Submit an Academic Petition or Appeal

Petition Letter: Joel Corbin 10051697
ACADEMIC APPEAL
Monday, June 16, 2014



Within this academic appeal I have the following files:
-A doctor¿¿s note explaining circumstances in first year
-A note pertaining to my fathers health
-A note pertaining to my grandmother¿¿s health
-Notice of retirement from my current family doctor
-In addition Pat Sheahan will be sending a confidential letter separately to be added to this list
-2014-2015 Academic plan

All of these notes pertain to information within the next few pages except the notice of retirement. Because of the time of his retirement I am unable to get any documentation from my doctor, like I had last year from him.




To the Associate Dean,
I am appealing the Faculty of Arts and Science decision to have me removed from school for a period of three years. I am wishing to be allowed to return as a part time student in the fall (9 units per semester) and have courses waived from my first year at Queens. I understand that going against previous appeals is not something the appeals boards tends to do but I am asking this as it will make it much more possible to succeed having this done.
Should it not be possible for these requests to be met I ask that I have the ability to advance my education whether it be through online courses or whatever means necessary.

Throughout my first two years at Queens I have struggled to progress academically. Coming in first year after a dismal end to my fifth year of high school, which saw me heavily dependent on drugs and alcohol I was not ready for such a leap. After having many blackouts in fits of rage which saw me getting very violent with family and friends everything came to a head. On February 2nd of 2012 after a conflict with my parents I walked into my bedroom and pulled a gun, which had been taken from my father and hidden under my bed, not only on myself but my parents. The gun had sat under the bed for a better part of 6 months, which I was tending to use on myself in order to end my life. After this incident it was evident I had a serious mental health issue. After a quick visit to ER the Doctor prescribed me some medication as well as counseling. For the next couple months I still struggled with suicidal tendencies all while keeping them to myself. After a particularly rough day of school I decided to tell my parents I was continuing to have these thoughts. At this time they said enough is enough and had me admitted to the Pembroke Hospitals Psych ward where I remained for a few days. Not overly excited to be there I rushed myself into getting out and doing so only hurt me as I didn¿¿t use the resources available to me. Shortly after all of these incidents I was accepted to Queens University. It changed my mood 100 I was now optimistic and wanting to live. After a better summer I arrived to Queens in the fall not only to be a student but as a varsity athlete for the Football team. After what was an amazing start to my career, which saw me dress the first four games and even start one, I was slowly on my way out. After a long summer of club football, an altercation with an alumni football player and the fact a player was returning at my position I was battling for a roster spot week in and week out and coming up short every week. After being a star player my whole life and a standout rookie for the first part of the season I had a hard time dealing with watching my teammates take the field every Saturday without me. This was not a good start to first year. Coupled with the fact I was losing an uncle to cancer and seeing my father struggle as he lost his first brother around the same time I quickly down spiraled. From this point on, I was unsuccessful in first year and things never really got any better.

After such low marks I was then asked to sit out a year of school to which I appealed successfully. Having done the appeal mostly myself without using any help (advisors, coaches, parents etc.) I failed to understand exactly what the appeal was doing for me. Although I was allowed to return, I initially though my first year would be erased courses and all. Unaware that courses had been dropped I started my plan of action to be successful the next time round. Having been a varsity athlete I contacted Valdis Thompson a man within the athletic department who was responsible for helping students academically. At this time Val, my mother and I signed a contract, which had various tasks I must complete in order to be successful. Shortly thereafter Val was no longer in his position and Andy Goodspeed had taken over. Andy, new in his position was unaware of the contract and we failed to meet it as a group throughout the school year.

Throughout my second year I struggled as well for many reasons. Towards the beginning of the year I found out an uncle of mine had been diagnosed with prostate cancer, the same disease that had killed my grandfather. This being said my father decided he should get checked as it had killed his father and was now ailing his brother. After a couple tests it was confirmed that my dad also had prostate cancer. To this day my dad is still battling and I am learning to deal with it day by day however the initial shock was terrible.

Having moved from residence into a house, I thought would be a good thing for myself, however this turned into yet another factor helping the depression brought on by my fathers diagnosis. In first year my three housemates and I decided on a very large house for the four of us. We signed the lease and only needed to send cheques to our landlord so I decided to make a trip home after the stressful endeavor. Once I returned I had gotten news that on housemate had gotten cold feet and felt the house was too far away. Within this time I went home my housemates panicked and signed a lease on an extremely small house much closer to campus, which I was never even able to as I had went home. I was assured I would be happy and decided to sign the lease. Moving into the house come September was a nightmare. At 6¿¿4 300lbs I was the largest person in the house and given such a small room I could only fit a single bed much to small for myself. There were holes in walls everywhere, missing ceiling tiles a kitchen in which only one person could be in at a time. This was far from the house I had originally signed for and was very upset with my roommate assuring me the house was just as good. Having moved out of the house now into a much nicer, much larger house I am feeling much more comfortable already.

On top of the fact I was living in a small house I was struggling with not being on the football team either. Living with three guys who are on the team and watching them leave for practice everyday while I remained at home was heart breaking. Something I was so passionate for I had to give up in order to be successful on school was a hard pill to swallow.

After yet another rough 1st semester I decided to turn things around. I began going to much more class doing more readings and assignment and my grades were the best they had been since leaving high school. I had received many good marks and was doing much better all while training with the football team in hopes of returning next year. Just as things were looking up my family and I had another huge scare. My grandma one night had decided to go outside in order to plug her block heater in for her car to be warm in the morning when she fell and broke her hip. This is the only grandparent I have had since the age of three and frankly is the only grandparent I can recall having. She sat outside cold for hours, reaching hypothermia and nearly dying. As if this were not enough my family was left to dry when she needed emergency surgery only to have to wait 60 to receive this emergency surgery. All of this happening as exams were beginning was just too much.

Having been to MHDS throughout the year it was decided that it was not for me. MHDS tends to be used short term and what I needed was long term counseling. I was given options within the Kingston to community to contact therapists however many had long waitlists and I contacted some and never heard back. That being said I needed to take responsibility and try and try again until I was successful.

With all my struggles behind me, yet remembered everyday, I am still well aware of what lies ahead and all that needs to be accomplished in order to succeed. In order to be successful I have put a plan in place. I am assembling a support group for myself. A group of people I will go to whenever things get weary. A team which includes a couple of understanding housemates, a Coach who I am no longer afraid to seek out to for help, my mother and in soon time a permanent long term counselor I intend on keeping for the remainder of school. On top of this support team I have decided to stay the summer in Kingston in order to take summer courses and better my marks as well as help smoothen the transition back into the school year should I be allowed to return come fall. I am taking every step necessary in order to ensure a successful school year and am willing to do whatever it takes to succeed come September.

Although I have had my bumps in the road, I am set on being a Queens graduate. I wish I could take the easy path to success but within these first two years at Queens University it just wasn¿¿t feasible. With the plan I have set in place and a supporting cast stronger than ever I am ready to succeed and represent this school with the utmost of my ability. I look forward to hearing your decision and hope to be back in September accomplishing all I hope.