Submit an Academic Petition or Appeal

Petition Letter: Dear Associate Dean,

I am appealing to finish my Bachelor of Honors degree in History at the University of Calgary for my fourth and final year.

I have greatly appreciated the opportunity to have spent the last three years at Queens University and have gained much knowledge from my time here. After much deliberation, I feel I am unable to complete my final year at Queens due to extenuating circumstances. My current struggles are negatively impacting my current academic performance and general wellbeing and will hinder me from reaching my full potential going forward.

I have struggled with anxiety since I was a senior in high school. I began seeing Dr. Hillen, a therapist, during my second year at Queens. I have been fortunate to have spent the last three summers with my partners family in Calgary. The stability and routine I experience in this home environment has definitely helped me feel more grounded and self assured. Since returning to Kingston in September 2015, for my third academic year, I have again experienced significant stress and anxiety. These struggles have had an adverse effect on me both academically and personally. I have struggled at times completing assignments on time and attending all my classes. On a number of occasions, I have had to confide in my professors in order to receive extensions on assignments.

I have been in a long term relationship since 2012; living together since May 2013 in both Kingston and Calgary. Due to extenuating circumstances, my partner will not be returning to Queens in the fall to complete his 4th year of his Honours degree. I have become increasingly anxious at the thought of returning to Kingston alone to complete my final year which I fear will only further impact my academic performance and personal health. The stress alone of finishing my last year under these circumstances has already been reflected through my grades. I have been in discussions with my doctor, and it is felt that living in a home environment with my common law partner for my final year of schooling would be in my overall best interest. For reference, I have attached Dr. McNallys medical note. I believe that by remaining in Calgary next year in a home environment with family support will ultimately benefit both my academics and my mental stability. I also plan to continue seeking medical treatment.

As I have been advised, in order for me to finish my last year at the University of Calgary, and still retain my Queens degree, I need to obtain permission from the Undergraduate Chair of the History department to attend the University of Calgary as a visiting student. I also need approval that the courses I would be taking would count towards my degree at Queens. On that matter, I have gone through Calgarys Fall 2016 and Winter 2017 class offerings, and have created a plan that will allow me to finish my degree as a visiting student at the University of Calgary. In order to obtain my Bachelor of Arts Honours from Queens University I need a total of 114 credits. I currently have 91.50 credits and need only 22.50 more. The units I have left include 13.50 core seminar courses and 9.50 elective courses. I have satisfied all of the other requirements to obtain my honors degree in history. I believe the attached list of courses offered at the University of Calgary will satisfy my remaining requirements here at Queens. Further, given that most of these courses I have chosen have been previously approved by Queens, I am fairly certain that all the 22.50 credits will be transferable to Queens and count towards my degree. Both Professor McNairn (Associate Professor), and Professor DElia (Undergraduate Chair), have given me the History Departments approval to complete my final year at the University of Calgary. I have attached a letter of support as documentation of the departments approval.

I hope that you can understand and support this difficult decision to finish my degree in Calgary. Though I have gained so much from my time at Queens I feel that it is now both academically and personally necessary to make this transition. I appreciate your time and attention to this matter and anxiously await your response.

Sincerely,
Kristen Riso