Submit an Academic Petition or Appeal

Petition Letter: Ian Goodall-Halliwell
17iwgh@queensu.ca
20072083

To the Associate Dean (Studies)

I am appealing to have my BCHM 218 course marked as credit status.
On October 28th of 2017 I experienced an event which resulted in me experiencing symptoms of trauma for a prolonged period of time. The event involved my girlfriend seriously self harming, and myself acting as a first responder. The event required I drive her to the emergency room and left me with the most severe mental trauma I have ever experienced. This trauma manifested as a near inability to sleep and focus, which severely impacted my studies. This impact came in the form of a difficulty in studying material relevant to the course, as well as difficulty focusing on assignments. I had called for a self-declaration of brief absence directly after this event, which prolonged the deadline for my BCHM 218 midterm. I found this was not adequate as the trauma symptoms were not acute, and I had no way of knowing how long those symptoms would manifest. I wrote my midterm on the 7th of November and received a 50, which I feel is not a reflection of my understanding of the course. I have reviewed this midterm with my professor and understand why my mark was low. As I did not know whether the symptoms would persist following the event, I did not seek help until almost a month after the event, at which the duration of symptoms became a disorder rather than a result of poor coping mechanisms. The long-term symptoms of this event include a heavy anxiety, depression, and suicidal ideation. These have intensified with time, but the short-term symptoms of insomnia and focusing issues have lessened. I have spoken to AMHS-KFLA multiple times, been to the emergency room twice, have seen a psychologist, as well as a psychotherapist and counsellor at Queens Student Wellness. I have another appointment booked at Queens Student Wellness in the coming month, and another appointment with a psychotherapist. I had booked another appointment with the same psychologist but cancelled because of unprofessional comments he made with regards to my situation. I had planned to undergo EMDR therapy through him and may still seek it elsewhere if the symptoms do not subside through counselling and therapy. Although this has impacted my schoolwork throughout the term, I believe it is only seriously impacting my BCHM mark. I have done well on the final exam, which is evidence of my progress towards betterment, and the treatment of this midterm as an outlier.

I have taken time at home which has been hugely helpful. The depression and suicidal ideation is something I may have to live with, but the symptoms that directly impacted my coursework have been mitigated. I plan to continue seeing mental health professionals for as long as is necessary. My girlfriend is also seeking help for her own issues, as this was a product of her act. This act was brought on by a poor living situation and poor support network. She was bullied for the past couple weeks leading up to the event but has since left the living situation and is living in a stable household with a strong support network. The impact of her mental health upon my own is not going to be an issue in the future. I am determined to overcome this, and it will not impact my studies any longer.

Thank you for your consideration,

Ian Goodall-Halliwell