Manage Appeals
Petition Type: New
ID: 4028
Submitted: December 11, 2017 at 7:57:40 PM
First Name: Sean
Last Name: Tippett
Student Number: 10108181
Email: 13sat@queensu.ca
Degree Program: BCH
Plan: SODE
Level of Study: 3
Petition Categories
Petition Categories: Waive the 21-day or one term deadline
Petition Letter
Petition Letter: December 11, 2017
Re: Sean Tippett (10108181) Course Appeal Deadline Waiver
Dear Dr. Atkinson,
I am submitting this request to waive the time limit to appeal final course marks from my first year in the Queen¿¿s Arts and Science Program. This is due to extenuating medical circumstances that affected my ability to address this policy after my first year at the university. Should my request to waive the time limit be approved, I intend to appeal the final marks that I received during that initial period at Queen¿¿s as having been severely impacted by the mental health issues that I was then overcome by. Through this process I hope to remove from my academic record the first year marks from the courses that reflect the negative effects of those issues.
During the 2013/14 academic year I was enrolled in the Queen¿¿s Arts and Science Program in the hopes of obtaining a degree in Computer Science. During that first year, I became progressively affected by significant issues related to my ability to absorb course material and comprehend the requirements of the various members of the faculty. I was also unable to assess the degree to which these mental issues were affecting my academic standing during the year. It was only upon receiving my final first year marks that the full ramifications of these health issues became apparent, although the cause remained unclear.
During the subsequent months, I immediately sought medical attention with the aim of identifying the reason for these struggles and, with the support of my family, I went through a series of clinical assessments by a number of members of the mental health profession, resulting in a formal diagnosis of ADHD in 2015. This discovery process took a long time as did the initial treatment phase such I was not able to return to school nor was my focus on having my academic record amended due to the illness.
Once I was able to return to Queen¿¿s for the 2015-16 academic year while continuing my medical treatment, I resumed my studies in the Arts and Science Program, retaking the necessary first year courses as part of a continued pursuit of a Computer Science degree. I made sure to register with Student Wellness Services at the school as well in order to ensure any on-going support I might need. During this return to Queen¿¿s, 100 of my focus was on ensuring the success of my academics. This approach resulted in achieving a 4.15 GPA for the first term (at a 60 course load to ensure proper reintegration into academic life) and a 4.20 GPA for the second term (at a full course load). This progress continued into my second year in the program while I continued with the treatment for my condition.
As it relates to the specific request to waive the time limit to appeal my original first year marks, I think it is fair to say that I was not in a mental condition to address an appeal of the marks in the specified timeframe once I received them. The basis for appealing the marks themselves as a result of the ADHD diagnosis was an event that itself only occurred well after the appeal window had elapsed. The marks I received that first year did not reflect my inherent academic capabilities as subsequently demonstrated upon my return to school after diagnosis and initial treatment for my ailment. I respectfully submit this request to waive the timeframe for the appeal of my original first year marks due to the extenuating circumstances driven by that medical condition.
Thank you.
Re: Sean Tippett (10108181) Course Appeal Deadline Waiver
Dear Dr. Atkinson,
I am submitting this request to waive the time limit to appeal final course marks from my first year in the Queen¿¿s Arts and Science Program. This is due to extenuating medical circumstances that affected my ability to address this policy after my first year at the university. Should my request to waive the time limit be approved, I intend to appeal the final marks that I received during that initial period at Queen¿¿s as having been severely impacted by the mental health issues that I was then overcome by. Through this process I hope to remove from my academic record the first year marks from the courses that reflect the negative effects of those issues.
During the 2013/14 academic year I was enrolled in the Queen¿¿s Arts and Science Program in the hopes of obtaining a degree in Computer Science. During that first year, I became progressively affected by significant issues related to my ability to absorb course material and comprehend the requirements of the various members of the faculty. I was also unable to assess the degree to which these mental issues were affecting my academic standing during the year. It was only upon receiving my final first year marks that the full ramifications of these health issues became apparent, although the cause remained unclear.
During the subsequent months, I immediately sought medical attention with the aim of identifying the reason for these struggles and, with the support of my family, I went through a series of clinical assessments by a number of members of the mental health profession, resulting in a formal diagnosis of ADHD in 2015. This discovery process took a long time as did the initial treatment phase such I was not able to return to school nor was my focus on having my academic record amended due to the illness.
Once I was able to return to Queen¿¿s for the 2015-16 academic year while continuing my medical treatment, I resumed my studies in the Arts and Science Program, retaking the necessary first year courses as part of a continued pursuit of a Computer Science degree. I made sure to register with Student Wellness Services at the school as well in order to ensure any on-going support I might need. During this return to Queen¿¿s, 100 of my focus was on ensuring the success of my academics. This approach resulted in achieving a 4.15 GPA for the first term (at a 60 course load to ensure proper reintegration into academic life) and a 4.20 GPA for the second term (at a full course load). This progress continued into my second year in the program while I continued with the treatment for my condition.
As it relates to the specific request to waive the time limit to appeal my original first year marks, I think it is fair to say that I was not in a mental condition to address an appeal of the marks in the specified timeframe once I received them. The basis for appealing the marks themselves as a result of the ADHD diagnosis was an event that itself only occurred well after the appeal window had elapsed. The marks I received that first year did not reflect my inherent academic capabilities as subsequently demonstrated upon my return to school after diagnosis and initial treatment for my ailment. I respectfully submit this request to waive the timeframe for the appeal of my original first year marks due to the extenuating circumstances driven by that medical condition.
Thank you.
Documentation
Professional Letter: Sean Tippett Final to Client.pdf
Decision Letters
Amendment to Appeal 4028
Relevant Petition: 4028
New Information: The question was posed to me: The Associate Dean has reviewed your appeal to waive the 21 day or one term deadline and has asked for a more in depth explanation as to why you did not appeal within the required 21 day or one term. This particular appeal is not necessary to explain the circumstances during the 2013/14 period but what the circumstances were between then and now which prevented you from appealing.
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My response: You pose a good question and I've taken a bit of time in the midst of my initial Winter term activities to think about it. I received the diagnosis of my illness almost a year after the end of my unsuccessful first year at Queen's. I began my treatment and was cleared to return to school, after which there was a long period of uncertainty about whether I would be able to cope with the demands of the Software Design program, especially given the results of my first attempt. It took over a year to get a sense of the level that I could perform at and the academic results that I could achieve. After successfully repeating first year, it became a matter of seeing if I could sustain that success in second year while continuing to deal with the effects of my illness, which turned out to be the case. Last summer, after the completion of my second year, I had the benefit of getting a summer job that was closely aligned with the content of my program at Queen's and that was the first time that I clearly saw that I had a chance to pursue my dream of a career in software design. It was at that point that it became obvious to me that the presence of my original first year marks on my transcript would be detrimental to being considered on equal terms with others in a very competitive job environment upon graduation. This especially hit home when I had to apply for an NSERC grant for work. I had to submit my official transcript and while I was waiting to hear, I was very worried that they would not consider me because of the original marks. The presence of those original marks on my transcript could also lead to having to disclose to prospective employers the medical cause of my poor first year results, which they would not otherwise be entitled to or need to know. Investigating further, I became aware of the opportunity to appeal to have those original first year marks removed from my record which, after consulting with the office of the Ombudsman, lead me to file the appeal to waive the time limit to do so.
All this being said, I still am managing the medical circumstances which has also contributed to the delay in submission of the appeal. Thank you for reviewing and if you need further details please don't hesitate to ask.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
My response: You pose a good question and I've taken a bit of time in the midst of my initial Winter term activities to think about it. I received the diagnosis of my illness almost a year after the end of my unsuccessful first year at Queen's. I began my treatment and was cleared to return to school, after which there was a long period of uncertainty about whether I would be able to cope with the demands of the Software Design program, especially given the results of my first attempt. It took over a year to get a sense of the level that I could perform at and the academic results that I could achieve. After successfully repeating first year, it became a matter of seeing if I could sustain that success in second year while continuing to deal with the effects of my illness, which turned out to be the case. Last summer, after the completion of my second year, I had the benefit of getting a summer job that was closely aligned with the content of my program at Queen's and that was the first time that I clearly saw that I had a chance to pursue my dream of a career in software design. It was at that point that it became obvious to me that the presence of my original first year marks on my transcript would be detrimental to being considered on equal terms with others in a very competitive job environment upon graduation. This especially hit home when I had to apply for an NSERC grant for work. I had to submit my official transcript and while I was waiting to hear, I was very worried that they would not consider me because of the original marks. The presence of those original marks on my transcript could also lead to having to disclose to prospective employers the medical cause of my poor first year results, which they would not otherwise be entitled to or need to know. Investigating further, I became aware of the opportunity to appeal to have those original first year marks removed from my record which, after consulting with the office of the Ombudsman, lead me to file the appeal to waive the time limit to do so.
All this being said, I still am managing the medical circumstances which has also contributed to the delay in submission of the appeal. Thank you for reviewing and if you need further details please don't hesitate to ask.
Student Number: 10108181
Documentation
Professional Letter Detail: Same as before