Submit an Academic Petition or Appeal

Petition Letter: Dear Dr. Johanne Bénard,

My name is Alexandra Watson, and I am a 5th year History and Religious Studies (medial) student at Queen¿¿s University. I am appealing to drop HIST 515 late (fall/winter 2017). I have not completed this course because, due to extenuating circumstances, I deferred the project in April 2017 and took an Incomplete grade. Though I was hopeful that my situation would improve, it has worsened over the summer and as a result I am not able to complete the remainder of this course.

Over the course of my university career, I have struggled with symptoms of anxiety and depression that have gotten consistently worse over time. Over the past two years in particular, my ability to manage academic, work, and social responsibilities has declined dramatically. I have struggled to complete coursework, and very often handed in assignments late, or not at all. This has been detrimental to my academic performance, though I did not begin to acknowledge the severity and legitimacy of my situation until Summer 2016. The anxiety I experienced began to make me physically sick, and I was unable to manage work and academic responsibilities. I took time off of work in order to complete my summer courses, and attended several therapy sessions. Throughout Fall Semester 2016 my condition worsened, and my ability to submit assignments on time (or at all) continued to decline. It was not until Winter Semester 2017 that I found the support and resources necessary to realize that my condition was destroying my academic standing. I sought help with Queen¿¿s Health Services, and was eventually prescribed antidepressants to aid in my recovery.

In March 2017, my closest friend attempted suicide multiple times. My priority became her well-being, and I have been offering her my support since March to ensure that her life is not at stake. This has taken a severe toll on my mental health, and rendered my ability to manage this in conjunction with academics non-existent. Her recovery is, of course, slow, ongoing and extremely inconsistent; the emotional fatigue I have experienced in supporting her leaves me little space to manage my own recovery. This led to my decision in April 2017 to request Incomplete standing in several of my courses, including HIST 515, in the hopes that I would be able to complete my coursework later in the summer. Unfortunately, my condition has worsened rather than improved, and I have come to the conclusion that I am unable to complete the remainder of my coursework. I am regretful that it has taken me so much time to come to this conclusion, however, I was hopeful that my situation would improve so that I would not have to throw away the great deal of work that I have already put into this project. My personal mental health as well as my friend¿¿s situation require all of my attention and demand all of my energy. It is not possible to maintain a quality - or even adequate - academic standard in my current condition.

I have reached the end of my undergraduate career, and my hope was to apply to Master¿¿s degrees. Though I am still hopeful that I will eventually be able to pursue graduate school, I have decided to postpone considering the progression of my academic career until I am well. I plan to take the coming year off and, come September, I will begin attending therapy sessions. My hope is to gain the skills necessary to manage my own symptoms of depression and anxiety, as well as gaining the ability to manage external factors effectively. I am confident that taking the time to address my situation in a holistic manner will lead to recovery, and the eventual continuation of my academic career.

Thank you for your time and consideration.

Sincerely,

Alexandra Watson