Submit an Academic Petition or Appeal

Petition Letter: Sara Arciero
20397314
22qf20@queensu.ca
Thursday, July 4th, 2024


To whom it may concern,

I request Credit standing in PSYC 100 and ENGL 100.

During the fall term at Bader and the winter term on the main campus, I experienced significant difficulties that impacted my performance in PSYC 100 & ENGL 100. The transition from Bader to the main campus proved to be far more challenging than I had anticipated. Adjusting to the new environment took a considerable amount of time, which unfortunately coincided with critical periods of the course.

In the fall term at Bader, I faced the closure and shut down of the entire course, including our tutorials for PSYC 100, which were suspended once the castle closed down due to the fact our tutorial leader did not own a computer, which severely affected my ability to concentrate and keep up with the coursework. This issue persisted into the winter term after I transitioned to the main campus, where I struggled to adapt to the new setting and its demands. The timelines of these circumstances were particularly detrimental; for instance, during the midterm period, I dealt with a very emotional period in response to it being the year passing of my father. I took time off of school to travel home for the memorial mass, which led to my inability to study effectively or attend lectures regularly.

Despite these challenges, I chose to continue with PSYC 100 because it is a mandatory course for my B.Ed program, and dropping it was not an option. The necessity of completing this course added to the pressure, making it impossible for me to consider withdrawing.

I chose to continue the ENGL 100 course because I enjoyed the content we were taught at Bader. However, the main campus content was extremely different and had a huge learning curve from the previous semester. As well, there were minimal options for course selection when starting at the main campus in the winter, and I needed to complete five courses per semester per the requirements of my Degree (B.ed).

Although my performance in PSYC 100 and ENGL 100 was affected, I performed significantly better in other courses during the term. Courses like POLS 110 were less impacted because they had different timelines or the coursework was more manageable under my circumstances. The nature of PSYC 100 and ENGL 100, with their continuous assessment and the need for regular engagement, made it difficult for me to cope during this period.

Given the seriousness of the issues I faced and their specific impact on my performance in PSYC 100 & ENGL 100, I respectfully request that you grant me Credit standing for this course. This accommodation would greatly assist me in staying on track with my B.Ed program without the undue burden of retaking a course under less-than-ideal circumstances.

Thank you for considering my petition. I am more than willing to provide any additional documentation or information needed to support my request.

Sara Arciero