Submit an Academic Petition or Appeal

Petition Letter: Dear Associate Dean Academic / Academic Petitions Committee,

I hope you are doing well. My name is Adchaiyan Asokkanth, and I am writing to respectfully submit an academic petition requesting an extension of my deferred ECON final exam to the second deferred exam period in September.

I understand that a deferred final exam cannot be deferred again through the regular Academic Consideration process, and that a second deferral must be requested through an Academic Petition to the Associate Dean Academic. I am submitting this request because I have been dealing with significant extenuating circumstances involving bereavement, grief, and the serious impact these events have had on my mental health and ability to prepare for my exam.

Recently, I lost a close friend from my high school. He was born in 2009 and was two years younger than me, but he was someone I knew personally and was close with. His passing has been extremely difficult for me to process. This loss has affected me deeply, and I have found it very hard to focus, study, and mentally prepare for my deferred ECON exam.

This situation has been especially difficult because it is not the only loss I have experienced during my first year of university. Over the past six months, I have lost three close friends in total. Two of these deaths were suicides, and one was the result of a car accident. Experiencing this much loss in such a short period of time has been overwhelming, and it has taken a serious toll on my mental and emotional well-being.

I have genuinely tried to keep moving forward and continue preparing for the exam, but I do not feel that I am currently in a mental state where I can properly study or perform to the best of my ability. My focus, motivation, and ability to retain information have all been affected by the grief and stress I have been experiencing. I am not trying to avoid my academic responsibilities. I am asking for this extension because I want the opportunity to write the exam when I am in a healthier and more stable position to properly prepare.

This exam is also extremely important to me academically. I need to achieve a 70% in ECON in order to be accepted into the Economics major for next year. I care a lot about continuing in this program, and I want my exam performance to reflect my actual understanding and effort, rather than the mental health challenges I am currently facing as a result of these losses.

For these reasons, I am respectfully requesting permission to defer my ECON final exam to the second deferred exam period in September. I believe this additional time would allow me to seek support, regain stability, and properly prepare for the exam.

Regarding supporting documentation, I understand that documentation is normally required for an academic petition. However, I am not fully sure what exact documentation would be expected or considered appropriate in my situation, especially because this involves both bereavement and the impact that grief has had on my mental health. I would be very grateful for any guidance on what I should provide. I want to make sure I follow the correct process respectfully and properly, and I would appreciate any direction on what documentation would best meet the requirements.

Thank you very much for taking the time to read and consider my petition. I truly appreciate your understanding during what has been an extremely difficult time. I am committed to continuing my studies and doing well in ECON, and I am asking for this extension so that I can have a fair opportunity to write the exam when I am able to prepare properly.

Kind regards,
Adchaiyan Asokkanth