Submit an Academic Petition or Appeal

Petition Letter: Kennedy Everitt
42577 Hwy 3
Wainfleet, L0S 1V0

December 4, 2015

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

Dear Associate Dean,

I¿¿m writing this letter to you as an appeal to drop my CHEM213 course. I am making the decision to let go of this course because circumstances that are out of my control have caused my grades and mental health to be severely affected. I¿¿m currently in my second year at Queen¿¿s working towards my major in Biology, and I am normally an excellent student with ideal study habits and a positive outlook. Unfortunately, since taking this chemistry course I have been unable to perform up to my normal standards.

I realize that my appeal to be removed from this course is exceptionally late in the semester, but I have become mentally unhealthy and unstable and am concerned for both my career as a student here at Queen¿¿s as well as for my health as a young adult. On the weekend of October 3rd of 2015, my family at home in Niagara contacted me about a family emergency that called for me to return home unexpectedly. This was also the same weekend in which a large lab report was due, and I was ultimately unable to put my best efforts and attention into my report. Being set behind by this one assignment caused a tremendous amount of set back for me. Stressed with both the workload, as well as stressed for my family back at home, my grades have not been reflective of what I know I am capable of normally doing.

This stress had also followed me into my midterm, where I was yet again unable to receive a passing mark. I did not receive my grade in the midterm until November 9th, which was 3 days past the drop deadline. Immediately after checking this mark on Moodle, I went to my Solus account with the intention to drop this course knowing that I would be unable to turn this course around. Once I realized I had just missed the course drop deadline, my anxiety in this course increased ten-fold. Being the determined student that I know I am, I tried to salvage this course by seeking out tutoring help from other students, but my efforts proved pointless. Though I tried to better myself in this course, my anxiety and mental health has really set me back. I haven¿¿t been able to allocate my time fairly to my other courses and feel trapped in an endless cycle of failing grades. Being in CHEM213 has impacted me mentally in a way I¿¿ve never experienced academically before.

I know I can do better in my future at Queen¿¿s, but in my immediate future I¿¿m concerned my mental stability will hinder me in my last few assignments and exam in CHEM213. I am not afraid to accept the consequences of poor marks, but I feel as though the marks I¿¿ve been receiving in CHEM213 are directly reflective of the family emergency I experienced in October and that the events ensuing have been out of my control. I very much love and appreciate being a student here at Queen¿¿s, but I worry this course, if I remain in it, will hold me back from achieving the success I know I can obtain. Should I be removed from CHEM213, I would be extremely thankful, and I know I will be much more aware of academic deadlines in the future.

Being removed from this course will definitely not be detrimental to my path to graduation. CHEM213 is not a requirement for my Biology major, and I lose no educational value by being exempt from this course. Though being removed from this course would mean being 3.0 credits behind my peers, I know I am a very capable student, and would be able to make up for this course by taking a much more suiting one in a summer semester. I plan on going into my third year at Queen¿¿s taking the Organic Chemistry course 281; a chemistry course I know I would excel at. My path to graduation would be a much smoother one knowing I was exempt from CHEM213, and instead taking CHEM281 while taking a course of interest in a summer semester. Being in CHEM213 was a poor fit that¿¿s effects were amplified by the unfortunate and unforeseen events of the past few months, and I strongly believe my mental health and grades would improve outside of this course.

Thank you so much for taking time to consider my appeal, I appreciate your consideration greatly.

Sincerely,
Kennedy Everitt