Submit an Academic Petition or Appeal

Petition Letter: Dear Associate Dean,

I am writing to formally request the removal of the course HIST 448 from my transcript due to significant extenuating circumstances that have adversely affected my academic performance.

Background of Extenuating Circumstances:
Over the past term, my family has faced severe financial difficulties. My mother, who is not a Canadian citizen and lacks a permanent resident status, has been unable to work legally in Canada. Consequently, my father, who is nearing retirement, has had to bear the financial responsibility for our family, including my younger sister. My brother is not financially responsible, which has added to the burden on our family.

In response to this situation, I took up a full-time job to help alleviate the financial pressure. Due to staff shortages and widespread winter sickness at my workplace, I was required to work extensive overtime hours. On many occasions, I worked 12-hour shifts, often leaving work at 2 AM. The following mornings, I had to attend my HIST 448 class.

Impact on Academic Performance:
The demanding work schedule and late hours left me exhausted, making it extremely difficult to stay focused and participate actively in my HIST 448 class, which was scheduled in the morning. The structure of the course, which did not allow the use of technology and required active in-person participation, further compounded my difficulties. I struggled to keep up with the conversations and understand the reading materials, leading to a significant drop in my performance in this course compared to others.

The stress of managing my family’s financial situation who live in Toronto while attending school added to my inability to maintain my academic responsibilities. Despite my efforts to cope, the overwhelming stress and exhaustion significantly impaired my ability to perform well in HIST 448.

During this period, I consulted with my family and took measures to manage our financial situation as best as I could. However, the persistent demands of my job and the financial instability left little room for academic focus and recovery.

Given these extenuating circumstances, I respectfully request the removal of HIST 448 from my transcript. The financial responsibilities and work-related stress were beyond my control and had a direct and substantial impact on my academic performance in this course. Removing this course from my transcript would greatly alleviate the academic repercussions of these unavoidable personal challenges.