Submit an Academic Petition or Appeal

Petition Letter: Dear Associate Dean,

This letter serves as my official request to petition to drop the following classes; CHEM 112, BIOL 103, MATH 112, and receive a grade of DR on my transcript, taken in the 2022-2023 academic year.
I faced significant challenges with my mental health that affected every domain of my life, including my academic performance. I began to feel extremely overwhelmed during the Fall 2022 semester. I experienced severe depression, and as a result, it was difficult to function in my day to day life. In addition, I began experiencing severe debilitating panic attacks that continuously increased in intensity and duration, that completely took away my autonomy. Further, my struggles with undiagnosed ADHD contributed to my anxiety and depression, and caused a decline in my academic performance, given that it was difficult to adjust to the significantly heavier workload. In addition, as a result of being bullied, I felt extremely socially isolated and I found myself in a position where I lacked social support. The transition to university was particularly difficult for me, as being responsible for my own finances was also incredibly stressful.
Academics gave me purpose and felt like something I could look forward to, so I wanted to complete my courses, and thus did not look into dropping any courses. I have always found learning to be extremely fulfilling and always strive for success, but despite my hardest efforts, debilitating anxiety made it so that I was unable to perform in high pressure situations, which made examinations and assessments particularly unfeasible. In terms of next steps, I have taken additional first year courses more suited to my interests and abilities and plan to retake MATH 121 during the summer term, as to reduce my course load during the year.
Facing these struggles has been the greatest challenge I have faced to date. I have been steadily improving, as a result of support from medical professionals, including a psychiatrist. These interventions have allowed me to regain autonomy over my life and work towards my goals. I have worked extremely hard to improve my mental health, and am proud of how far I have come.
My experience at Queen’s has been like no other, I cannot express my gratitude enough for the privilege I have been given to receive an education. I ask that you please consider the affect these challenges had on my ability to perform academically, when coming to a decision. I appreciate all the time and effort taken by you, to review this petition. Thank you truly.
Sincerely,
Emily Burke