Submit an Academic Petition or Appeal

Petition Letter: Dear Associate Deans,

My name is Rebecca Narvali (10147372). My 4th year at Queen¿¿s has been a very challenging one, due to the mental illness I¿¿ve been facing. I am appealing to receive an AG standings in the following courses : PSYC 335, and PSYC 473. I am appealing to drop the following courses: PSYC 301 and PSYC 441. I hope my letter may help you understand the reasons behind my request.

During November of 2017, my anxiety disorder became very severe. The symptoms I was facing prevented me from being functional in my everyday life. I was unable to complete simple daily activities, withhold my responsibilities, let alone focus and study for my courses. It was a very scary time for me. As a result, I left Queen¿¿s to return home to Toronto where I decided to make my physical and mental health a priority. Recovery has been challenging for me, but I am very fortunate that I was able to seek the necessary support in Toronto.

In Toronto, I met with my doctors and therapists to receive the medical attention I needed. It was an overwhelming process for me, but a very necessary one. Even though my health is still not at a level where I am able to return to university, I have made progress slowly but surely with the help of medical and emotional support. I am very proud of this.

Making the decision to leave Queen¿¿s was not an easy one for me. I love learning and it frustrated me that my poor mental health was preventing me from continuing my education. Originally, when I left school in November, I hoped to delay my exams and finish my outstanding courses from first semester in the spring. However, as much as we try and map out our lives, recovery does not always go as planned. I am currently not well enough to complete my exams from first semester. The added stress from my unfinished courses is a massive trigger for me at this point in my life. I am slowly recovering, but I know that diving back into the stress of school at the moment or the near future will be a downward spiral for me in terms of my mental health.

With all of this being said, I am very worried to have a zero on my transcript from my uncompleted courses of first semester. I am taking the time I need for my health now, and I hope that you may be able to support me in this process. In the two courses which I have 60 of the course material completed (PSYC 335, PSYC 473), I hope that I might be able to receive an AG standing. It was very challenging to work through these courses living with a mental illness. The work I have already completed was a huge personal triumph for me. I do not wish for this to go to waste.

In PSYC 301 and PSYC 441, I was not able to complete course work up to the 60 threshold. I am also not currently well enough to write an exam for these courses this spring, next year or any time in the near future. Having these courses uncompleted brings a lot of stress and anxiety for me. It would bring so much relief for me to drop these two courses at this time and retake them when I am feeling healthy and functional. Having a fresh start where I will be able to focus and commit to these courses would hugely benefit me. When I am fully recovered, I will feel strong enough to retake these courses from the beginning. I will be able to set strategies in place to study and manage my anxiety. I hope that you might be able to understand my request and where I am coming from.

At the moment, my health is my main concern. I am seeking medical attention and am undergoing therapy in Toronto. I hope that recovery will be possible for me. I have hope that I will grow stronger with my support system which I will never take for granted. I hope that you may be able to help me through my journey and grant these adjustments to my transcript. I am a hard working student that takes her education seriously. I would hate to receive zeros on my transcript or have to retake courses I¿¿ve nearly completed because of a situation outside of my control.

Thank you very much for taking the time to read my letter and take my request into consideration.

Sincerely,

Rebecca Narvali
10147372
¿¿phone: 647-988-7403