Submit an Academic Petition or Appeal

Petition Letter: Jenna Chasse
120 Toronto St.
Kingston, K7L 1A0

November 24, 2015

Associate Dean (Studies)
Queen¿¿s University
94 University Avenue
Kingston, K7L 3N6

Dear Associate Dean,

I am making an appeal to drop CHEM/ENCH 213. As of right now, I am a second year undergraduate student in the faculty of Arts and Science currently completing a Biology major. However, as of next semester I will be switching my major to Global Development and this course is not a requirement for the fulfillment of a Global Development major.

However, my reasons for appealing CHEM/ENCH 213 past the deadline date of November 6th are not because the course is no longer a requirement for an alternate major, but because I did not receive my midterm mark on Moodle until November 9th- three days after the drop date deadline. Prior to receiving this mark, I was unaware of how poorly I was doing in this course and therefore had no reason to be researching any information regarding dropping classes and deadline dates. I have also never been interested in dropping a course prior to CHEM/ENCH 213 making it understandable that I had no previous knowledge concerning important academic drop dates.

Immediately after receiving a severely low grade on my midterm, I accessed my Solus account in an attempt to drop the course only to find that the deadline had passed. Had I received this mark earlier, I would have realized my fate in the course, come to terms with my decision and immediately dropped the course before the deadline had passed. This was precisely my course of action after receiving my grade. Unfortunately, I was unable to do this. I am now forced to complete a course that I do not enjoy, I have been struggling with since September, is not required for my alternate major and I am fairly certain I will fail. This is all because I did not receive adequate feedback of my performance in the course until it was too late to actually drop it. This is very upsetting because the circumstance in which I was unable to drop the course before November 6th was completely out of my control.

My grandfather had also become quite ill in November, making it very difficult for me to focus on schoolwork. Already being extremely anxious and stressed about my marks and abilities in this course, news about my grandfather¿¿s sickness added to my emotional stress and hindered her ability to proceed with my studies. I was finding it difficult to attend labs and lectures and even get out of bed in the morning. I am still struggling with this, as my grandfather is still very ill. However, even after receiving this news I was determined to work hard. It wasn¿¿t until I received my midterm mark, that my mother and I both decided my best course of action would be to drop the course. My mother advised me that dropping this course would keep my mental health as strong as it could be in spite of the current circumstance surrounding my grandfather¿¿s sickness. However, by that time it was too late.

As previously mentioned, I am switching my major into Global Development studies this coming semester, in which CHEM/ENCH 213 is not a requirement. A failing grade in this chemistry course could be severely detrimental to my GPA and therefore hinder my acceptance into the department of Global Development. A cumulative GPA of 3.0 is a requirement of students entering into Global Development studies and I am very concerned that a failing grade in this course will affect my GPA so acutely as to place it below a 3.0 and ultimately deter me from being accepted into the major I wish to study.

While I am fully aware that fear of failing and dislike of a course are not considered acceptable reasons to be granted an appeal, I do know that failure to receive adequate feedback of your performance before the drop date and psychological impact of the course are both worthy of approval. The continuous stress and anxiety that accompany this course have affected my performance as a student so severely that I am now struggling to do well in most of my other courses this semester. I am usually able to handle a heavy workload and the pressures that accompany a hard semester, which is why I am naturally very upset by how severely this course is affecting my mental health. Along with the constant stress and anxiety I am feeling in an attempt to pass, I am also finding the workload far too heavy and the content beyond my capabilities as a science student. As soon as classes are over, I am planning on seeking professional help on campus before my exams start. I am hoping any counselling I receive will help me regain my mental health so I can properly prepare for exams.

While I love both Queen¿¿s University and the faculty of Arts and Science, it is very unsettling to know that I may be unable to drop this course because of a circumstance that was out of my control. Although this event has been extremely unsettling, it has made me far more aware of important academic dates. If I am granted this appeal, it will be very much appreciated. It will also provide some relief to my academic life and allow me to return to being the Queen¿¿s student that I know I am capable of being.


Sincerely,
Jenna Chasse