Submit an Academic Petition or Appeal

Petition Letter: Dear Dr. Jenn Stephenson,
I am petitioning to change my grades for BCHM 315 and 316 to credit standing due to mental health issues and medication side effects that affected me throughout the year. Starting in December 2023, I was prescribed Guanfacine for ADHD-related symptoms, but I was unable to tolerate the side effects. In September 2024, I switched to Wellbutrin to address depression symptoms, continuing until May 2025. While the switch helped, there were still side effects that made it difficult to focus on my academics. The side effects were not severe enough to warrant a complete medication change, but they negatively impacted my physical and mental well-being. I started losing weight again and found it very difficult to stay awake and energized for my classes and work. This lack of energy—and consequently, motivation—led to me falling behind in my courses. I made the decision to prioritize my other courses over BCHM 315 in the fall in an effort to preserve my academic standing while addressing my medication and mental health issues with my counselor and physician, knowing that these issues take time to resolve.
Similarly, my mental health affected BCHM 316. At my lowest point, I reached out to the Kingston crisis line. I was still on the same medication for my symptoms, but fortunately, I was able to see a dietitian at Student Wellness to help with my weight gain. Early in the semester, I fell behind in BCHM 316 due to being sick with the Norwalk virus, which kept me out of class for two weeks. This made it difficult to catch up on the content before the midterm. Since I was behind in all my courses, I decided to focus on the ones I found easier to understand, in order to maximize what I could learn before the midterm. As a result, my performance in BCHM 316 was disappointing, especially on the midterm right before reading week. During this time, I continued to check in with my counselor, which was very helpful in keeping me grounded during this difficult period.
During reading week, an incident occurred when I went home, and my parents found my medication. This resulted in an argument, during which they confiscated it. I was unable to get a refill until I returned to Kingston. Being at home negatively affected my mental health, and it took some time to stabilize once I returned. Although I resumed attending class and fulfilling my academic responsibilities, it was hard to catch up, leading me to once again focus on my other, lighter courses, which caused me less mental distress.
In mid-to-late March, I learned that a chipmunk had entered my rental house. This situation forced me to couch surf at various places for the duration of the chipmunk’s stay. I found evidence of the chipmunk on my bed, which placed me in a bad mental state and further hindered my ability to focus on BCHM 316 as I studied for my first exam, scheduled for April 8. The chipmunk was removed at the end of March, and I was able to return to my room. In hindsight, I should not have written the exam that day, but I thought I was in a good place, considering everything that had happened in the days prior. I was generally put together and eating well. However, I now realize that I compartmentalized and ignored the stress from both the chipmunk situation and my family issues, neglecting my mental health in order to forcefully push through the exam. After the exam, I broke down in tears on my way home, which led me toa dark place. I then submitted an academic consideration request for my next exam, recognizing that I was not in the right state to write it.
I was unable to drop these courses, as they are required for my specialization plan and my 499 project. This is not the first time I have petitioned for a credit standing due to mental health reasons, but the added challenge of medication side effects was unexpected and beyond my control. Since September, I have maintained regular contact with my counselor and have had ongoing appointments with my physicians to discuss my medication and future plans. This is how I was referred to the dietitian during the winter semester. I was also referred to a psychiatrist after my exams, as one was recently added to Student Wellness, making it an affordable option. I recently met with them and have scheduled an appointment with my physician to discuss the results and create a plan for the next academic year. I believe that once my medication side effects are resolved, I will be in a better place both mentally and academically.
Sincerely, Nicole Li