Submit an Academic Petition or Appeal

Petition Letter: Dear Associate Dean,

My name is Yashmita Sharma (20534981), and I am a direct-entry first-year student in the Life Sciences and Biochemistry program. I am respectfully petitioning for Credit Standing in PHYS 115 (Fall, 2025), MATH 130 (Fall, 2025), BIOL 102 (Fall, 2025), CHIN 100 (Fall and Winter, 2025-26), CHEM 112 (Fall and Winter, 2025-26), BIOL 103 (Winter, 2026), and PATH 120 (Winter, 2026) due to an extenuating circumstance that occurred in October 2025, which significantly impacted my academic performance during the Fall and Winter semesters.

On October 31st, 2025, I was sexually assaulted on campus by another student. Following this traumatic event, I experienced significant emotional and psychological distress, which made daily tasks and academic responsibilities extremely difficult to manage. The impact on my mental health greatly affected my ability to perform academically throughout the remainder of the academic year. This is reflected in my grades, especially for courses with high workloads.

After the incident, I reached out to my Don and reported what had happened. In February, I also contacted the SVPRS office to begin reporting and accessing support services, as my well-being and academic performance had declined significantly. Although the academic considerations and support I later received were helpful, the damage to my academic standing and cumulative GPA had already become significant.

I was performing at a much higher academic level before the incident, and my final grades do not accurately reflect my capabilities or understanding of the course material. PHYS 100 and MATH 130 were my heaviest workload courses during the Fall semester, when the incident had a significant impact on me. BIOL 102/BIOL 103, CHIN 100, and CHEM 112 are full-year courses, and the difficulties I faced in the first semester affected my foundational concept learning, which carried into the Winter semester. The academic impact from the fall semester remained significant enough to continue to affect my cumulative GPA and academic standing even after the winter semester. As these circumstances were entirely beyond my control, I respectfully request that I be considered for Credit Standing for the affected courses listed above.

It has been a dream of mine for years to pursue the Life Sciences Honours program at Queen's University, and I am deeply passionate about my studies. I do not want circumstances that were entirely beyond my control, and the trauma that resulted from them, to permanently affect my academic standing or prevent me from continuing in the program I have worked so hard to pursue.

Since the incident, I have received support through the university, which I am extremely grateful for, and I have taken steps to address the impact this experience has had on both my academics and mental health. Moving forward, I intend to continue using university support resources and academic supports to ensure I can successfully continue my studies. I also intend to reach out to my family doctor for further support as I continue working toward recovery and academic success.

Thank you very much for your time and consideration. I deeply appreciate the opportunity to petition for Credit Standing, and I would be happy to provide any additional information or documentation that may assist in the review of my petition.

Sincerely,
Yashmita Sharma