Submit an Academic Petition or Appeal

Petition Letter: Dear Assistant Dean Dr. Dorit Naaman,

My name is Trinity Hua (20430236), and I am a third-year Applied Economics student with a minor in Philosophy. I am writing to formally petition for Credit (CR) standing in two courses, ECON 250 and PHIL 246 (Fall, 2025), due to extenuating circumstances. During the Fall 2025 Reading Week, I suffered a severe concussion, which significantly affected my ability to complete coursework and final exams to my full potential.

I am deeply committed to my academics, and the grades that I received in these courses do not reflect my usual performance. After my second year, I held a 3.6 GPA. Unfortunately, during this exam period, I was not in a cognitive state where I could perform to the capabilities that reflect my usual standards.

During fall reading week, I suffered a severe concussion, for which I received medical attention immediately, and implemented a treatment plan to get better. However, since this was not my first concussion, I was advised that recovery could take an extended period. And that I would need to carefully manage my cognitive and sensory strain. From October through mid-December, I experienced significant symptoms, including sensitivity to light, noise, difficulty concentrating, visual strain, nausea, and headaches when exposed to prolonged stimulus. These symptoms worsened as the day progressed, making sustained reading, studying, and exam preparation especially difficult. Additionally, facing impacts from memory problems and cognitive limitations which placed massive impact on my everyday schoolwork.

Throughout the semester, I attempted to manage these challenges by seeking academic support and communicating with the university. I contacted my academic advisor, submitted long-term academic considerations, and informed each of my professors about my condition. I attempted to attend classes when possible while managing symptoms with breaks, noise-cancelling headphones, and other adjustments. However, despite these efforts, I was still unable to attend classes in a way that was productive for my healing and learning. I reached out to student services, and they were supportive in helping me get immediate help available under the circumstances.

Despite these efforts, two courses, ECON 250 and PHIL 246, were particularly affected by my condition. Both courses relied heavily on in-person attendance, with limited-to-no online material available. When I was unable to attend these courses, I am requesting.

ECON 250 was held in a large lecture hall with limited posted materials, which made keeping up with the content difficult when my symptoms prevented attendance. The final exam, scheduled from 5:30 -10:00 pm on December 9th, was also my first exam following the concussion. Although I was provided accommodations, I struggled significantly with focus, recall, and sensory sensitivity during the exam. This being my first exam, I had not yet adjusted to the type of sustained focus required, and the evening timing made concentration more difficult after a full day of cognitive effort.

PHIL 246 presented similar challenges, as it was scheduled from 6:30 - 9:30 PM, when my symptoms were typically at their worst after a long day. The course grade also relied significantly on attendance and participation during these evening lectures, making it difficult for me to perform at a level that reflected my abilities. In speaking with the professor and explaining my circumstances, they indicated that it was unlikely I would be able to pass the class under these new conditions and suggested that I apply for aggregate standing to remove the second half of the participation grade from my overall class grade. After careful consideration, I decided to continue to the best of my abilities; however, due to my circumstances, I was unable to meet my expectations and was limited in my ability to interact with the class material at the rate I normally would’ve been able to. Because of the results of my constraints, I’d like to request credit standing.

Later in the exam period, I began to see a gradual improvement in my overall cognitive function, which was reflected in other classes. My final exam on December 17th (ECON 310), written earlier in the afternoon, more accurately reflected my academic abilities. This demonstrated that the concussion significantly impaired my earlier performance and that my recovery simply required more time. My transcript is evidence that I care about my studies, I enjoy learning, and I work hard to achieve my goals. I am studying two subjects that I am passionate about. It is important to me that my academic record reflects the effort and engagement I constantly apply to my coursework.

Thank you for taking the time to consider my petition. I appreciate the Faculty’s willingness to support students experiencing unforeseen circumstances. Please let me know if any additional documentation or information would assist in your review.

Sincerely,
Trinity Hua
20430236