Submit an Academic Petition or Appeal

Petition Letter: Dear Associate Dean,
My name is Michelle Chu and I am appealing for an aegrotat standing in my HIST 121 class as well as a credit standing in my PSYC 100 class. I would also like to appeal to drop my CLST 101 mark.
Since October of 2013, I have been struggling with multiple issues including health and family complications that have greatly affected my focus. I began counseling at HCDS in the following December when I realized I needed more help for my mental health and worked on a plan to get me through the exams for the fall term. Right before I left to return to Kingston from home in Toronto during the winter break, an unfortunate event occurred that directly involved myself, my family, and the police. When I returned, I faced psychological struggles and I had to start all over with coping with my issues. I was unable to sleep or rest, making it hard to work or attend class and I also took a lot of time off my work study job on campus. In March, I began to find new motivation to attend class and complete my assignments, only to fall extremely ill with a viral infection. I was unable to eat or stay awake for over a week and I kept communication with my professors and TA¿¿s by email. I went to see multiple physicians to get better both physically and mentally and I was prescribed anti-depressants that I had to adapt to. Once I got better, I focused on finishing all of the assignments and exams I was capable of while I moved out of residence alone to a house in Kingston. I managed to complete CHIN 100 and I finished my ENGL 100 course over the course of the summer. The final mark for ENGL 100 has just been posted this past week. Throughout all of this, I kept regular visits either every week or every other week to my regular counselor, Hagar Prah, from HCDS. We spent most of January to March focused on healing and staying healthy and then the remainder of March and April to get back on track.
In the future, I plan to keep my regular appointments with my counselor and physicians (including a psychiatrist) and I plan on seeing a Learning Strategist in the Student Academic Success Services. I want to be an English major and minor in World Languages but at the moment, I am enrolled in the general arts and science program with a minor in World Languages. I plan on speaking with the Undergraduate Chair of English, Dr Chris Bongie, on submitting an academic change form. I have discovered my true interests after my first year at Queen¿¿s and I am now motivated to study the subjects of my passion. I know that realistically, the events in my past may come back and become stressors again but if it does occur, I will be more prepared and equipped to deal with my issues. For example, I learned how to detect when a panic attack was about to come and I have multiple strategies that I apply to regain control of the situation. I have also built a strong network of support with my friends and I am now more aware of the resources available to me in my community.
Thank you for your time and consideration.
Sincerely,


Michelle Chu
9-26-2014