Submit an Academic Petition or Appeal

Petition Letter: Dear whoever this may regard,

I hope this letter finds you well. I am writing to appeal for permission to drop my BIOL 102 course for the current semester. I understand the gravity of this request and the implications it may have on my academic progress, but I must write this letter in hopes of your understanding and consideration due to extenuating circumstances beyond my control.

My case is quite a complicated one, as there is a long backstory. I was originally enrolled in CHIN 100, but after my CHIN 100 professor - Professor Bai completed her evaluation of my Chinese language ability background, she decided I was better suited towards the CHIN 300 course. This course had different times than CHIN 100, and when she read out the course schedule to me, I thought it fit into my schedule so I dropped CHIN 100 as a result. However, when I went to officially switch over to my CHIN 300 course, I realized there was an overlap between the course and one of my BIOL 102 classes. As a result, I was planning on dropping BIOL 102 on my Solus as I decided that I was going to major in Economics the following year and my Chinese course was more relevant to my major than biology. I also realized BIOL 102 was an extremely heavy course, so I would be putting lots of unnecessary pressure onto myself by pursuing the course.

However, when I tried to drop my BIOL 102 on OnQ I experienced some difficulties and restrictions. I spoke to an academic counsellor, and she advised that I email the head of the language department, so I did. She responded to me and asked me to submit an appeal to get my BIOL 102 dropped as the date to drop courses had now passed, as well as email my professors, but I was not sure how to submit an appeal yet and unfortunately procrastinated the process. Around this time, my mental health was decreasing significantly and I felt very lost in my university process. I was experiencing lots of pressure from my parents and the stress of my courses, as well as uncertainty for the future. There was also an incident where I was walking with a few friends to the Lazy Scholar one night when a car drove by and someone in the car pelted a full drink at my back, hitting me, while screaming racial slurs. This event also severely impacted my mental health and made me feel extremely worthless. These unforeseen challenges significantly impaired my physical well-being and mental focus, making it exceedingly difficult to keep pace with the rigorous BIOL 102 curriculum.

I also have diagnosed ADHD, and combined with the mindset I was going to eventually drop BIOL 102, I, as a result, faced challenges attending lectures, participating in lab sessions, and completing assignments on time. As a result, my overall academic performance in BIOL102 suffered.

I am planning on seeking help from a personal counselor or therapist once I get back home to Vancouver during winter break as I know it is necessary and will be beneficial. I believe that by petitioning to drop the Biology course, I can better allocate my time and energy to overcome these mental health challenges and ensure a more successful academic performance in future semesters.

I am more than willing to provide any supporting documentation, such as medical certificates or other evidence, to support the validity of my claims. As well, I am open to any suggestions or conditions that may be necessary to show my commitment towards addressing and overcoming the challenges that I face.

I understand the importance of maintaining academic standards and the probity of the programs at Queen’s. It is my sincere hope that you will consider my appeal with empathy and understanding. I am committed to resuming my studies in the following semesters with further determination and focus.

Thank you for your time and consideration. I appreciate your understanding of my situation and look forward to a positive resolution.

Sincerely,
Rosemarie Alvaro