Submit an Academic Petition or Appeal

Petition Letter: Dear Associate Dean of Studies:


I am writing you to appeal for Credit standing in my SOCY211 course.

This semester, I entered SOCY211 with a very limited mathematics background. I was, however, ready to try my absolute hardest to do well. Unfortunately, due to extenuating circumstances, my overall performance in this course has been negatively impacted. I have been suffering with sporadic bouts of mental illness for many years now -- this semester, however, my anxiety became quite severe and, more recently, I was required to return home for approximately 3 weeks to receive treatment. This has consequently affected both my participation and performance in SOC211.

My recent 3-week absence from Kingston partially overlapped with the 4th and final Lab work period. The aforementioned Lab was worth 20 of my overall grade, and I received a D. In addition, I lost most of my marks in participation; I only completed 1 of the 5 pop questions. As I have mentioned before, this semester has been incredibly difficult as I have struggled with mental health issues. My support system -- including my therapist, family, and psychiatrist -- all reside outside of Kingston. In order to receive treatment, I needed to go home quite often, which has subsequently led to my lack of attendance in SOCY211 lectures. I assume that if I had completed at least 2 more pop questions, I probably would have received a higher overall grade.

Should my appeal be granted, I am hopeful that my GPA will not be jeopardized. In addition, I will continue to receive treatment weekly to help with my mental health issues and coping techniques, and I will be close to my family and friends who provide the comfort and support necessary for me to succeed in all areas of my life. In spite of the issues I face -- I truly am a driven and passionate individual who wants to excel in academics. In the future, I am hoping to attend Graduate school to receive a Master's of Education in Developmental Psychology. Education means a great deal to me -- and that is why I want to ensure that my mental illness does not jeopardize my future success. No matter how many bumps I encounter, I am resolute in continuing to grow and learn, all the while focusing on my personal wellness.

Thank you for your consideration thus far and I hope to speak with you soon.


Sincerely,


Rachel Atkins