Manage Appeals
Petition Type: New
ID: 10960
Submitted: September 20, 2023 at 2:59:50 PM
First Name: Cullen
Last Name: Campbell-Martin
Pronoun: He/Him
Preferred Name: Bennett
Student Number: 20350012
Email: 21cbrc@queensu.ca
Degree Program: BAH
Plan: ECON
Level of Study: 2
Petition Categories
Petition Categories: Request credit (CR) standing in a course or courses
Code: CISC 121
Term: Winter
Year: 2023
Petition Category: Request credit (CR) standing in a course or courses
Instructor's Name: Dr. Erin Meger
Section/Class Number: 001
Petition Letter
Petition Letter: Bennett Campbell-Martin
20350012
21cbrc@queensu.ca
May 8th, 2023
Dr. Jenn Stephenson
Associate Dean (Academic)
Faculty of Arts and Science
Queen’s University, 99 University Ave, Kingston, ON K7L 3N6
Dear Associate Dean Stephenson,
Subject: Petition for a Credit Standing of CISC 121 Winter 2023
I hope this letter finds you well. My name is Bennett Campbell-Martin, and I am a student enrolled in the Faculty of Arts and Sciences at Queen’s University. I am writing to formally petition the drop of CISC 121 (Winter, 2023) due to a severe illness that significantly impacted my ability to perform academically in this course.
At the end of January, I became severely sick and could not attend classes or complete coursework. My health deteriorated to such an extent that I found it necessary to vacate the Queen's campus and relocate to a rented apartment in Toronto, facilitating comprehensive care from my family. They undertook a considerable journey from Vancouver, BC, to be at my side during this challenging period. My recovery lasted from the end of January until beyond the winter reading break at the end of February, resulting in a substantial amount of missed class time and assignments.
The aftermath of my illness left me struggling to catch up with the course material. Despite my best efforts to self-teach the material and regain my footing in the class, I found it extremely challenging to keep up with the pace of the course. CISC 121 was outside of my skillset, and I enrolled in it as an elective to learn the fundamentals of the Python coding language. Due to my absence and the subsequent difficulty in grasping the material, I have been unable to achieve the desired learning outcomes.
Regarding why I did not drop the course earlier, my illness occurred near the Week 8 drop deadline and directly before my midterm examination, which I was minimally prepared for due to my illness. Furthermore, during my recovery, I could not assess my academic standing or make an informed decision about dropping the course. I initially believed I could recover and catch up on the missed material. However, as time went on, it became evident that the challenges posed by the course content and my continued struggle to keep up made it impossible for me to perform at an acceptable level.
At the end of my petition, I would like to include a doctor's note I received at the onset of my illness. It is important to emphasize that the symptoms of my illness began several days before obtaining the doctor's note and persisted for several days beyond the end of the academic accommodations granted. Fortunately, the upcoming reading week allowed me to return to Queen's campus and complete specific assignments from the confines of my bed. However, during this period, I refrained from leaving my residence room except to attend to essential needs. My former roommate witnessed the illness and its implications and can verify these circumstances. As my illness began to subside, I faced the challenge of the midterm examination right before the winter reading week. Despite being severely underprepared due to my illness, I was unaware of alternative options. I believed I was not eligible for academic accommodations strong enough to excuse me from such a heavily weighted examination. Consequently, as expected, I attempted the midterm examination and performed poorly due to my limited knowledge and preparation opportunities. It is worth mentioning that the midterm marks were not fully returned until sometime after the drop date. This was because additional marks were gradually added as time progressed, and the final grade was incomplete until the final drop date had passed. This situation further complicated my decision-making process and ability to assess my academic standing in the course. Upon receiving enough evidence of my midterm standing, I sought guidance and advice from the course professor. I appreciated her support and understanding; however, as the drop date had already passed, her recommendation was that my options were constrained and that I should try to continue. Although I was able to pass the course, my grades do not reflect my capabilities and what I could have achieved had I not been ill. Please consider these additional details while considering my petition, as they provide further context to the challenges I faced during this period.
During this challenging period, I performed satisfactorily in my other courses, as they aligned with my core skillset and previous knowledge. However, the unique challenges presented by CISC 121, combined with the impact of my illness, made it particularly difficult for me to succeed in this specific course.
Given these circumstances, it is in my best interest to petition for the credit standing allocation of CISC 121 (Winter, 2023) to my academic record. I understand that there are rules and procedures for obtaining a credit standing, and I have carefully considered my options before making this request. Please consider the circumstances outlined in this letter and grant my petition.
I am aware that the decision of the Faculty is final, and I am prepared to abide by the outcome. Thank you for considering my petition and for your understanding of my situation. If you require any additional information, please do not hesitate to contact me.
Sincerely,
Bennett Campbell-Martin
20350012
21cbrc@queensu.ca
20350012
21cbrc@queensu.ca
May 8th, 2023
Dr. Jenn Stephenson
Associate Dean (Academic)
Faculty of Arts and Science
Queen’s University, 99 University Ave, Kingston, ON K7L 3N6
Dear Associate Dean Stephenson,
Subject: Petition for a Credit Standing of CISC 121 Winter 2023
I hope this letter finds you well. My name is Bennett Campbell-Martin, and I am a student enrolled in the Faculty of Arts and Sciences at Queen’s University. I am writing to formally petition the drop of CISC 121 (Winter, 2023) due to a severe illness that significantly impacted my ability to perform academically in this course.
At the end of January, I became severely sick and could not attend classes or complete coursework. My health deteriorated to such an extent that I found it necessary to vacate the Queen's campus and relocate to a rented apartment in Toronto, facilitating comprehensive care from my family. They undertook a considerable journey from Vancouver, BC, to be at my side during this challenging period. My recovery lasted from the end of January until beyond the winter reading break at the end of February, resulting in a substantial amount of missed class time and assignments.
The aftermath of my illness left me struggling to catch up with the course material. Despite my best efforts to self-teach the material and regain my footing in the class, I found it extremely challenging to keep up with the pace of the course. CISC 121 was outside of my skillset, and I enrolled in it as an elective to learn the fundamentals of the Python coding language. Due to my absence and the subsequent difficulty in grasping the material, I have been unable to achieve the desired learning outcomes.
Regarding why I did not drop the course earlier, my illness occurred near the Week 8 drop deadline and directly before my midterm examination, which I was minimally prepared for due to my illness. Furthermore, during my recovery, I could not assess my academic standing or make an informed decision about dropping the course. I initially believed I could recover and catch up on the missed material. However, as time went on, it became evident that the challenges posed by the course content and my continued struggle to keep up made it impossible for me to perform at an acceptable level.
At the end of my petition, I would like to include a doctor's note I received at the onset of my illness. It is important to emphasize that the symptoms of my illness began several days before obtaining the doctor's note and persisted for several days beyond the end of the academic accommodations granted. Fortunately, the upcoming reading week allowed me to return to Queen's campus and complete specific assignments from the confines of my bed. However, during this period, I refrained from leaving my residence room except to attend to essential needs. My former roommate witnessed the illness and its implications and can verify these circumstances. As my illness began to subside, I faced the challenge of the midterm examination right before the winter reading week. Despite being severely underprepared due to my illness, I was unaware of alternative options. I believed I was not eligible for academic accommodations strong enough to excuse me from such a heavily weighted examination. Consequently, as expected, I attempted the midterm examination and performed poorly due to my limited knowledge and preparation opportunities. It is worth mentioning that the midterm marks were not fully returned until sometime after the drop date. This was because additional marks were gradually added as time progressed, and the final grade was incomplete until the final drop date had passed. This situation further complicated my decision-making process and ability to assess my academic standing in the course. Upon receiving enough evidence of my midterm standing, I sought guidance and advice from the course professor. I appreciated her support and understanding; however, as the drop date had already passed, her recommendation was that my options were constrained and that I should try to continue. Although I was able to pass the course, my grades do not reflect my capabilities and what I could have achieved had I not been ill. Please consider these additional details while considering my petition, as they provide further context to the challenges I faced during this period.
During this challenging period, I performed satisfactorily in my other courses, as they aligned with my core skillset and previous knowledge. However, the unique challenges presented by CISC 121, combined with the impact of my illness, made it particularly difficult for me to succeed in this specific course.
Given these circumstances, it is in my best interest to petition for the credit standing allocation of CISC 121 (Winter, 2023) to my academic record. I understand that there are rules and procedures for obtaining a credit standing, and I have carefully considered my options before making this request. Please consider the circumstances outlined in this letter and grant my petition.
I am aware that the decision of the Faculty is final, and I am prepared to abide by the outcome. Thank you for considering my petition and for your understanding of my situation. If you require any additional information, please do not hesitate to contact me.
Sincerely,
Bennett Campbell-Martin
20350012
21cbrc@queensu.ca
Documentation
Professional Letter: Note-7.pdf