Submit an Academic Petition or Appeal

Petition Letter: Dear Dr. Jill Atkinson, Associate Dean of Studies in the Faculty of Arts and Science,
My name is Noah Jemmott; my student number is 10160800. I have written this letter to request a credit standing in PHIL361, the Introduction to Logic, which I completed in the fall semester of 2017. Beginning in September of the same year, I noticed challenges to my well being in various faucets of my mental health, most of which were familiar yet unanticipated. As I have successfully dealt with issues in the past both with and without professional help, I felt I could combat these challenges without seeking assistance from the resources on-campus. As the semester continued, the effects of these challenges became increasing vivid, and in the areas where I was able to implement structures to aid my success I actively did so. This included arranging accommodations for assignments, seeking additional resources to strengthen learning, and utilizing a pre-existing network of support in times of hardship.
One area where these kinds of accommodations were not possible however, was Logic, where the course structure was such that each evaluated activity could only be undertaken once, at designated times, leaving students unable to rectify evaluated material. In short, this meant there was only had one chance to get it right. Our assignments were divided as follows: there was eight quizzes, one in-class midterm exam, and one final exam scheduled during the regular exam period. Never have I been one to simply watch myself swirl down the drain, so I began to work in over-drive, staying up as late as need be to re-do readings and old course material, which inevitably became my detriment. The harder I worked, the more strained my already weakened state of mental health became, which in turn drove my compulsion to succeed further. This created a vicious cycle where my self-destructive behaviour was repeatedly reinforced as each week my marks continued to suffer, not improve. With increasing frequency and duration, my focus and attention, will to engage in and outside of the classroom, and emotional stability deteriorated as I compromisingly positioned myself in situations attempting to rectify the only course which did not itself contain an opportunity to do so.
During the break between semesters, I have had the chance to more fruitfully engage with my network of mental support, and in hindsight can acknowledge the role I played in respect to jeopardizing my academic excellence. In many ways my pride, self-determination, and perseverance allowed me to dig my own grave as I searched deeper and deeper for the gold mine. That said, I believe my success in the other courses I completed during the same semester suggests that had I been afforded the opportunity to rectify assignments, I could have better accommodated my personal needs and likely achieved a grade which better reflects my academic performance. In asking for an appeal of this nature, I am asking the faculty, on your behalf, to recognize the passing grade I achieved in Logic, but simply the passing grade, not the calibre or degree to which it was achieved, as I do not believe it fairly reflects my overall academic record.

Thank you for your consideration in this matter. I understand the appeal process is lengthy, but I do hope that your decision is worth the wait.

Noah Jemmott