Submit an Academic Petition or Appeal

Petition Letter: To the Faculty of Arts and Science Petitions Committee,

My name is Anosha Waqar, and I am submitting this petition to formally request a review of my ineligibility for graduation with distinction, due to the repetition of a course under extenuating circumstances that were entirely beyond my control.

In May 2022, during my final exam for Organic Chemistry, a tornado caused a major power outage across Ottawa. I was unable to complete the exam and received a CR on my transcript. I later re-took the course, not to improve my performance, but because I was advised that this was the only available option to obtain a grade and fulfill my degree requirements. Now, despite meeting the GPA threshold for distinction, I’ve been informed that the repeat disqualifies me from that recognition.

I am not petitioning the course itself or the grade. I am petitioning the application of a rigid policy that has no mechanism for considering context, even when that context involves a verified city-wide infrastructure failure. I took the appropriate steps at the time, followed university guidance, and now find myself penalized for doing exactly what was recommended.

I’ve spoken with Academic Advisor Karen Scanlan, who acknowledged and expressed appreciation for the situation and my advocacy. While I respect her efforts, I must be candid: this situation is no longer just about policy, it’s about how Queen’s chooses to treat its students when we are at our most vulnerable. The way this has been handled by administrative staff has left me feeling like my future is being treated as an inconvenience, or worse, a spectacle. My concerns have been minimized, the language used with me has at times been dismissive, and I have been told more than once that “if we make an exception for you, we’d have to do it for everyone.” But equity doesn’t mean sameness, it means fairness in light of each student’s unique reality.

This experience has made it clear that I must speak with decision-makers who understand the consequences of this policy on a student’s academic and professional future. The university has the ability, and responsibility, to act with discretion in cases like this, where the student has not failed, but been failed by forces beyond their control.

This decision already cost me the Dean’s Honour List in both first and third year, despite achieving the necessary GPA. I accepted that. But graduation with distinction is different. It appears on my transcript and degree and is a lasting marker of academic excellence. More importantly, it is currently jeopardizing my conditional enrollment at Harvard Medical School, where distinctions are reviewed and considered at the final transcript stage. I cannot afford to let an administrative technicality block the opportunity I’ve spent years working toward.

The Queen’s Senate Educational Equity Policy says:

“Queen's is committed to counter-acting discrimination in this institution and developing a climate of educational equity that recognizes and respects the equal dignity and worth of all who seek to participate.”
In my case, this policy, and the values behind it, are not being lived out. I met the GPA standard. I faced a natural disaster. I re-took the course because I was told I had no other choice. And now, I’m being told there’s no way forward.

In my case, this policy, and the values behind it, are not being lived out. I met the GPA standard. I faced a natural disaster. I re-took the course because I was told I had no other choice. And now, I’m being told there’s no way forward. As my undergraduate university, I am asking Queen’s to work with me, not against me, to ensure I am not denied the opportunity to attend the graduate school of my dreams. The university has supported me in many ways throughout my education, and I am asking it now to show the same commitment when it matters most.

I respectfully request that the course repetition clause be waived in my case, based on clear, documented extenuating circumstances that were well outside my control, and whose consequences continue to affect me today. I also ask that my case be escalated to higher decision-makers if the committee believes it does not have the authority to grant such an exception. I am willing to meet with the Dean of Arts and Science, the Vice-Provost, or the Principal if needed.

Thank you for considering my petition.