Submit an Academic Petition or Appeal

Petition Letter: Dear Associate Deans (Studies),

I am writing this letter to appeal to late drop FREN 107, ENSC 201, GPHY 247, CLST 203, and GEOL 104 all of which took place during the Winter term of 2017.

I request that you consider my extenuating circumstances regarding my performance this past academic year. During the Fall semester, I was subjected to severe domestic abuse at the hands of two of my housemates. This was displayed in the form of alienation, criticism, alcohol and drug abuse (on their part), and continuous hostility throughout the household. As a result of this abuse I suffered constant anxiety both in my house as well as on campus as I lived in fear my housemates. In addition, I experienced regular panic attacks every time I would walk in my front door. The anxiety quickly began take its toll on my academics and I in the form of insomnia and lack of focus and concentration. By late October I was no longer able to live in my own house and began sleeping on friends' couches, only going home once a week for clean clothing. On one of these trips home in November, I was hit by a car while riding my bike and lost the ability to use my right arm for the next month and a half. Because of this accident, my Fall term exams were postponed until the first week of the Winter semester. After receiving no sympathy nor acknowledgement of my injuries by my housemates, it was made very clear to me how toxic the environment had become and that I needed to seek out new living arrangements for the upcoming semester. Thus, I began moving into my new accommodations on December 16th of 2016. Due to my exams being postponed and moving into a sublet for the remainder of the academic year, I had an extremely slow start to the Winter 2017 term. I also made the realization at this time that I was not able to handle what was taking place in my life on my own and needed to obtain professional help and began regularly seeing a psychiatrist and a counsellor. In late January of 2017, I was diagnosed with depression and anxiety disorders and possible post-traumatic stress disorder (due to the events that unfolded during the Fall semester) and was prescribed anti-depressants. Despite my efforts, medication for these types of disorders can often take up to several months to fine tune to the patient's needs. Because of this, I continued to suffer from severe lack of sleep and absence focus due to my emotional state. For the entirety of second semester I was crippled to the extent that I would spend up to two weeks at a time in bed only getting up for the occasional shower or meal. This resulted in obvious weight loss as I came home 20 to 25 lbs lighter than I was when all of this began.

I plan to address these dropped courses in the following manner. First of all, I wish to retake all of my Winter 2017 courses that are available during this academic year now that my medication is sorted out as I am now feeling much more emotionally stable and have regained the motivation I once had as a first-year student. Secondly, I am planning on applying for a change of program from the Environmental Biology Specialization to an Environmental Sciences Major. Third, I will take advantage of the academic support that Queen's has to offer by scheduling bi-weekly appointments with a SASS counsellor in Stauffer Library. Fourth of all, I will maintain regular weekly appointments with my psychiatrist and counselor to preserve my mental health. I will also keep on track of my physical health by continuing a regular exercise and diet program that I've recently established since the end of classes. Lastly, I wish to develop a better relationship with my professors and TAs starting in the first week of classes to help me sustain my drive and enthusiasm for my program of study.

Thank you for your consideration. I look forward to hearing from you.

Sarah Jackson
(Student no.: 10193076)