Submit an Academic Petition or Appeal

Petition Letter: Dear Associate Dean of Studies:

I am appealing to request an aegrotat standing for ENGL200 for the reason of extenuating circumstances. Since the end of 2009, I have been suffering from clinical depression, which worsened with time. This continued until 2012, when, after many unsuccessful attempts to cope with the demands of schoolwork, I withdrew from Queen's University to take some time off to recover. The academic year of 2015-2016 was my first year back at Queen's University. I believe that due to residual effects of the illness, I was unable to write the ENGL200 exam.

Along with depression, I also experience crippling anxiety that is triggered by stress. With it being my first year back after a long hiatus, I was not accustomed to managing my time in a way that did not trigger my anxiety. ENGL200 was my last exam, and due to the stress accumulated until that point, I experienced debilitating anxiety that also caused me to relapse into depression. As a result, I was severely cognitively impaired, became bedridden, and was ultimately unable to write the exam.

With the exception of the exam, which counts for 30 of the grade, I have completed every element of the course at or above the mark of 85. Excluding ENGL200, I have an average of A+ this academic year. I am an extremely hardworking student and my instructor, Professor Ruth Wehlau, supports my aegrotat appeal because she believes that my current grade, due to the missed exam, reflects neither my ability nor the amount of effort I have put into the course. I have also completed the exams for my other two courses. The last time I was able to write an exam was in 2011, so I believe it to be evidence of improvement.

The steps I will take or have taken to ensure successful academic progress in the future are as followed:

1) Continue to work with Queen's Accessibility Services to arrange (and/or modify) necessary accommodations.
2) Continue to take a reduced course load.
3) Continue working with my psychiatrist to adjust my medications as needed.
4) Make use of a learning strategist to better allocate my time in a way that causes the least amount of stress and minimizes anxiety.
5) Utilize Queen's counselling services to better manage my anxiety.
6) Employ a psychologist or therapist for psychotherapy.
7) Changed program to one more appropriate for my condition; I believe that English was causing too much stress, so I switched from an English Honours to an English General.

I thank you for your time and consideration, and hope most earnestly that you will grant me this aegrotat standing.

Sincerely,
Angela Chung