Submit an Academic Petition or Appeal

Petition Letter: 5 January 2023

To the Associate Dean,

I, Eve Anna Raine, am requesting an academic exemption in the form of a credit standing for my summer 2023 term courses that encompassed both HIST 125 and FRST 290.

During May 2023 to August 2023 I was experiencing a major depressive episode that significantly hindered my academic ability in the above courses. This made it difficult to maintain a regular schedule, pay attention to the course content, submit work on time, feel motivated to learn and work, collaborate with other classmates, and reach out for help when I needed it. My mental health worsened over the course of the term only recovering in late August, which makes the effects on my academics most apparent in July. This explains why I received a higher mark on my half credit FRST course as opposed to my HIST course which finished in July, as my mental health was gradually declining. I do not believe that my final grades during this summer term are indicative of my overall academic output, as in all other terms I have achieved a GPA ranging from 3.4 to 3.6. With the removal of these two courses from my transcript it significantly raises my cumulative GPA to a point that I think is better representative of my abilities as a student. This is currently hindering my ability to apply for exchange opportunities that I am otherwise completely qualified for. With this petition my GPA would be raised from a 3.1 to a 3.5, above the 3.2 requirement for many exchange programs. I would consider my mental health during this period to be an extenuating circumstance that was out of my control that actively affected my academics. I feel as though a credit standing request for these two courses is a valid request as I received a D- in HIST 125 and a C in FRST 290, which shows that I completed the course but was still heavily underperforming due to the circumstances.

The fact that these courses were delivered online also contributed to my extenuating circumstance. As a strategy moving forward I do not plan on taking any other online courses, or summer courses. Additionally as part of my strategy I have committed to regular therapy sessions and phycology check ups off campus, as a way of my mental health not continuing to greatly inhibit my academics. I do not feel like this past extenuating circumstance is affecting my current academics as the major depressive episode is over and I have put in place support mechanisms and am seeking regular therapy for my overall mental health. I have struggled with persistent depression, and large depressive episodes like this are not as common for me to deal with. Additionally I tried to accommodate myself by taking a lighter course load during fall term as a transitional step after the summer term. I have already registered myself to receive academic accommodations for my long term learning disability, this shows an active effort to find ways that are already being offered to me by Queens in order to seek the help I need and find appropriate accommodations and exemptions. I would not be making this petition if I did not think it was the correct solution to this situation and an appropriate request. Please consider my request.

Sincerely,
Eve Raine