Submit an Academic Petition or Appeal

Petition Letter: Dear Associate Dean of Studies,

I am appealing to waive the deadline to drop a course within the 21-day or one term timeframe. Should I be successful in this appeal, I will then be appealing to retroactively drop two courses from my transcript for the Fall 2015 semester.

I was unable to submit the appeal to drop the courses within the designated timeframe due to my extenuating circumstances, supported by an attached document from my family physician. These circumstances affected my academic ability to hand in assignments on time, which prevented me from completing the courses; this also affected my ability to submit an appeal sooner. The nature of my condition made balancing regular academic demands, followed by work in the summer months not conducive to the stress of also submitting an appeal.

The extenuating circumstances were at their worst in the middle of the Fall 2015 semester. I was unable to attend most of my classes, and required extensions on assignments. I was in close contact with my professors to inform them of my condition. Following that semester, the circumstances improved due to professional counseling and medication, although the improvement was not great enough to allow for an appeal to be filed, as my focus was passing all five of my Winter 2016 courses.

Although I am still affected by the challenges I faced in my second year, I am better able to address them. Moving forward I have supports in place to ensure that I am able to pass all of my courses and will not require another appeal. I will be taking an extra semester to allow for a lighter course load, which I took in the 2016/2017 year. I will be taking alternate courses in place of the two I am seeking to drop from my transcript. I have met with the undergraduate chair of my department, who was also the professor for one of the courses I am looking to drop; she encouraged me to submit this appeal and offered her support in the appeal process. She has spoken with my other professor, who has also voiced his support.

I am planning on going to law school upon the completion of my undergraduate degree, and the failed courses on my transcript will hinder my ability to be accepted. In my conversation with the undergraduate chair, she expressed that my transcript does not accurately reflect what transpired in the Fall 2015 semester, or my academic abilities.

Sincerely,

Nichol Orecchio