Submit an Academic Petition or Appeal

Petition Letter:
Dear Academic Petitions Committee,

I hope this letter finds you well. My name is Kaliha Dennis (20341039), and I am currently in my third year of the Health Sciences program at Queen’s University. I am writing to formally request a waiver of the petition deadline to drop PHYS 118, which I took during the summer of 2023 and unfortunately failed. The summer of 2023 was an extremely challenging period for me, both academically and personally. Having just completed my first year of Health Sciences, I felt immense pressure regarding medical school and future applications. In an effort to be proactive, I enrolled in PHYS 118, despite having no prior experience in physics. Given the accelerated pace of the course, I struggled significantly. Additionally, as the daughter of first-generation immigrant parents from a lower socioeconomic background, I was working over 40 hours per week to help support my university tuition. The combination of financial responsibilities, a full-year physics course condensed into a few months, and personal expectations led to overwhelming stress, anxiety, and depression. Despite recognizing my struggles in the course, I was unable to bring myself to drop it, as I feared it would reflect failure or weakness.
When I ultimately received a failing grade, I was devastated. My mental health continued to decline, and I found myself unable to address the situation due to severe anxiety. I only recently sought medical support and was officially diagnosed with severe anxiety and mild depression. I am now undergoing treatment, including prescribed medication (citalopram), and actively working to improve my mental health (Medical Proof attached to this document).

I am writing this petition now because, at the time, my ability to advocate for myself was significantly impaired. Had I been in a better state, I would have acted sooner. I am now excelling in PHYS 115 and 116, demonstrating my capability to succeed in physics under better circumstances. I kindly ask for your consideration in granting this waiver, as it would allow my transcript to more accurately reflect my true academic abilities.
Thank you for your time and consideration. I deeply appreciate the opportunity to present my case.

Sincerely,

Kaliha Dennis
20341039