Submit an Academic Petition or Appeal

Petition Letter: Dear Associate Dean (Studies),

I am appealing to late drop MATH124 and CHEM222, and for aegrotat standing in BIOL410 and PHGY210. If aegrotat standing is denied my second choice would be to appeal to extend my incomplete status for one academic term.

At the beginning of January 2018 I endured a traumatic event. As a result of this traumatic event I experienced difficulties sleeping and eating and feeling depressed, which made it extremely difficult to complete assignments and participate while in classes. I started to feel unsafe going to and from classes at all times of the day, which led me to feel very isolated. Following this event I began experiencing conflict with my immediate social supports and individuals I was living with, which made it that much harder to engage in academics.

During the first two weeks of school following the traumatic event I was able to connect with Barb Lotan from the Human Rights Office who further connected me with Deb Keogh in Counseling Services. I continued meeting with Barb and Deb throughout the winter term and I am still continuing to see them on a regular basis. Following the initial traumatic event my mental and physical health deteriorated due to an additional incident that occurred mid-February. Both Deb and Barb can provide more detailed information if necessary. This incident resulted in additional legal proceedings causing me to feel very unsafe and impacted my ability to participate in classes. Despite these challenges I thought I could complete my courses with the support I had in place. It was not until mid-March when my physical health declined (I was diagnosed with multiple acute illnesses simultaneously) and the conflict with my social supports at home worsened further. As a result of this conflict I was forced to move out of my house and did not have stable housing for the remainder of the term.

The legal proceedings have continued throughout the summer. The legal proceedings are not only time consuming but also emotionally draining. In addition to the legal proceedings, this summer my mental health declined again and I was seen in the hospital for a period of time. Following my discharge I had lengthy appointments every few days at Student Wellness Services. In addition I was required to move into emergency housing. These legal proceedings as well as these other circumstances made it difficult to complete my outstanding course work and prepare for my deferred exams.

I am being proactive in taking care of my mental and physical health. I have regular meetings with Queen's Counseling Services and Barbara Lotan. I am determined to not let these setbacks keep me from attaining my degree. I realize I need a positive support network in place to better my mental health and academic success. My future plan is to continue my studies with a reduced course load and seek help from SASS in order to manage my time with school and appointments. Currently I am enrolled in three classes but if my appeal for aegrotat standing is denied and instead my appeal to extend my incomplete grades is approved, I plan to drop one course.

Thank you for your time and consideration.
Kind regards,
Mercedes Mak-Sanders (10204224)