Submit an Academic Petition or Appeal

Petition Letter: Dear Dr. Atkinson,

I am writing to appeal my grade of F in Physiology 170 (Online) Winter Term 2018 (3 credit course).

The extenuating circumstance to which I am attributing this appeal is my ADHD and the fact that I did not register for accommodations in the fall 2017 and winter 2018 semesters.

I was diagnosed with ADHD in the academic year 2013/2014, and I used my accommodations throughout high school. I was a visual arts student at Rosedale Heights School of the Arts in Toronto, and it was in Grade 12 that I changed focus to an academically-rigorous program which reflected my interest in health care. I successfully completed my high school career, earning admission to Queen¿¿s.

As a first-year Queen¿¿s student in fall of 2017, I was hesitant to submit documentation stating my learning disability/attention disorder because I was embarrassed and felt that I had overcome my challenges. As I progressed through first year, I slowly began to realize that this was a mistake, and that there is no such thing as ¿normal¿¿, because everyone learns differently.

I was enrolled in Health Studies prerequisite courses, including Social and Physical Determinants of Health, Global Development, and Psychology, and I dropped two courses in the Fall of 2017 to help me manage the course load. I dropped Film 110 thinking that was the change I needed to lighten my load, but it didn¿¿t help in achieving the GPA I had anticipated.

In Winter 2018, I enrolled in Physiology 170 to pursue a more science-based approach to health studies and health care, which is my passion. Although I had reasonable success in the course in terms of assignments and weekly modules, I found studying for and completing the exam to be a challenge. It was at this time that I realized that extra time on my exam and additional study support would have helped me succeed in what was arguably my most demanding course.

My difficulty focusing made it challenging to study effectively, making it more difficult for me to demonstrate my understanding of the course material on the exam. I wish I had put more time into the arts courses I took versus the science course, as I realized that I¿¿m more comfortable and successful in the arts-based courses.

My success in my final Global Development (DEVS100) exam reflects my desire to improve my academic studies not only in this course, but in all my courses. I worked significantly harder to study for this exam than I had in the past, seeking help from exam writing help centres and taking time to study in a quiet place that made it easier for me to focus. My final grade in this course helped motivate me to work harder and seek additional support in my future studies, showing me that it is possible for me to succeed academically at Queen¿¿s.

This past school year has shown me the types of courses that suit my abilities and interests, and I am eager to study harder this coming school year, especially with the help of accommodations. This will help me focus more on the arts courses I am passionate about, and hopefully will contribute to my success in these courses. I had multiple appointments with various academic advisors in April 2018, hoping to work through some ideas of what I can do to improve my academics in the future. They helped me find support on campus and encouraged me to submit my documents stating my ADHD and need for accommodations.

In addition, I have an appointment with my doctor on June 1st, which is when I will get her to sign off on an updated documentation of my learning disability, in hopes of these accommodations contributing to my academic success in the coming school years. I recently had a phone-call appointment with Meg Hall, who granted me accommodations for the coming school year including noise cancelling headphones, a smaller classroom and extra time during exams. She also allowed me access to a note-taker during the school year, which I will find especially helpful, given my inability to focus for long lectures or long exams.

I plan on meeting with a learning strategist at SASS, the Student Academic Success Services offered at Queen¿¿s, in hopes of strategizing further plans to improve my academic results. I intend on completing these tasks in order to support my academic goals and achieve the level of success at Queen¿¿s I know I am capable of.

Thank you for your consideration. You can reach me at 16sbth@queensu.ca or by phone at 416.761.0092 (home) or 416.824.2322 (mobile).

Regards,

Sabrina Hempel