Submit an Academic Petition or Appeal

Petition Letter: To: Dr. Johanne Bénard; Associate Dean (Studies)

I Nicholas Scott Duffy (Student ID 20016957) am writing this letter in hope of your consideration. I am appealing the final grade of F in my course MATH 121B (Fall 2016) because of extenuating circumstances beyond my control. I completed the course but I believe that the final grade of F I received is due in large part to my grandmother¿¿s poor health and the effects this had on me.
My grandmother has always been a healthy and independent woman. She is currently 93 years of age and until November 04, 2016, when she was admitted into Newmarket hospital for congestive heart failure she had been in good health considering her age. She since then she has been hospitalized several times and has had many falls. My grandmother Teresa is currently a permanent resident at a palliative nursing home and has since stabilized. However, she remains terminally ill with a multiple diagnosis of atrial fibrillation, hyper tension and renal failure. My grandmother and I are very close, and until September of 2016 I had never lived away from home and my family. I know that I am capable of academic success and the grade that I received was due, in part to the psychological stress during this period. She was hospitalized multiple times and moved to two separate nursing homes. At times, I wondered if I would ever get to see her again and say goodbye to her. This greatly affected my ability to focus on my studies, and struggle with insomnia from my school work and problems with my family. I believe that this decreased my ability to focus and obtain the academic success I know that I am capable of.
My future plans to achieve academic success should this appeal be granted or denied is to live at home this year to allow me to be near my palliative grandmother and continue my studies of second year online. This would allow me to further my studies, improve my GPA all while being able to visit my grandmother on a weekly basis without sacrificing my studies. While her condition has become stabilized, due to her old age and poor health conditions she could have another hospitalization and I would be able to visit her without worrying about missing lectures, notes, tests, assignments and examinations.
I appreciate your time and consideration and hope to be able to continue my studies at Queen¿¿s university for many years to come. For any further questions or concerns contact doctor Sheira Haq at 905-471-5300 and she will be able to confirm and provide specific details on anything you may be wondering about. Again, thank you for your consideration.
Sincerely,
Nicholas Scott Duffy (20016957)