Submit an Academic Petition or Appeal

Petition Letter: To whom it may concern,

My academic performance has been hindered throughout the course of this year due to a concussion in the fall, my second one within the past 12 months. I submitted a request for academic consideration that was approved for a complete break from school lasting four weeks followed by a progressive return. Although this break helped to get me back on my feet and deal with the initial symptoms and consequences of concussion recovery it left me with ample amounts of missed work to catch up on during the winter semester, a semester in which I took a full course load.

During the time of my initial recovery stage, I had been dealing with recurring headaches emerging when studying, looking at computers and reading to which I had to try to find ways to adapt. I required frequent breaks to allow for my headache to go down and even still dealt with a constant enabling sharp pain and pressure in my head. Along with headaches, I have struggled with memory and remembering small details. Simple tasks such as picking something up or closing the light were challenges to remember. This only amplified with remembering details relating to course material that must be memorized in order to succeed. These aspects have been hard to overcome and a constant work in progress to get back to a state that feels at least similar to normal. But, the most frustrating part of concussion recovery in my experience is the lack of emotional regulation. I got frustrated, emotional and was unable to regulate these overwhelming feelings due to the impact I received on the head.

The impacts of concussions especially as they are more severe or are not your first time with a head injury are demanding, frustrating and a complete uphill battle. In course work I know that I am forgetting things, details and it is frustrating for me to know that I am not where I want to be as a 23 year old due to an invisible injury. This is now my third concussion and I have found the symptoms to worsen and take longer to heal with each one. I had worked closely alongside my doctor and physiotherapist throughout recovery to be successful in the next semester but at the time of the impact which was November 2024 being nearly right before exams as well as final assignments due this was not possible for me in the fall even with the opportunity to write deferred exams.

I was able to work with my professors in PSYC 100 as well as HIST 211 to adapt deadlines and assignments but due to the nature of course content and the need for memorization as well as a proctored three hour exam in PSYC 241 worth such a significant amount I was unsuccessful. Even with the extension bringing the exam to mid January I had just been progressing to return to a schedule that was normal. I was still dealing with the effects of concussion recovery and had emerging headaches when focussing on an electronic device, struggled with memorization, emotional regulation and physically was not in a state in which I could succeed. I am writing to you with the intention to explain my extenuating circumstances in hopes that it will allow me the chance to drop this course in order to retake it and be successful in the future.

Thank you,
Abby-Gayle