Submit an Academic Petition or Appeal

Petition Letter: Dear Associate Dean (Studies),

My name is Katrina Wilson and I am appealing to the faculty to obtain Aegrotat standing. Unfortunately, I do not believe that I will be able to complete final examinations to the best of my academic abilities and as such am looking to have my unique needs met. The courses that I would like to receive Aegrotat standing for are PSYC 235, PSYC 215, PSYC 203, and POLS 261.
On Friday March 31st 2017, I was admitted into Kingston General Hospital ER with abdominal pain. As the day progressed my health deteriorated and it was determined that I had acute appendicitis and as such would require surgery. In line with these requirements an appendectomy was performed in the evening of the 31st and I was kept in hospital overnight. On April 1st, I was discharged from the hospital to continue my recovery. At the time of my discharge I was given prescription pain killers to cope with while the incisions healed. These pain killers are not intended for extended use, as such the prescription will end before exams are to begin; however, I was instructed to take Tylenol if pain persists past the end of my prescription.
These circumstances will affect my abilities to not only write final exams but also study for these exams. This term I have five exams and I feel as though the workload while I am recovering will be too much and this will reflect poorly on my grades. Before I was discharged from the hospital my surgeon was explaining to me what to expect while I am recovering. One of the expectations that was mentioned was a lack of energy that would last for at least one month. I have found that doing school work, including studying, has been very difficult. I find myself feeling very tired shortly after beginning work and this affects my ability to retain the information. This lethargy will negatively impact my ability to study for the exams but it will also impact my ability to write exams. Currently, the length which I can work effectively before running out of energy is 30 minutes. The consequences of this lack of energy will be profound on my final exams. Aside from energy, I will also have to deal with the pain associated with my incisions. While they are on the mend, I find it difficult to sit up straight for extended periods of time. Leaning forward to write exams will put strain on my incisions and cause me pain. This pain will affect my ability to concentrate while writing my exams.
I do plan to write one exam, PSYC 221, as the exam is worth 41 which would not qualify for acceptance according to the appeal regulations. Even though this exam does not qualify I do feel confident in the material and feel that I could accomplish a good grade taking this exam (even more so if I don't have to worry about my other exams, I could focus my energy into studying for this exam). Also, I have registered with Accessibility Services and would be receiving accommodations in order to complete this exam to the best of my ability. After this term is completed, I am enrolled in a summer course from May to July which I plan to continue remaining enrolled in. I will be returning for the 2017-2018 academic year in full force. By that time, I will be fully healed and ready to continue my studies without hindrance from medical problems.

Thank you for your time,
Katrina Wilson