Manage Appeals
Petition Type: New
ID: 11413
Submitted: January 15, 2024 at 9:15:33 PM
First Name: Ravid
Last Name: Lapid
Pronoun: She/her
Student Number: 20390836
Email: 22lc34@queensu.ca
Degree Program: BSCH
Plan: Life Sciences
Level of Study: 1
Petition Categories
Petition Categories: Request credit (CR) standing in a course or courses
Code: MATH 130
Term: Fall
Year: 2023
Petition Category: Request credit (CR) standing in a course or courses
Instructor's Name: Troy Day
Petition Letter
Petition Letter: I am writing to petition for special consideration regarding my academic performance in the course Math 130 during the recent fall 2023 semester. I would like to explain the extenuating circumstances that have significantly impacted my ability to perform to my usual academic standards as a Jewish and Israeli student.
On October 7th, a deeply personal and distressing event occurred that had a profound effect on me and my family. A family friend's son was murdered on October 7th in Israel, along with the strain of that day on all Jewish people. This created a ripple of grief and mental struggle in my life. Returning to campus in the week that followed, with no family support and being away from people who understood the situation, exacerbated the situation. The horrifying attacks on Jewish people on October 7th, coupled with the subsequent rise in antisemitic incidents, including those on the campus of Queens University, created an environment of fear and anxiety, and I continued to struggle with my mental health.
In the weeks following October 7th, my focus and mental well-being were severely compromised. I prioritized the need to support my family in Vancouver and stay connected with relatives in Israel, leaving me with less time than I had hoped and mental space to devote to my studies. This was particularly evident in Math 130, where I fell behind significantly.
In addition to the emotional struggles, I have always found mathematics to be a challenging field. Despite my best efforts and dedication to my studies and attempting to improve my marks in all courses, grasping complex mathematical concepts in MATH 130 required extra work for me. The events following October 7th significantly hindered my ability to focus and intensified my difficulties with the subject matter.
I have taken steps to address these challenges, including speaking and discussing with Jewish students on campuses around Canada to have peer support. On the academic side, I attended review sessions for my exams and did my best to keep up with the material and prepare for tests and exams. Despite my attempts, the combined impact of personal grief and heightened anxiety due to the unsettling antisemitic climate and the inherent academic challenges of MATH 130 led to a noticeable decline in my performance, which was beyond my control. I found myself unable to prepare adequately for exams and struggled to keep pace with the coursework.
Therefore, I request that these circumstances be taken into consideration regarding my performance in Math 130. I believe this situation is an anomaly in my academic journey, and I am taking proactive steps to ensure my future performance is not similarly affected.
Thank you for considering my petition.
On October 7th, a deeply personal and distressing event occurred that had a profound effect on me and my family. A family friend's son was murdered on October 7th in Israel, along with the strain of that day on all Jewish people. This created a ripple of grief and mental struggle in my life. Returning to campus in the week that followed, with no family support and being away from people who understood the situation, exacerbated the situation. The horrifying attacks on Jewish people on October 7th, coupled with the subsequent rise in antisemitic incidents, including those on the campus of Queens University, created an environment of fear and anxiety, and I continued to struggle with my mental health.
In the weeks following October 7th, my focus and mental well-being were severely compromised. I prioritized the need to support my family in Vancouver and stay connected with relatives in Israel, leaving me with less time than I had hoped and mental space to devote to my studies. This was particularly evident in Math 130, where I fell behind significantly.
In addition to the emotional struggles, I have always found mathematics to be a challenging field. Despite my best efforts and dedication to my studies and attempting to improve my marks in all courses, grasping complex mathematical concepts in MATH 130 required extra work for me. The events following October 7th significantly hindered my ability to focus and intensified my difficulties with the subject matter.
I have taken steps to address these challenges, including speaking and discussing with Jewish students on campuses around Canada to have peer support. On the academic side, I attended review sessions for my exams and did my best to keep up with the material and prepare for tests and exams. Despite my attempts, the combined impact of personal grief and heightened anxiety due to the unsettling antisemitic climate and the inherent academic challenges of MATH 130 led to a noticeable decline in my performance, which was beyond my control. I found myself unable to prepare adequately for exams and struggled to keep pace with the coursework.
Therefore, I request that these circumstances be taken into consideration regarding my performance in Math 130. I believe this situation is an anomaly in my academic journey, and I am taking proactive steps to ensure my future performance is not similarly affected.
Thank you for considering my petition.
Documentation
Professional Letter Detail: NO DOC
Decision Letters
Level 1 Status
Status: DeniedLevel 2
Appeal Type: Level 2
ID: 265
Submitted: March 3, 2024 at 10:31:54 PM
Relevant Petition: 11413
Decision(s) Being Appealed: Request credit (CR) standing in a course or courses: MATH 130, Fall 2023 (Troy Day)
Appeal Grounds
Appeals to the Board of Studies must include a letter based on one or more of the Grounds for Appeal (Appeal Regulation 3.4). What are the grounds you are basing your appeal on?
- The Associate Dean's decision did not follow the rules of procedural fairness. A breach of procedural fairness includes such things as the Associate Dean failed to:
- Make a reasonable decision in your appeal. A “reasonable” decision is one that is based on evidence, thought out and supported by facts and logical inferences from the facts. To be reasonable, the decision must contain adequate reasons for the conclusions.
Appeal Grounds Details: I am writing to appeal the Associate Dean’s decision to deny my credit standing request for Math 130 on the grounds that the Associate Dean’s decision was not reasonable and logical inferences from the facts were not made. Focusing on the requirement for medical documentation or other forms of evidence to substantiate my claim of extenuating circumstances, I acknowledge the faculty's policy on maintaining integrity and the necessity for clear and compelling documentation. However, I wish to highlight the unique and challenging circumstances I faced, which made obtaining such documentation impractical, if not impossible.
During the period in question, I encountered significant personal hardships directly related to my identity as a Jewish and Israeli student in a climate of heightened tension and uncertainty. This environment profoundly affected my mental health and academic performance. It's crucial to understand the context of these challenges; seeking professional help or documentation was not a straightforward option for me. The prevailing atmosphere made me feel unsafe and uncertain about whom I could trust, fearing potential biases or misunderstandings about my situation. This concern significantly hindered my ability to reach out to professionals or even campus counsellors, as the fear of encountering bias or misunderstanding was a genuine concern. I believe this was not sufficiently considered in the Associate Dean’s decision, as it was not taken into account with the unique circumstances of my situation. I believe that, in my case, the absence of documentation should not have been a deterrent to recognizing the validity of my claim. The heightened state of insecurity and the tension within the community during this period left me unable to seek conventional support or documentation. This scenario should have been factored into the decision-making process as a significant and valid reason for the academic challenges I encountered.
The failure to take into account the unique challenges faced by students from diverse backgrounds, especially those belonging to communities experiencing heightened vulnerabilities, indicates a decision-making process that falls short of being reasonable. Reasonableness includes consideration of all facts, including the acknowledgment of situations where obtaining documentation is impractical or impossible due to unique and prevailing circumstances. I strongly believe that a situation such as this warrants a more nuanced understanding and a flexible approach.
During the period in question, I encountered significant personal hardships directly related to my identity as a Jewish and Israeli student in a climate of heightened tension and uncertainty. This environment profoundly affected my mental health and academic performance. It's crucial to understand the context of these challenges; seeking professional help or documentation was not a straightforward option for me. The prevailing atmosphere made me feel unsafe and uncertain about whom I could trust, fearing potential biases or misunderstandings about my situation. This concern significantly hindered my ability to reach out to professionals or even campus counsellors, as the fear of encountering bias or misunderstanding was a genuine concern. I believe this was not sufficiently considered in the Associate Dean’s decision, as it was not taken into account with the unique circumstances of my situation. I believe that, in my case, the absence of documentation should not have been a deterrent to recognizing the validity of my claim. The heightened state of insecurity and the tension within the community during this period left me unable to seek conventional support or documentation. This scenario should have been factored into the decision-making process as a significant and valid reason for the academic challenges I encountered.
The failure to take into account the unique challenges faced by students from diverse backgrounds, especially those belonging to communities experiencing heightened vulnerabilities, indicates a decision-making process that falls short of being reasonable. Reasonableness includes consideration of all facts, including the acknowledgment of situations where obtaining documentation is impractical or impossible due to unique and prevailing circumstances. I strongly believe that a situation such as this warrants a more nuanced understanding and a flexible approach.
Appeal Letter
Appeal Letter: Dear Board of Studies,
I am appealing the Associate Dean’s decision to deny my appeal to receive credit standing for Math 130 on the grounds that a reasonable decision was not made by the Associate Dean.
As mentioned in the appeal grounds, the decision letter indicates that the petition cannot be approved without documentation. The decision to deny my petition on the grounds of insufficient documentation does not fully account for the reality of my circumstances. The requirement for documentation, while understandable from an administrative perspective, does not always accommodate the complex nature of students' lives, especially in times of crisis. My attempt to navigate these challenges included seeking alternative forms of support and coping mechanisms, as outlined in my original petition. However, these efforts do not easily translate into the type of documentation traditionally required. The significant hardships experienced by Jewish and Israeli students during this period are well documented. If necessary, I am willing to provide proof of my citizenship to highlight the validity of my claim regarding the pressures I faced, although I would hope it is clear that this is not something that I would say without it being completely accurate, therefore disproving the idea that without documentation, the integrity of the faculty would be compromised. In addition, as I mentioned in my petition, a family friend's son was killed on October 7th, which was the largest component of my academic struggles. While I am not sure what exact documentation is desired, this unfortunate event is well known and documented online as it impacted the Vancouver Jewish community deeply, where I come from. Dismissing my petition due to the lack of documentation overlooks the essence of my appeal: that my academic performance was significantly compromised by circumstances beyond my control, circumstances that made obtaining documentation uniquely challenging.
Additionally, the decision letter also states that my petition was denied on the basis that I did not meet the learning outcomes. I recognize the importance of meeting learning outcomes as a measure of academic achievement and the typical correlation between these outcomes and final grades. However, I believe that the challenging circumstances I encountered significantly affected my performance, particularly during the assessment periods. The failure to achieve a successful mark in this course, as determined by my performance on the combined mastery tests and the final exam, was not a true reflection of my understanding of the course material but rather a consequence of the stress and anxiety I was under. My appeal is grounded in the belief that, while my individual grades did not reflect the standard learning outcomes due to the challenges I endured, my overall comprehension and engagement with the course content were in line with the course requirements. My marks and my overall final grade are not indicative of a lack of understanding but rather of an inability to perform under extraordinary circumstances. Moreover, I would like to highlight that the intent behind credit standing is to look beyond the passing yet still lower grades due to challenges faced. In my case, the struggles I encountered were exceptionally severe, directly impacting my ability to showcase my learning, which I believe was not considered to the full extent when my petition was denied. The decision made does not seem to reflect a consideration of the full context of my circumstances.
Furthermore, the timeline of my extenuating circumstances aligns precisely with the academic period in question. These circumstances, in turn, have had a profound impact on my ability to engage with course material and to demonstrate my knowledge and skills as expected. I would like to clarify that while the circumstances were extremely challenging, they are being managed and have significantly improved with time. As everything was so new when I returned from the first reading week, I was unable to cope with the difficulty, but I have taken steps to ensure that my academic performance will not be similarly affected in the future. My academic plan includes a structured study schedule and group study, and I recently joined a group of Jewish students on North American university campuses as a way to discuss these challenges with people who understand how the last few months have been.
In light of these points, I urge the Board to reconsider the Associate Dean’s decision. My dedication to my academics remains my top priority, and while it has been overshadowed by elements that were both unforeseen and beyond my control, I am determined to ensure my academic success. I hope that further review of my case will show that the decision to deny my petition did not account for the reasonableness required by such a unique situation, which I believe has not been encountered before.
Thank you for your time, understanding, and consideration of my appeal.
Sincerely,
Ravid Lapid
I am appealing the Associate Dean’s decision to deny my appeal to receive credit standing for Math 130 on the grounds that a reasonable decision was not made by the Associate Dean.
As mentioned in the appeal grounds, the decision letter indicates that the petition cannot be approved without documentation. The decision to deny my petition on the grounds of insufficient documentation does not fully account for the reality of my circumstances. The requirement for documentation, while understandable from an administrative perspective, does not always accommodate the complex nature of students' lives, especially in times of crisis. My attempt to navigate these challenges included seeking alternative forms of support and coping mechanisms, as outlined in my original petition. However, these efforts do not easily translate into the type of documentation traditionally required. The significant hardships experienced by Jewish and Israeli students during this period are well documented. If necessary, I am willing to provide proof of my citizenship to highlight the validity of my claim regarding the pressures I faced, although I would hope it is clear that this is not something that I would say without it being completely accurate, therefore disproving the idea that without documentation, the integrity of the faculty would be compromised. In addition, as I mentioned in my petition, a family friend's son was killed on October 7th, which was the largest component of my academic struggles. While I am not sure what exact documentation is desired, this unfortunate event is well known and documented online as it impacted the Vancouver Jewish community deeply, where I come from. Dismissing my petition due to the lack of documentation overlooks the essence of my appeal: that my academic performance was significantly compromised by circumstances beyond my control, circumstances that made obtaining documentation uniquely challenging.
Additionally, the decision letter also states that my petition was denied on the basis that I did not meet the learning outcomes. I recognize the importance of meeting learning outcomes as a measure of academic achievement and the typical correlation between these outcomes and final grades. However, I believe that the challenging circumstances I encountered significantly affected my performance, particularly during the assessment periods. The failure to achieve a successful mark in this course, as determined by my performance on the combined mastery tests and the final exam, was not a true reflection of my understanding of the course material but rather a consequence of the stress and anxiety I was under. My appeal is grounded in the belief that, while my individual grades did not reflect the standard learning outcomes due to the challenges I endured, my overall comprehension and engagement with the course content were in line with the course requirements. My marks and my overall final grade are not indicative of a lack of understanding but rather of an inability to perform under extraordinary circumstances. Moreover, I would like to highlight that the intent behind credit standing is to look beyond the passing yet still lower grades due to challenges faced. In my case, the struggles I encountered were exceptionally severe, directly impacting my ability to showcase my learning, which I believe was not considered to the full extent when my petition was denied. The decision made does not seem to reflect a consideration of the full context of my circumstances.
Furthermore, the timeline of my extenuating circumstances aligns precisely with the academic period in question. These circumstances, in turn, have had a profound impact on my ability to engage with course material and to demonstrate my knowledge and skills as expected. I would like to clarify that while the circumstances were extremely challenging, they are being managed and have significantly improved with time. As everything was so new when I returned from the first reading week, I was unable to cope with the difficulty, but I have taken steps to ensure that my academic performance will not be similarly affected in the future. My academic plan includes a structured study schedule and group study, and I recently joined a group of Jewish students on North American university campuses as a way to discuss these challenges with people who understand how the last few months have been.
In light of these points, I urge the Board to reconsider the Associate Dean’s decision. My dedication to my academics remains my top priority, and while it has been overshadowed by elements that were both unforeseen and beyond my control, I am determined to ensure my academic success. I hope that further review of my case will show that the decision to deny my petition did not account for the reasonableness required by such a unique situation, which I believe has not been encountered before.
Thank you for your time, understanding, and consideration of my appeal.
Sincerely,
Ravid Lapid
Documentation
Document: Passport.pdf
History
Originally submitted January 15, 2024 at 9:15:33 PM.
| Field | Reference | Old Value | New Value | Note | User | Date/Time |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| status | N/A | Received | Incomplete | Kerri Andrews | 2024-01-23 2:49:36 PM | |
| status | N/A | Incomplete | In Review | Kerri Andrews | 2024-02-08 11:35:49 AM | |
| status | N/A | In Review | Denied | Kerri Andrews | 2024-02-20 9:47:20 AM | |
| associate_dean | N/A | Jenn Stephenson, Ph.D. | Kerri Andrews | 2024-02-20 9:47:20 AM | ||
| decision_letter | N/A | N/A | Decision letter sent | Kerri Andrews | 2024-02-20 9:48:44 AM | |
| new_appeal_level_2 | N/A | Level 2 | Level 2 Appeal ID: 265 | 22lc34 | 2024-03-03 10:31:54 PM | |
| status | N/A | Received | ADA Amended Decision | ADA was hesitant to do this because learning outcomes did not seem to be met even though prof provided a passing grade | Libby Hearn | 2024-03-13 3:01:52 PM |