Submit an Academic Petition or Appeal

Petition Letter: Dear Dr. Jenn Stephenson,

My name is Michelle Ehrlich (20229681), and I am a fourth-year Political Science major. I appreciate the time you are taking to review my case. I request a late drop of three courses: POLS 402, POLS 332, and POLS 230 in the Fall 2024 semester. I am asking for this late drop due to the abnormal and unplanned increase in my mental illnesses, which severely impacted my ability to attend classes, submit assignments, and study and perform midterms this semester.

Due to my nuanced learning profile, I feel it is important to give context to me as a student. I am highly determined and persevere through school despite facing obstacles in pursuing an education. I have a diagnosed Learning Disability of Dyslexia, which severely impacts the time it takes me to comprehend and decode readings, lectures, and course material. I also have been seeing a psychologist weekly since 2018, and she has diagnosed me with ADHD, Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD), and General Anxiety Disorder. Additionally, I see a psychiatrist monthly and am on anxiety and ADHD medication. Both my learning disability and mental health struggles impact school regularly, as the combination of all my struggles makes paying attention in lectures, comprehending and decoding information and readings, and completing assignments or studying promptly very challenging. In addition, I see an organizational coach to support my nuanced educational profile by providing methods for studying, reading, and balancing and prioritizing tasks. I also took a semester off between my second and third year to do an intensive reading and writing program, which was influential in my success in returning to Queens. Furthermore, I receive accommodations through QSAS for my anxieties and learning disability.

This semester, my mental health deteriorated unexpectedly, stopping me from succeeding in these courses (POLS 402, POLS 332, and POLS 230), and due to my already complex educational profile, these courses became unmanageable, which is the cause for my request for a late drop of my courses.

When beginning school in September, I was highly motivated to take five courses for the first time since my first year (I usually take three or four courses instead). In the third week of school, I became very ill and had to go to the ER, where I had the terrible flu and missed two full weeks of classes. Thus, at the beginning of October, my anxiety increased as I was trying to catch up on all the work I missed while still recovering from my flu. However, I completed an assignment for POLS 230, resulting in an A and completing all three courses' readings.

The following week (reading week), I did not meet my expectations for completing schoolwork due to recovering from the flu and the previous week's business. A negative cycle began, and I became extremely anxious, hard on myself, and disappointed. Due to my anxiety being so high for too long, I became very low and sad in mood, which is very unusual. I could not get out of bed or complete any daily tasks, let alone school.

Two days after reading week, my psychologist determined I was in a depressive episode and advised me to book a train home immediately. During that time at home, I missed two midterms (POLS 230 and POLS 332), assignments for POLS 402, and participation in all three classes this week because I had to go home for my safety and well-being.
I decided to drop one course on October 28th, as I felt four courses would be more manageable. I submitted my academic consideration with a letter from my psychologist (attached to this appeal).

On the Friday of the first week back, my request was denied by the academic consideration team because it was related to an increase in my symptoms (anxiety) that I received accommodation for through QSAS. I was told to contact my QSAS advisor to help with a plan and to contact my professors. My intention is not to disrespect the QSAS process. However, ultimately, my depressive episode is atypical of my normal functioning of anxiety, and thus, I do not receive accommodations for it.

I was still committed to completing these missed assignments and continuing with the coursework. That same Friday, I emailed my QSAS advisor and cc'd him in all emails with all professors, where I clearly articulated the situation, apologized for the impact it had on them, and created a plan to retake/submit missed assignments/midterms and how to move forward. I received an immediate response from my professors, who all understood the situation and understandably needed approval from QSAS. During this time, my low mood from before emerged, and I felt incredibly alone.

The following week, I still did not get a response from QSAS, and I returned to panic. I would have panic attacks before meetings with Professors and at the school building, where sometimes I could not attend meetings with them. I then made the difficult decision that I had to appeal to leave three courses and stay in one course (POLS 403) as it was the most realistic to succeed at school and could allow me to regain stability in my mental health.

I acknowledge the seriousness of asking for a late drop, and I have been reflecting and strategizing with professionals on ways to return to school more mentally stable. I hope this appeal provides a clear understanding that this semester, I exhibited completely unusual behaviour that severely impacted my ability to be successful in POLS 402, POLS 332, and POLS 230, which is why I am asking for this late drop, so I can hope to move forward with finishing the good work I have done in previous courses and complete my degree.

Sincerely,
Michelle Ehrlich