Submit an Academic Petition or Appeal

Petition Letter: Poppy Brookes
20261251
Faculty of Arts & Science
Queen’s University
04/25/25

Dr. Jenn Stephenson
Faculty of Arts and Science
Queen’s University
Kingston, ON K7L 2A2

Dear Associate Dean Stephenson,

I am writing to formally appeal to late drop two courses: LAW 704 and POLS 313 from the Winter 2024 term. Due to extenuating circumstances beyond my control, I was unable to perform academically at the level expected of me, leading to significant challenges in successfully completing these courses.

In March 2022, I was diagnosed with anxiety and depression. While I was able to manage these conditions moderately well during the 2022-2023 academic year, my mental health began to deteriorate significantly in February 2024. This decline continued until it became unmanageable between April to July 2024, at which time I was also diagnosed with ADHD. During this period, I experienced a cycle of depression and anxiety, which led to panic attacks that left me incapacitated for hours at a time. Due to these panic attacks I had to defer the final exam for POLS 350. The severity of these symptoms severely impacted my ability to keep up with my academic responsibilities.

Unfortunately, I was unable to recognize the full extent of my worsening mental health before the drop deadline in Week 8 of the term. I believed that I could push through and manage my responsibilities, as I had done in the past. This was not the case, and I was unable to recognize the need for intervention until it was too late. I also was not fully aware of the support services available to me at Queen’s University, including the Queen’s Student Accessibility Services (QSAS), and therefore did not seek help early enough to drop the courses before the deadline. It was only after my mental health had become unmanageable that I sought support from family, medical professionals, counsellors, and eventually registered with QSAS in July 2024.

The impact of my mental health challenges was not limited to these two courses, but my overall academic performance suffered significantly during the Winter 2024 term.
Although I managed to pass some courses, I was unable to maintain my regular academic standing. My condition made it impossible to manage a full course load, leading to my failure of LAW 704 and POLS 313.

Since July 2024, I have taken steps to address my mental health and ensure that it no longer adversely affects my academic performance. I have been working closely with family, counsellors, my doctor, a psychiatrist, and I am in regular consultation with QSAS to receive appropriate accommodations. I have also made a plan to continue my studies in a way that prioritises my mental health and academic success.

Moving forward, I have decided to take a lighter course load to better manage my mental health. Specifically, I took only two courses last semester, Fall 2024, and four courses this semester, Winter 2025. Additionally, I have decided to extend my studies by an extra year, allowing me to reduce my course load and thereby mitigate the risk of my mental health becoming unmanageable again. I have continued to meet regularly with my counsellor and medical professionals to ensure that my mental health remains stable and that my academic goals are met. Receiving my ADHD diagnosis was an important step for me in understanding how I can approach my work in a more productive manner. Since then I have been able to gain tools and organization skills to help me manage my academics and regain my confidence.

I fully intend to complete my degree in Political Studies. I am also committed to remaining active in the Queen’s community and continuing my involvement in various campus clubs. I believe that with the proper support and a more manageable academic schedule, I can achieve my goals and continue to contribute positively to the university community. I have a strong desire to succeed and am determined to manage these challenges with the tools and resources now at my disposal.

I kindly ask that you consider my appeal to late drop these courses so that I may continue my studies without the burden of these failures on my academic record. I am committed to overcoming these challenges and achieving my academic goals with the support systems I now have in place.

Thank you for your time and consideration. I look forward to your response.

Sincerely,
Poppy Brookes
20261251
20pmkw@queensu.ca
(647) 619-8303