Submit an Academic Petition or Appeal

Petition Letter: During the 2023 Winter semester, I endured unforeseen circumstances that affected my overall academic performance. For the majority of the semester, I felt strong in my academic standings and assumed that I would finish the term that way. However, in March of last year, a close friend of mine unexpectedly passed away. Due to the overwhelming grief and shock of their passing, I needed to take a step back from my academics. At the time, I requested to my professors if I could receive an Incomplete grade and that I would finish my final assignments during the summer semester. My professors from the courses FILM 225, FILM 206 and FILM 342 granted the ‘IN’ grade, whereas my RELS 137 professor submitted the final grade of an ‘F.’ As I was about to resume my academics in June for the courses I received an ‘IN’ in, unfortunately, another close friend/roommate also unexpectedly passed away. The grief and shock from two of my friends' passing became overwhelming, and finishing my Winter semester became unattainable despite only having final assignments left. During this time, I was able to connect with a therapist through the Queen’s Student Wellness services. By meeting with a therapist regularly provided a sense of stability that became a safe space for me to grieve. As I do believe grief is an ongoing process, I feel much more emotionally regulated and sense of clarity from attending these sessions. Additionally, I became in contact with a Death Doula, who further supported my process of grief. From both of these services, I feel that I have a better understanding of death and grief and have created supports that I frequently rely on to help me outside of these sessions. Now, I have returned back at Queen’s for the Fall 2023 semester with new hope of a fresh start, hoping to salvage some of my previous semester. By granting this appeal it would not only help achieve this fresh start but also allow me to realize that my academic standings are not a reflection of my personal struggles. Thank you for your consideration.