Submit an Academic Petition or Appeal

Petition Letter: Dear Associate Dean,
I am writing to formally request a retroactive withdrawal from the following courses:
Fall Term 2023: PSYC 271 and PSYC 321
Winter Term 2024: SOCY 304 and SOCY 426
Additionally, I am requesting Credit Standing for PSYC 337 in Winter Term 2024.

The challenges I faced during this period severely impacted my ability to engage with my coursework, and I am seeking your understanding and consideration in light of these circumstances.
During the summer of 2023, I was devastated to learn that a close friend, Mekhi Kelly-Peterkin, had tragically drowned at the Kingston Pier. This news came shortly after I returned from a canoe trip while working as a summer camp counsellor. Mekhi’s loss was deeply painful, and the funeral in late summer brought together many friends and peers, underscoring the gravity of losing someone so young and impactful.
Despite the heartbreak, I began the academic year attempting to focus on my studies and distract myself by staying active, mainly through participating in the Queen’s rugby team. Unfortunately, near the end of the season, I sustained a severe finger injury during practice, requiring surgery and numerous doctor’s appointments. I submitted academic consideration now; the documentation should already be on record.
While recovering from surgery, I was shaken by the tragic passing of another close friend, Oscar Wojtal, in a drunk driving accident. This loss hit me deeply, as Oscar had been a significant part of my life at Queen’s. By then, I was grieving multiple losses, recovering from surgery, and unable to focus on my studies. My academic progress stalled entirely—I couldn’t attend classes, complete assignments, or engage with readings, I wasn't eating, I wasn't able to sleep most nights, I was depressed.
In early February of the winter term, another tragedy occurred: my friend Kevinstar Ferreira was found dead under the circumstances labelled a homicide. Kevin was a lifetime friend of two of my housemates, and his passing left our household reeling. While mourning this loss myself, I took on a support role for my housemates, which compounded my mental and emotional strain. It was around this time I also went through a breakup which saw me losing ties with a primary support system of my own. Recognizing the toll this collective had taken on me, I sought help from Student Wellness Services and began seeing a therapist to process my grief.
While I was able complete some courses with relative proficiency, others proved impossible to manage due to the cumulative impact of these circumstances. The grief and stress caused by these events made it difficult to focus, attend classes, complete assignments, and engage with my studies. While some professors offered understanding and flexibility, which enabled me to meet specific deliverables, others were less accommodating. This inconsistency, combined with the emotional and physical toll I was experiencing, resulted in my inability to complete certain courses. For instance, I placed a few courses in incomplete standing to finish the deliverables over the summer, and I completed all the required work for each course. However, despite the deadline for incomplete standing being a month and a half away, two of my professors were unwilling to accept the completed deliverables, further compounding my challenges.
These collective circumstances—losing three close friends within a short period, sustaining a serious injury, and grappling with my mental health—profoundly affected my academic performance. I fell behind in readings and assignments and could not regain focus or momentum, leading to my current request.
I have since taken steps to address these challenges. Through therapy and support from friends and family, I have been actively working to rebuild my mental health and academic resilience. I am committed to succeeding in my future studies and have developed a plan to ensure I stay on track, including regular check-ins with advisors and continued engagement with wellness resources. This plan proved to work as I was able to return to my studies successfully this fall term. It is clear from my record from previous years and my current semester's performance that last year was a unique case.
Please consider my request for retroactive withdrawal from the listed courses and credit standing for PSYC 337 with compassion, as these circumstances were truly beyond my control. Thank you for taking the time to review my petition. I would happily provide any additional documentation or answer any further questions.
Sincerely,
Angus Hall
20171675