Submit an Academic Petition or Appeal

Petition Letter: To the Academic Review Committee,

I am writing to respectfully request credit standing in PSYC 203 and PSYC 236, and to withdraw from IDIS 280 with no academic penalty. The grades I received in these courses during the Winter 2025 semester are absolutely not a reflection of who I am as a student. I hope that after reviewing my academic record and the circumstances outlined below, you will see that clearly.

Up until this past semester, I had consistently demonstrated strong academic performance at Queen’s University. A quick comparison between my grades this semester and my grades in the other three semesters I’ve completed will make the contrast evident. Unfortunately, the Winter 2025 term was shaped by a uniquely difficult combination of circumstances that I had little control over and that deeply affected my ability to succeed.

The first major challenge occurred when I traveled home the weekend of March 1. While there, I unexpectedly contracted a severe stomach virus that left me extremely sick and bedridden. I had initially planned to return to Kingston that same weekend, but my condition made that impossible. I remained at home, unable to study or complete schoolwork, and only returned to campus on March 9, having lost over a week of valuable academic time.

Just as I was trying to catch up from that setback, I fell ill again around March 20, this time with an illness that was likely COVID-19. My symptoms included a very high fever, intense fatigue, and a persistent cough, all of which made it impossible to function normally. I was again out of commission for about a week, this time during a critical period when final assignments were due and exam preparation was beginning. These back-to-back illnesses, within the most academically demanding month of the term, put me in a position where I was constantly behind, despite my best efforts to keep up.

To make matters more difficult, I was also navigating the uncertainty of the university strike. Like many students, I was confused and overwhelmed. I didn’t know if the assignments I was rushing to complete or the exams I was studying for would actually be counted. That ambiguity made it very difficult to stay motivated and focused. I felt as though I was working in the dark, unsure what was required of me or what would even matter in the end.

Lastly, I want to emphasize that I already have academic accommodations in place due to mental health challenges, specifically depression. Motivation and time management are already ongoing struggles that I work hard to manage each semester. The added strain of being physically ill and the mental stress brought on by the strike severely impacted my ability to function. I did my best to stay on top of things, but the circumstances this semester were beyond anything I’ve previously faced.

I care deeply about my academics. I am a driven student, already thinking ahead to graduate school, and maintaining a strong GPA is incredibly important to me. I have worked very hard over the years to build an academic record that reflects my potential. This one semester should not define my progress or limit future opportunities.

I would sincerely appreciate your consideration of my request to:
Grant credit standing for PSYC 203 (grade: B-)
Grant credit standing for PSYC 236 (grade: C)
Approve a late withdrawal from IDIS 280 (failed course)

In the documentation I will provide, I hope to confirm the timeline of my illness by providing texts with family members or friends, I hope to show why I was able to do better in my other classes by showing ongoing accommodations that my prof in my GNDS course was able to give me, and lastly I hope to show that I tried seeking that same accommodation from my IDIS professor but was denied. If there is any other documentation that would be of help please let me know.

Thank you very much for your time, understanding, and consideration.

Sincerely,
Lara Bogomolsky