Submit an Academic Petition or Appeal

Petition Letter: Dear Queens’ Academic team,


I am contacting you in regards to late dropping seven courses that I unfortunately did not complete due to extenuating circumstances. The circumstances outlined below will mostly focus on the death of my cousin back in December 2022, alongside the mental health issues that I've dealt with pertaining to it. In 2021, I was diagnosed with BPD by a psychiatrist from the Queens’ team. His name was Dr. Jamey Adirim, and i was forwarded to him after letting an advisor know that i was going through a wide range of mental health issues that started to become detrimental to my way of living– as I began skipping class, urinating myself in order to avoid social interaction, and having suicidal thoughts. After an hour long session with Dr. Adirim, he was able to file a report of me having borderline personality disorder, which includes symptoms of depression, dissociation, suicidal rampages, mood swings and so forth. As a response, it was recommended for me to be placed on behavioural therapy with additional medication if needed. However, I was unable to attend the recommended therapy sessions due to a large course load I had that year, in fear that it would overwhelm me. Unfortunately this was my biggest mistake.

Fast forward to December 2022, during my exam period; I was told that my cousin became extremely ill from cancer and was suffering day by day in haiti. As imagined, I was very close with my cousin and his physical wellbeing began to affect my mental health since I was constantly worried about him throughout finals week, which unfortunately caused me to fail a few classes that term due to missing exams, and being too side-tracked to finish any of my final papers. On the 25th, he unfortunately died, and my mental health has plummeted since then. With the severity of my diagnosis, the news of his death was devastating. I went into a deep depression and started locking myself in my bedroom all day, waiting for time to pass me by. As people became more concerned for my mental health, I was urged to seek help. So later on, towards winter semester, I was forwarded to a Queens’ counsellor who was able to provide a document on just how much the death of my cousin was affecting me and stated that the severity was to last from 8-12 weeks. As predicted on the form, the death of my cousin did unfortunately affect me during winter semester as well, and I was unable to finish many assignments within all classes. I had sessions with the same conseller for about 2-3 times until I was forwarded to a therapist working with queens [named Emily] during winter term. It is also important to note that I was also going through a lot of social issues as well, as I was dealing with the effects of a physical altercation that happened to me while I was living off campus, which I told my professors at the time about [fall semester]. Though the altercation was quickly resolved by the authorities, it deeply affected my mental health since it was one of the first times I was discriminated against by my counterparts. I was also going through a lot of financial issues in winter term as well, where I was cut off from my family and began to struggle eating and keeping a roof on my head. I thoroughly explained this situation with one of my professors during the time, Dr. Lisa Guenther who was kind enough to give me an incomplete standing for her course.


Since then, I've decided that it'd be best to seek additional help for my diagnosis as well as the trauma I sustained from the death of my cousin, this includes phone helplines and therapy sites. However, I am willing to seek out any recommended resources that I can partake in through queens, in helping me strengthen my mental health issues. With the approval of this petition, I would be able to start fresh and leave the past in the past. And one day, with the help of resources, be able to reach peak happiness and obtain academic wellness. Please consider these circumstances. I have provided supporting documentation which includes the death certificate of my cousin; alongside its already approved translation, a Verification of Extenuating Circumstance form filled by my counselor, and a Diagnostic clarification referral provided by Queens.