Submit an Academic Petition or Appeal

Petition Letter: Dear Associate Dean of Life Science,

I am appealing to drop PATH 310 (Winter, 2017) and BCHM 310 (Fall-Winter, 2016-2017).

Throughout this year, I have been experiencing insomnia to the point where I am unable to focus on my studies. My insomnia has first developed when I came to Queen's and it has gotten worse over time. It has developed to the point that I am unable to concentrate on course material due to lack of sleep. One instance was when I couldn't sleep for three nights to the point that I was experiencing blurry vision, so I stayed in bed for more than a day in attempt to get some sleep. This caused me to miss the deadline for an assignment and it was too late to submit the assignment because of the accumulated late points. Similar instances have been occurring over the year where I am unable to properly study for a test or midterm resulting in a poor grade. Regarding PATH 310, I had initially planned to drop the course after I had missed the first assignment however I had a lot of catching up to do in my other courses that I had missed the initial drop date. To counter my insomnia, I have been changing my behaviour to improve my sleep (such as not consuming coffee or energy drinks), and taking over-the-counter sleeping aids. However, this seems to have little effect on me as my sleeping habits have not changed.

In the future, I plan to change my plan to Biology so that I can show my best in my studies. I believe changing my plan will give me more chances to take electives that have lighter course loads. I also believe that changing my plan may help with my insomnia as it may be less stressful and the people in Biology seem to be a lot more friendly than those in Life Science. I also plan to consult with an academic advisor, regarding the plan change, and a doctor, to help me with my sleeping issues, before the end of the term.

Regards,
Kiruthika Varathanathan