Submit an Academic Petition or Appeal

Petition Letter: Dear Associate Dean,

This letter is to petition for credit standing for courses I took during the Fall/Winter 2024–2025 and Winter 2025 terms. The courses in question are MATH 121, BIOL 103, and CISC 121.

The main factors behind my decision to petition are the TA strike that occurred during that time and my mental health.

The strike significantly impacted these courses. Final examinations had to be changed, grades were not able to be returned on time, and several labs were cancelled. Overall, it was a confusing and stressful period for myself. Combined with my mental health challenges, this caused me considerable anxiety, as it became difficult to determine where I stood in terms of my grades in the courses.

When I am unable to see how I am performing in a course, it affects me greatly. Seeing that my work is strong provides me with motivation and reassurance, but when I cannot determine whether the work I have been producing is excellent or poor, I tend to overthink and lose confidence, which in turn impacts the quality of my future work.

I believe the impact of these circumstances is reflected in the significant improvement of my marks during the Summer 2025 term, where I received an A+, an A, and an A-, which is the level of work I truly believe I am now capable of producing.

I am confident that the strike was a one-time occurrence and will not affect my academic performance in the future. Since the summer term, and now into the Fall 2025 term, I have been feeling much better about myself and the work I am producing. I have also reduced my course load for Winter 2026, as recommended in my previous petition, which should help me continue on a successful path.

Sincerely,
Jordan Yates