Submit an Academic Petition or Appeal

Petition Letter: Ungad Sangha
901 Farmleigh Road
West Vancouver, BC
V7S 1Z8
(604) 616-9204


Thursday, June 8, 2017


Johanne Benard, Ph.D.
Associate Dean (Studies)
Queens University
99 University Avenue
Kingston, Ontario
K7L 3N6

Dear Dr. Benard,

I am writing to you today to request an appeal to the decision that I withdraw from Queen¿¿s University for a period of one year. I would like to explain that what happened with my studies this year was not a reflection of the kind of student that I am, and layout to you the methods by which I have adjusted myself.

Throughout my secondary school studies I maintained good grades in addition to sports activities and extensive volunteering. My family is very academically focused and good grades were not only encouraged, but also expected. During my grade 11 and 12 years I was diagnosed with Glaucoma and had to have surgery to alleviate high ocular pressure, thus having to be absent from school. Even this summer I have had eye surgery to further correct my vision.

I did not let this interfere with my studies, but unfortunately, what has been happening with my family this year has affected me tremendously. Early in the school year my parents informed my brother and I that they would be separating after being together for 26 years. This is very difficult for any family, but for me it was devastating. I am very close with my parents; they are my core support system and I was distraught over what was happening. Being so far away from them and not really knowing what was happening took a toll on my emotions. I had great difficulty concentrating on my studies and, in fact, became very depressed and anxious. I contemplated, many times, leaving my studies and going home to try to make things better. I couldn¿¿t focus or even force myself to study and thus my marks suffered miserably. I went home for winter break to find that life at home was different, but I¿¿m glad I went because I was able to get a better grasp of what was going on. I was able to settle myself down with the help of my parents and grandparents, and talking things out with my brother. I learned that he had been having an equally difficult time with his studies (he is a fourth year medical student) but he was able to continue because he was too busy to think about all this.

My anxieties continued upon returning to school, but I tried my best to force myself to concentrate on my studies. It wasn¿¿t till I went home at reading break that I was able to resolve some of my issues as my parent¿¿s situation was becoming amicable and I could come to terms with what was going on. Unfortunately, by this time, it was too late to have any success with my schoolwork.

I have been home now for over a month and have resolved to get my life back on track. I am enrolled in three of Queen¿¿s online courses (Chemistry, Calculus and biology) this summer and have been able to reestablish the clarity in my learning that I had during my best years of high school. At this point I believe that taking time away from school will only serve to slow the momentum that I have worked hard to regain. I think that taking a year off of studies will offset my long-term academic goals and will have a negative impact on my learning. I am determined to be the student I was before all of this happened. I want to look at life in the long term, and work toward academic success.

If I am allowed to return to Queens in the Fall, I plan to take three courses and regularly work with tutors to ensure that my marks are strong. By not burdening myself with too many courses, I will be less likely to become overwhelmed. I can focus on just those three courses and rebuild confidence in my abilities. Upon successfully completing these courses, I plan to go back to a full class load. It is true my personal problems still linger, but I am learning to deal with them better. I am determined to achieve success with my studies and realize my academic goals.

I know my situation may not seem exceptionally severe, but for me it has been a very trying time. I had never experienced such pain and heartache in my life, and that is why I had such a hard time dealing with it. During this summer break I am continuing to work on myself and on my studies. Please be reassured that if you allow me to return to studies I will focus and work hard to ensure that I will achieve and maintain a much stronger standing in my classes.

Thank you for the opportunity to explain my situation to you. My goal is to redeem myself in the eyes of my family and my school. Please know that if I am allowed to return, I will do everything in my power to prevent this situation from ever reoccurring. I would like to submit, for your reference, a letter from my family physician to give you an idea of my character. I am not able to get you a current letter as he suddenly passed away just a few weeks ago. Should you have any questions or concerns, please do not hesitate to contact me at your convenience.

Sincerely,


Ungad Sangha