Submit an Academic Petition or Appeal

Petition Letter: Dear Associate Dean,

I am writing to respectfully request consideration for a deferred examination in PSYC 305 due to serious extenuating circumstances that significantly affected my academic performance and my ability to complete the exam.
Over the past several months, I have been dealing with an extremely difficult and unstable personal situation. One of the most serious events involved my middle son, who attempted suicide twice after his father abruptly cut off all contact with him. During this period, my son required urgent emotional and psychological support, and I was heavily involved in ensuring he received the care and intervention he needed.
At the same time, I have also experienced severe financial hardship throughout the academic year. I had already reached my debt ceiling with AFE in Quebec, which created ongoing financial instability and significant stress while trying to continue my studies and support my family.
In addition, I have been subjected to ongoing harassment and stalking by a violent former partner, which has escalated considerably over the past six months. I have filed multiple police reports regarding his behaviour.

Although he has been arrested several times, he has repeatedly been released and has continued violating the conditions imposed on him. I am currently working with the SPVM, CAVAC, IVAC, as well as Crown prosecutors in an effort to stop the ongoing stalking and harassment legally and to pursue the appropriate legal protections and victim support services available to me. The constant fear, stress, and unpredictability of the situation have had a serious impact on my mental and physical health.

As a result of these circumstances, I developed severe anxiety, insomnia, memory and concentration difficulties, and a weakened immune system, including recurring sinus infections caused by prolonged stress and exhaustion. These issues directly affected my ability to focus, retain course material, study effectively, and perform at my normal academic level during the period leading up to the PSYC 305 examination.

I am requesting this consideration to complete PSYC 305 successfully and finish my degree. I had originally planned to write the examination on May 21st; however, the night before the exam, I spent approximately three and a half hours at the police station filing yet another report regarding my former partner. He had been camped outside my home in direct violation of the conditions of his arrest.

The incident left me extremely distressed, emotionally shaken, and fearful for my safety. At that point, I was afraid to leave my home and unable to focus mentally or emotionally on completing an important final examination. Given the ongoing nature of the harassment and repeated breaches of his conditions, the stress and anxiety had become overwhelming and directly interfered with my ability to perform academically during that specific time.
Despite these challenges, I made every effort to continue with my academic responsibilities while also supporting my family and addressing ongoing safety concerns. I sought assistance through legal and police channels and focused on ensuring my son received appropriate care and support. However, the cumulative impact of these circumstances became overwhelming and significantly compromised my academic functioning during the exam period.
I would respectfully request the opportunity to write the deferred PSYC 305 examination at the end of the Summer 2026 term. I am currently completing the final courses required for my degree, and PSYC 305 is one of the last remaining requirements needed to complete my program successfully.

One of my current courses concludes in mid-June, while the second finishes at the end of July. By the end of those summer terms, I will be in a significantly more stable position, both academically and personally, allowing me to dedicate my full attention to preparing for the examination. Additionally, with my children out of school during the summer months, I will no longer have the daily responsibilities of transporting them to and from school and assisting with school-related obligations. This will provide me with the necessary time and focus to prepare for and complete the final exam adequately.

I am committed to completing my degree and believe that being granted the opportunity to write the examination at the end of the summer term would give me a fair opportunity to demonstrate my knowledge and abilities under more stable circumstances.

I sincerely value my education and take my academic responsibilities seriously. Under normal circumstances, I would not have requested special consideration. I respectfully ask that my situation and the severity of these extenuating circumstances be taken into account in considering my request for a continued deferred examination for PSYC 305.
Thank you for your time, understanding, and consideration. I am willing to provide any supporting documentation if required.
Sincerely,
Claire-Elizabeth Djaballah