Submit an Academic Petition or Appeal

Petition Letter: Dear Associate Dean,

I am appealing to have Credit Standing for MATH-231 (Fall, 2017).

I am diagnosed with severe anxiety disorder, and so I have been registered with Disability Services since I¿¿ve begun my studies here at Queen¿¿s. When I experience an episode in regards to my illness, I lose the ability to think and communicate clearly. In addition to this, I suffer from physical symptoms including chills and uncontrollable movements. I have worked hard at dealing with this for the past few years by having a reduced course load, attending regular counselling sessions, maintaining a social life and extracurriculars, taking my prescribed medication, as well as seeking medical assistance when needed. Despite this, there are some occasions when it significantly impacts my academic performance, resulting in the need to accommodations so that I can meet the learning outcomes of a course. Unfortunately, such an occasion occurred on Thursday, December 14, 2017 as I was a couple hours into my MATH-231 exam. I was careful in preparing for the exam by studying, taking care of my health, and arriving at my exam with any food or supplies that I needed to keep me calm. However, I did have a serious episode that caused me to go through a very stressful and painful experience that could only be aided with medication and rest. Thus, my final exam was incomplete.

I am an extremely diligent student, and I always go above and beyond the expectations of my classes. I have a genuine interest in my studies of Computing and Mathematics and how it can be applied to my future aspirations. I seek help when I need it and talk to my professors as much as possible. I believe that Professor Daniel Offin recognizes this in me and is completely understanding of my circumstances, as he had often helped to keep me calm when he noticed my anxiety rising and always provided me with my necessary accommodations. He has informed me that he is willing to make any accommodations that I require upon this appeal. My accessibility services advisor, Meg Hall, is also very supportive of my appeal and has helped make changes to my accommodations for future examinations. This is just some of the many ways that Queen¿¿s has assisted me and encouraged me to be able to continue my degree.

Regardless of this incident, I am proud to say that I have actually made a lot of progress when coping with my illness. I have developed greater resilience and self-forgiveness in difficult situations and outcomes, such as not letting events in one class affect another. Should my appeal be granted, in addition to the steps I am already taking, I will take better care of my physical health to help with my mental health. I will also take measures to specifically help me with my test anxiety in the future. I will continue to work hard in my academics and make the most out of my university experience. I really believe that with your support I can achieve great things at Queen¿¿s.

Thank you for your time,

Lauren