Submit an Academic Petition or Appeal

Petition Letter: Dear Associate Dean,

I am appealing to receive an aegrotat grade for my ENGL 100 course. In light of medical problems that I suffered during my exams, my instructor Professor Pierce suggested that I make this appeal.
Unfortunately, towards the end of the Winter semester I had several major issues with my back and neck. This resulted from fractures to my my C5 and C7 vertebrae that I incurred in a skiing accident around 6 years ago following which I have suffered from intermittent neurological problems. I had not recently suffered any serious problems until 3rd April. While walking to the washroom in Victoria Hall, I collapsed and was unable to stand up. Staff had to call an ambulance and I was taken on a stretcher to Kingston General Hospital. I was given morphine and over the course of the next week and a half received further medical treatment including physiotherapy.

Unfortunately, I suffered acute problems again on 15th April when I again collapsed and was taken to hospital by ambulance. This was one day before my POLS 110 exam and two before my ENGL 100 exam. I was advised by the doctor that with the problems recurring like this, it was critical that I rest over the next few days, and receive physiotherapy. Accordingly, I re-arranged my politics exam over to the 22nd but did take my economics exam on the 21st. As regards my english exam, my professor was aware of my ongoing problems. During the Politics exam, I found that despite being able to stand up and move around during the Politics paper, I struggled to focus for long periods of time due to the pain that I was in and I believe that my exam result suffered as a result. My English Professor suggested that with the English exam an hour longer than the Politics exam, that I would be better not sitting the exam and apply for an aegrotat, taking into account that I had completed all the required work up until this point and that it seemed very unlikely that I would be able to complete the paper, let alone to the best of my ability.

At the current time, I am back in the UK (my country of residence). I have had further medical assessment from a GP in the UK who has referred me for further physiotherapy throughout the summer so that I can return to Kingston fully fit and ready for the fall semester. I trust in the circumstances that you will agree that the grounds of my appeal are reasonable but if you require any further information or evidence from any of the hospitals or doctors please let me know.

Yours Sincerely,

Cameron Russell