Submit an Academic Petition or Appeal

Petition Letter: I am appealing to drop failed courses from the Winter 2017 term and for credit to be recognized in classes from the same period. Due to mental and physical health conditions beyond my control I was unable to fully participate in academics. In late 2013, I suffered a concussion that required me to withdraw from my academics for an extended period of time. Shortly after that concussion I became depressed. It interfered with my ability to attend classes on a regular basis and also significantly impaired my ability to prepare for tests and essays. Due to my depression, my academic performance has fallen far short of Queen¿¿s University standards, and the expectations I set for myself. Despite reducing my course load and seeking treatment at Queens Student Wellness Services, by February 2017, I was once again mentally and physically unable to complete basic tasks, and found myself unable to attend class or complete assignments. Now that I have returned home for the summer and have been able to receive clinical diagnoses for ADHD, depression, and anxiety, I believe I am ready to return to Queen¿¿s and regularly attending classes with success. My treatment plan has four steps. First, I will continue treatment with my mental health professional via telephone from Alaska, and have already taken steps to coordinate ongoing drug therapy. In previous terms, I have tried to receive therapy and medical assistance from Queen¿¿s Wellness Services, but have been unable to for numerous reasons, among them being the inability for Queen¿¿s Mental Health therapists to prescribe medications and the refusal of Queen¿¿s Wellness staff to respect a diagnosis made by a medical professional from the U.S. Because of this, I have structured my treatment plan to avoid relying on University services for their responsiveness or continuity, and will be seeking primary treatment privately. Second, I plan on metering my course load and scheduling courses during times of the day that compliment my treatment. As part of my depression I suffer from insomnia resulting in fatigue, causing me to miss classes scheduled early in the day. I can set my schedule to meet these criteria by consulting with academic counselors and working with Queen¿¿s Accessibility Services. Third, I will communicate with my professors to clarify any course material I have difficulties grasping. I will also make sure that my professors are aware of the difficulties I have had in the past, and how I plan on avoiding them moving forward. Fourth, I will take full advantage of student services available to me at Queen¿¿s. Continued close communication with academic counselors will ensure that I¿¿m enrolled in classes that lead me on a path to graduation and fit within my treatment plan.
For the reasons listed above I request the failed courses during the Winter 2017 term be dropped from my transcript, and classes in which I was able to attend and perform in have their credit recognized. Thank you for your consideration.