Submit an Academic Petition or Appeal

Petition Letter: Wednesday, May 18, 2016
Dear Associate Dean (Studies),

I am appealing to drop MATH 121, taught online which is a six-unit course in the summer term of 2016.

My name is Molly Schaefler and I just completed second year, as an art history major. I decided to take MATH 121 this summer because I wanted to change my major to geology. In order to maintain a geology degree with a BSC, MATH 121 is mandatory. This past winter term I was recently in and out of the hospital for over a month due to an unexpected medical emergency. My team of doctors suggest I take it easy and reduce all stress levels if possible the remainder of the year, which I did. In early April I submitted an appeal for a three-unit course because missing so much school had me fall very far behind and miss numerous tutorials and iClicker questions in class. That appeal was granted and I thought I would be able to makeup for the missed credit, by taking one in the summer. Unfortunately the stress of having to get caught up (in terms of switching to geology) was too much for my health in which I have to carefully maintain ever since my hospitalization.The side effects from my medication are currently beyond my control and the added stress of this heavy course load is not possible this summer. Since I had not officially switched programs, not having MATH 121 will not be an issue now that I will be staying as an art history major. I missed the drop deadline in terms of the financial penalty, which was May 13th because at that time, I still thought taking the online course was doable. After struggling to get through this week of the MATH 121 online work, I have come to terms with the fact that it being a full year course and needing to be completed from May-July is not possible for myself as I am still trying to get better. The medicine I have been put on from my team of doctors has side effects of being extremely tired, this causing an issue for trying to complete the six-unit course in a short period of time.

This fall, I plan on trying to take a full course load, in which I think is very manageable as my health will be much better by then and I will be off of my medication. That being said, I plan on taking a couple first year geology courses in hopes of trying to complete a minor in geology (which does not involve MATH 121). I still plan on taking an online course each semester while back in Kingston, as I find it helps with my overall course load.

Attached are two letters, one from my family physician and one from Sunnybrook Health Sciences Centre where I was admitted in February.