Submit an Academic Petition or Appeal

Petition Letter: To Whom It May Concern,

Request to Drop Courses after Regular Drop Deadline

I am writing to request to drop courses after the regular academic drop deadline as per your approval letter I received on June 30, 2017. My specific request is to drop courses where I received a failing grade (total of 8 - PHYS P15, Devs 230, IDIS 302, CLST 205, Psyc 205, PSYC 241, PSYC 221, FRST 219). I have given much thought to my education at Queen's and would really like to see myself complete my degree. In order to help me with this it would greatly benefit me if the courses that I got a failing grade in could be dropped based on my extenuating medical situation. This would positively affect my GPA and allow me to graduate.

As noted in my previous letter and based on my medical documentation, I have been unwell for the past two and a half years or so. I started to feel unwell in the Winter 2014 term as is reflected by my grades where I got 4 Ds and 1 F. Then during the Summer of 2014 term, I took a lighter course load and was able to do well. In the Fall of 2014 term, my health took a major downturn and I had to drop two courses and get an aegrotat estimated grade in one course. At this point, I was seeing a Queen's counselor and was also an outpatient at Kingston General Hospital going for sessions every morning from 9am to 12pm with specialists and counselors.

During the Winter 2015 term due to my deteriorated health, I was forced to leave Kingston in early February and return home to Vancouver where I ended up spending almost 2 weeks in hospital from February 21st - March 4th, 2015. This hospitalization required me to drop all my courses, except one online course which I was determined to take in order to feel apart of Queen's. The medical recommendation from the hospital specialists was for me to see a specialized counselor from March 2015 to September 2015 in Vancouver and I continued with this by skype and telephone until late 2015. This was a very challenging time for me.

Still determined to continue my studies in Kingston, I returned to Queen's for the Fall term 2015 though it was challenging and I was still recuperating. This resulted in my failing one course, DEVS 230.

Feeling somewhat positive I took an almost full load of courses in the Winter term of 2016, I fell short of passing one of my four courses namely IDIS 302. I so wanted to take on as many courses as I could to graduate in 2017. Unfortunately, Summer term of 2016 was physically and mentally challenging for me and I was not successful in the two courses I had registered in CLST 205 and PSYC 205.

In the Fall of 2016, I thought I was doing better and I registered for five courses in order to catch up but failed PSYC 241 which was an all exam based course - this took a toll on me.

In Winter term 2017, I received a failing grade in FREN 219 (largely due to a late assignment not being graded) and PSYC 221. I was trying my best to cope with school during this term.

Since the Fall term of 2014 to present, I have been on medications that give me highs and lows and often side effects of insomnia, fatigue, low appetite and nausea. As reflected in my grades I have been able to get through some of my courses. I have now requested accommodations for my Summer term 2017 course and have found it to be very helpful. I hope going forward I can continue with the accommodation until I graduate from Queen's.


Your consideration and cooperation in this matter would very much be appreciated.

Sincerely,
Antalya Popatia