Submit an Academic Petition or Appeal

Petition Letter: Dear Associate Dean (Studies),

I am writing to request to waive the requirement to withdraw for one year and to consider granting late drops due to failures in ENGL 200, ENGL 237, HIST 124, and Credit Standing in LAW 201.

I am requesting that the requirement to withdraw for one year be waived due to several extenuating circumstances over the past year. My mother passed away in March. A month later in April my best friend, Jenna Gazzola, was murdered. This can be confirmed online, as it is public knowledge. Her death has profoundly impacted me in many ways beyond the fact that she was my best friend ¿¿ she was a big sister and mentor in many ways, and is a large reason why I am at Queen¿¿s pursuing my dreams and further education. My mother¿¿s passing being so close to my best friend¿¿s passing has understandably been one of the most difficult, painful, and challenging experiences of my life to get through. I also have a severe chronic health condition which has required several hospitalizations over the past year. With all these things combined, I have experienced impaired concentration, focus, and energy. I have been dealing with mental heath difficulties with anxiety, depression, and difficulty sleeping. Due to my chronic physical health condition, I experienced severe chronic pain during flares, as well as several hospitalizations over the past year. During these times I was barely able to function due to pain and lack of mobility. I unfortunately was not well enough to deal with my own affairs, academic or otherwise.

The second request I am making is for you to please consider granting late drops due to failures in ENGL 200, ENGL 237, HIST 124, and Credit Standing in LAW 201 ¿¿ since I passed the course but earned a substantially lower grade due to my extenuating circumstances.

It has only been recently that my doctors and I have seen significant improvement in my physical and mental heath. This is due to new treatments being administered and adjustments made to previous ones. Should this appeal be granted: My doctor and I verily believe I am well enough to successfully continue my studies and that the condition is being effectively managed to make this possible. In conjunction with the above, I have also thought through an academic plan going forward. Should this appeal be granted, I plan on cutting back my workload my first semester back. I plan on only taking 3 courses this semester and then working my way back up to 5 next semester. I believe this would be wise so that I am not overwhelming myself or taking on too much in my first few months back at school. I would be very mindful of add/drop deadlines in the event that I feel the need to cut back. I find it would also be beneficial to put aside time for self-care and check-ins with myself, regularly. This is to help ensure I am not overwhelming myself, overstressed, or taking too much on. I plan on continuing being registered with disability services and utilizing services such as note taking and exam accommodations. I believe another important step is to frequently go to my professor¿¿s office hours, and keep an open dialogue with them about my situation and asking any questions I may have. I would also like to retake HIST 124 and ENGL 200 should late drops be granted. Lastly, I plan on maintaining appointments etc. with my medical professionals, including counseling. Further medical documentation has been included with this appeal.

Sincerely,
Eleonora Depew
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