Submit an Academic Petition or Appeal

Petition Letter: To Whom it may Concern,

I am formally requesting an appeal for aegrotat standing in my half-year course COGS 100. I am requesting this appeal on the grounds of an extenuating circumstance (brain injury) that will prevent me from completing the final exam in a manner that accurately reflects my achievement in the course prior to the injury.

Throughout my first semester at Queens I have worked to maintain a 4.0 average, that would provide me with a competitive application when applying for the Smith School of Business next year.

I have developed an effective study method that has provided the framework necessary to achieve this goal, while allowing me to balance the extracurricular activities I participate in as well. Using this method I have never missed an assignment, and my marks before the date of November 27th reflect my high achievement on these assignments and evaluations.
On November 27th I was rushed to the hospital after experiencing severe trauma to the front of my head. I was diagnosed with a severe concussion.

On November 28th, I met with a doctor at the Student Wellness Building, who was to diagnose the implications of this head injury. On the Sport Concussion Assessment Tool (SCAT2) my symptoms reached a score of 121 of a possible 126. Because the trauma was directed in the frontal lobe of my brain, I was informed that the injury will have a significant impact on my attention, problem solving, and memory. The doctor informed me that the severity of the injury would prevent me from completing or producing any academic work, and I was told to adhere to concussion protocol until my symptoms improved.

I was advised by Student Success Services to go back home for the remainder of my recovery process, as it was evident I would not be able to recover in time to write my exams. Back home, I met with another doctor to assess my progress. I was provided with a document, dated December 4, 2017, stating that though there were signs of improvement I was still experiencing significant symptoms, scoring a concussion score of 61 across 14 different symptoms. I was assigned to play/activity protocol, which governed that I was to remain in a dark room and minimize mental activity until I saw more progress.

On December 22nd I returned to the doctors office. After writing the SCAT2 for the 3rd time, my symptoms had dropped to a 22 across 8 different symptoms. At this point, I was instructed to resume minor activities such as going for a walk or reading for a few minutes. Though improving, I was still far from my baseline.

I will be starting a new half year course at the beginning of the Winter Term and have yet to write my exam for COGS 100. I will therefore be required to attend to the material for six different courses; additional academic responsibility during the process of a recovery that requires less. After losing a great deal of my allotted studying time, I do not feel prepared to write the upcoming exam.

Despite my adherence to the recovery process, I am still unable to function at the level which achieved the grades I earned prior to the concussion. I have yet to return to my baseline, and I am afraid my examination will not be reflective of my achievement in the course prior to my injury.

In order to accurately reflect my achievement in COGS 100 and attain a mark that is congruent with the effort I have put into my studies, I am requesting aegrotat standing such that my mark can be based on my achievement prior to my injury, and that this circumstance is not detrimental to my previous academic achievement.