Submit an Academic Petition or Appeal

Petition Letter: Dr. Jenn Stephenson, Associate Dean (Academic)

Dear Dr. Stephenson,

I am petitioning to drop HIST 245 (Winter 2023) and FILM 218 (Winter 2023).

Last academic year I began to experience mental health difficulties in the fall term which were made considerably worse by months of rock drilling almost directly across from my apartment. (The rock drilling was part of the construction at the John Deutsch Centre.) I met with the Assistant Dean (Student Life and Learning) Corrina Fitzgerald last November to explain the impact that the intense noise and continuous vibration the construction project was having on me. Having been on the Dean’s List in my first year, I was determined to do well academically. I managed to complete all of my Fall courses with good grades, but it took enormous effort just to get through. When I went home for Christmas, I wasn’t feeling at all well, but hoped that the holiday break would provide sufficient time for me to recover.

Within several days of returning to Kingston in January though, I experienced a mental health crisis resulting in me being admitted to Kingston General Hospital from January 10 to 24. When I was discharged, and after talking it over with my physician and parents, I decided to return to classes with a reduced course load of three. These three courses were: HIST 316 (a full year seminar), HIST 245, and FILM 218. I was able to continue with these courses with the support of an outpatient mental health program for young adults, Heads Up, and from my mother who stayed on in Kingston through to the middle of March. I also applied for and received academic consideration.

I was able to make it to the classes I remained enrolled in and to complete some of the requirements. But by the end of the Winter term, the cumulative impact of what I had been through was really taking a toll. My professors were understanding of my situation. I returned home to Nova Scotia in April wanting and intending to complete the outstanding course work, but found I was unable to do so. I should that I continued to receive medical care remotely from the Heads Up program in Kingston. Because it then took me several months to feel noticeably better, really into the latter part of June, it meant I didn’t complete the course work for HIST 245 and FILM 218, and despite having good mid-term grades, ended up failing these courses. I did manage to finish a research paper for HIST 316 over the summer which resulted in an improved final grade.

I have returned to Queen’s for the Fall 2023 term in relative good health. During the summer, I worked for a fourth year as a provincial beach lifeguard, a job which I greatly enjoy. I also exercised regularly, something which I have also continued to do since I came back to Kingston. My classes are going well, and I am conscious of the need to manage my stress level by eating a healthy diet and getting adequate sleep.,

I hope my explanation makes clear that I experienced extenuating circumstances outside of my control and thus will grant permission for me to drop without academic penalty the two courses in question. I have taken measures to address the health problems I experienced, and am optimistic that I will have successful academic year in 2023-2024.