Submit an Academic Petition or Appeal

Petition Letter: March 6, 2023

Attention: Associate Dean (Academic), Faculty of Arts and Science
Queens University, Kingston, Ontario

RE: Kieran Neill, Student number 20364030

Petition to drop enrollment in HIST 109 after the March 3, 2023 course drop deadline

Dear Sir/Madam:

I am writing to request permission by this Petition to drop my enrollment in History 109 in the winter 2023 term. I have an academic accommodation registered on Ventus as a result of severe diagnosed ADHD complicated by periodic bouts of anxiety and depression. In the Fall term of 2022 I successfully completed 3 courses as it was recommended as part of my approach that I limit my course load. In Winter 2023 I hoped to tackle 4 courses and see how it went with the increased demands. In the last four weeks I suffered from increased anxiety and felt overwhelmed with the higher expectations of my 4 course load and last week concluded that I would be more likely to succeed if I dropped one course. Unfortunately, and as part of my deficiencies, I mistakenly believed that the course drop deadline for this term was March 8, 2023. (As an aside, and I recognize this is not an excuse, when I googled the Queens winter 2023 course drop deadline for Arts the date of march 8 popped up. It was only when I checked the actual calendar and then tried to drop the course on Solus last weekend that I realized the date was in fact last Friday).

In September 2022 my psychiatrist, Dr Aaron Lautzenhiser, submitted a signed letter to Queen??s on the Queen??s Residence Health Accommodation form confirming my diagnosis of Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder and stating that ??Kieran demonstrates variability in sustained attention, lack of attention to detail, and significant executive functioning deficits (ability to plan, carry out and regulate daily behavior)?. He also confirmed that in my recent psychological education assessment I ??demonstrated severe Attention Deficit Disorder . . . and in addition has difficulty making transitions with from one task to another or from sleep to waking and managing to a schedule plus he suffers from periodic anxiety.? I have included a copy of my most recent Psychological Education Assessment from Dr. Lautzenhiser with this form. I have also included a letter from my father, Terry Neill, which discusses the circumstances this term which resulted in my decision to submit this Petition. My Accommodation advisor is Mary Bunyan at Queens.

In the period from February 1 to February 28 I experienced anxiety and periodic bouts of depression resulting in the inability to sleep regularly and stay on top of things as per my diagnosis above and that is the reason I am submitting this petition. The condition rendered me unable to make the adjustments to my schedule, attend class regularly and plan the necessary tasks to complete my work in order to manage the expectations of 4 courses. Looking forward, I believe that with a reduced course load this term, additional counselling and by being more diligent in applying the strategies recommended in my Psychological Education Assessment I will be able to be more successful.

In conclusion I hope you will accept my appeal to drop History 109 as a result of the circumstances above. I tried in good faith to manage an increased course load and it is only two days past the course deadline date when I am making this request. I would have preferred not to have to ask but feel I am making my best effort to succeed at Queens given my limitations. I intend to focus on my 3 remaining courses and hopefully will be successful with them.

Thanks for your consideration,

Kieran Neill, Student number 20364030