Submit an Academic Petition or Appeal

Petition Letter: To: Associate Dean (Academic)
Subject: Petition to Drop JAPN 100 (2024-2025 Academic Year)

Dear Associate Dean,

I am writing to respectfully petition to drop JAPN 100, a full-year (6-credit) course from the 2024-2025 academic year. Unfortunately, I did not pass the course, and it is currently preventing me from continuing into the second year without running into problems. I am requesting this late drop due to serious extenuating circumstances that were beyond my control and had a direct impact on my studies and overall academic performance in this course.

In the Fall 2024 term, I became severely ill with pneumonia, which developed into a more serious condition when both of my ears became infected. This led to temporary hearing loss in both ears. While the formal academic consideration I received only covered a two-week window, my illness and its effects extended beyond that window. I began having symptoms before getting medical attention, and the recovery, especially from the hearing loss caused by the infections, continued well after the consideration ended. As a result, despite my efforts to catch up, I missed too much critical foundational material in JAPN 100. This significantly affected my ability to keep up with the course, which is built cumulatively each week.

While I was enrolled in other courses during the same term, the unique and complex structure of JAPN 100, which requires strong comprehension and retention of audio-based material, made it extremely difficult to recover from my absence. The auditory nature and the heavy homework to help memorize the three different alphabets were affected by my hearing issues and the bed rest I was advised to follow. I fell behind in a way I could not recover from, and this ultimately led to my failure in the course.

I chose not to drop the course by the deadline because I truly believed, at the time, that I could catch up. I underestimated how severely the missed instruction and my health recovery would impact my long-term performance. As the heavy and overwhelming material became more complex, I found myself increasingly overwhelmed despite seeking help, attending tutorials, and reviewing course materials.

My health has since improved, and I am now in a better position to resume my studies with a clear plan for success. If this petition is granted, I intend to retake the course in upper year when I can fully dedicate myself to the material from the beginning. I will also be working closely with academic support services and considering a reduced course load to maintain a manageable balance.

Thank you very much for considering my petition. I am committed to continuing my education and believe that this late drop will allow me to move forward without this one course disproportionately affecting my academic standing.

I have included the following supporting documentation:
My emergency room document diagnosing pneumonia


A prescription for ear drops dated during the same period


Two emails confirming approved academic consideration (initial request and the extension)
Sincerely,
Addisyn Niels
20451484
Arts and Science
23mvm@queensu.ca