33b-04c3-4a46-bc28-

d2cc5ce4f5b2

Burt, Chris. “Will University of Texas faculty get their wish on COVID-19 mandates?” University

Business. 20 August, 2021, https://universitybusiness.com/will-university-of-texas-

faculty-get-their-wish-on-covid-19-mandates/

Diamante, Reena. “Despite updated CDC guidelines, Texas still won't allow mask mandates in

school.” Spectrum News. 28 July, 2021,

https://spectrumlocalnews.com/tx/austin/news/2021/07/28/despite-updated-cdc-

guidelines--texas-still-won-t-allow-mask-mandates-in-school

KVUE News Staff. “Hundreds of staff members sign petition asking UT to require vaccines, masks

on campus.” KVUE abc. 19 August, 2021, 1:18 p.m.,

https://www.kvue.com/article/news/education/university-of-texas/ut-staff-sign-petition-

require-vaccines-masks/269-602d5630-9828-468f-8cd0-e5afb3bafb82

Menchaca, Megan. “Hundreds of Faculty Ask UT to Require Vaccines, Masks on Campus as

COVID-19 Resurges.” Austin American-Statesman. 19 August, 2021,

https://www.statesman.com/story/news/2021/08/19/hundreds-university-texas-faculty-

ask-for-covid-mask-vaccine-mandate/8178345002/

Bennett 8

Nicotra, Jodie. Becoming Rhetorical: Analyzing and Composing in a Multimedia World with APA

7e Updates. Cengage Learning, 2018.

O'Connor, Clare. “It makes me uneasy— Incoming UT-Austin freshman on mask optional policy.”

Kxan News. 17 August, 2021, https://www.kxan.com/news/texas/it-makes-me-uneasy-

incoming-ut-austin-freshman-on-mask-optional-policy/

Wachsmuth, Henning, et al. "Argumentation synthesis following rhetorical strategies."

Proceedings of the 27th International Conference on Computational Linguistics. 2018,

https://aclanthology.org/C18-1318.pdf