Submit an Academic Petition or Appeal

Petition Letter: To whom it may concern,

I am writing to request a late withdrawal from my Fall course due to significant medical and mental health circumstances that have affected my ability to meet the academic requirements of the term.

In early June, I underwent major hip surgery (hip arthroscopy) following a serious injury after working for years as a professional dancer. In the summer, I developed a DVT complication during recovery. Additionally, I lost my job that I had worked for years to get because of my injury and have been struggling financially since then, having to rely on family and loans for tuition and income.

I have worked extremely hard to recover since these events; however, my mental health has been really struggling and I find myself dealing with symptoms of anxiety and depression, especially since September and October when I heard from my physical therapist that I likely would never dance at the same level or even might need a hip replacement. Since then, I have been experiencing ongoing symptoms, including persistent fatigue, migraines with aura (2–3 times per week), heart palpitations, stress-related rashes, and difficulty concentrating (especially due to migraines. I have been emotionally overwhelmed and struggling with the sadness and loss of identity and direction related to an unexpected and abrupt end to my dance career. These symptoms, especially dealing with migraines, palpitations and chronic fatigue, made it extremely hard to even look at a screen for extended periods of time.

These symptoms have significantly affected my ability to study, attend to coursework, and prepare for the upcoming exam. I attempted to continue with the course because finding a new direction and making the best out of my situation is really important to me, but my condition worsened throughout the term, and I was not able to seek accommodations earlier due to the unforeseen nature of my recovery and mental health challenges. I did not realize I was potentially struggling with mental health problems until I recently got a family doctor and she suggested I seek counselling.

I understand the deadline to withdraw without academic penalty has passed. However, I am requesting consideration for a late withdrawal or another reasonable accommodation, as my circumstances were beyond my control and medically substantiated. I have documentation of my surgery and deep vein thrombosis; however, I am currently in the process of obtaining documentation from my healthcare providers regarding my mental health issues and will submit it as soon as possible. It would be my preference to receive a late withdrawal and then hopefully retake the course when I am back to my normal self with the health that will enable me to learn as well as I know I can when I am not experiencing significant distress.

If you require any additional information or if there are specific forms I should complete, please let me know. I am trying to be proactive and I have an appointment with a mental health physician on Dec. 3rd, 2025, so if you have any specific forms that they could fill out that would be helpful information to know. I have also taken steps to withdraw from winter 2026 term courses so this issue does not happen again. I appreciate your time and compassion during this difficult period.

Sincerely,
Samantha Aymong