Submit an Academic Petition or Appeal

Petition Letter: On October 4, 2024, I suffered a back injury (L4 vertebra burst fracture), which severely impacted my ability to perform academically. This injury required medical attention and led to a long recovery process that lasted until mid-November. During this period, I struggled with physical pain, medical appointments, and mental health challenges, including anxiety and depression. As a result, my ability to attend lectures, engage in coursework, and adequately prepare for exams and tests was significantly hindered.

Despite my best efforts, including reaching out to both professors regarding my condition (albeit a bit late), I found it extremely difficult to maintain my usual academic performance. I allocated more time to my major, Economics, where I managed to do well, but unfortunately, my recovery left me unable to give the necessary attention to my CLST courses. My ADHD, also posed additional challenges during this period, particularly as I had no outlet for my usual coping mechanisms, such as going to the gym and being physically active.

The impact on my grades is evident, especially in the CLST 205 course, where a significant cumulative test negatively affected my performance. I studied diligently, and with the assistance of a classmate, I felt confident about the material. However, including multiple weeks of content made the test extremely challenging, and it hurt my grade disproportionately. Although my professor attempted to accommodate this by scoring only half of it, the final grade still did not accurately reflect my effort or understanding.

I respectfully ask that you review my situation in light of these extenuating circumstances and consider adjusting my grades. I am confident that, had it not been for my injury and the recovery process, my grades would better reflect the effort and understanding I demonstrated in these courses.

Thank you for considering my petition. I would appreciate the opportunity to discuss this matter further and provide any additional documentation if required.