Submit an Academic Petition or Appeal

Petition Letter: Febarauary,24,2019

Dear: Associate dean of the faculty of Arts and Science

I am appealing to drop the following Fall 2017/winter 2018 courses from my academic transcript. ANAT 100 (Fall 2017), BIOL 103 (Fall 2017), MATH 121A (Fall 2017). FREN 107 (Winter 2018), BIOL 102 (Winter 2018).

I started to get sick in the mid of September 2017 and this illness prolonged throughout the academic school year. The onset of the illness started in Romania which is where I was at the time doing my distance studies. I have stayed in the emergency of the hospital in Romania on my birthday September 14 and the following couple of days. I was given some medications however my infection got worse and the medications given to me in the hospital made matters worse for me. I have then come back home to Toronto in September 20,2017 to get better care and treatment. Shortly after in September 21,2017 I was admitted to the Scarborough general hospital. I was then given a new set of medications and was to follow up with my family doctor. During this time, I was physical ill and due to the fevers and fatigue it was very difficult for me to study. During the following months of 2017 I have visited my doctor on multiple occasions and have seen a specialist. Although I was on medication throughout that time, I have had good days and bad one¿¿s which I was very ill. So, I would try to catch up on my studies the days I would be doing better. In to the winter 2018 semester I was still visiting my doctor for check up¿¿s. The infection was still present in my body and it¿¿s what was still causing me pain, so I was given medication. Due to my sickness Fall 2017 courses were affected specifically my midterm and final tests.

I was enrolled in the BSc life science program starting fall 2017 through the end of the winter 2018 semester. It was after I received my Fall 2017 semester grades that I contacted the faculty of arts and science advisor David Youssef as I needed some advice and information to better my academic situation. After my discussion with the academic advisor in March 2018 regarding how my courses were going and during that time, I have come to the conclusion to switch programs as I really didn¿¿t enjoy the science courses even, thou I was ill while taking those courses. I have not explained my personal extenuating circumstances to the advisor during our discussion in March 2018 because I thought it was my problem and the university can¿¿t help me on that. In March 26,2018 my program was changed from Bsc in life sciences to BA in English. In April 2018 my health has improved according to my doctor and I was doing much better. I have enrolled in spring/summer classes of the BA program and I was doing much better academically as well.

In May 2018 I have gotten an email from the university stating that my CGPA was low and I should be taking some measures to improve that as it will affect my academics. I have then contacted the faculty to get some answers regarding my GPA in September 2018 when the advisor asked me what were the extenuating circumstances that affected my academics in 2017/2018 year this is when I shared my health problems and he advised me to appeal along with my medical documents. As mentioned earlier I was at a hospital in Romania back in September 2017 for few days I have the medical documents from that hospital however they are not in English but in their language. When I have asked the advisor if I could submit that document, he stated that all the documents must be translated to English. I have then contacted the hospital to get my document translated however they have contacted me a month later in November 2018 stating they are unable to translate due to their policies and can only provide me with an extra copy of the documentation. As to the reason I didn't appeal earlier I didn't know I had that option to appeal to drop those courses until I spoke to the academic advisor. Also after I found out I had an option to appeal I was waiting on the translation of my medical document from Romania.

My near future plans at Queen¿¿s university is to graduate from the Bachelor of Arts program with an outstanding grade point average and to reach my goal of being an educator. I have gone through a very hard time mentally and physically in the Fall 2017/2018 year however I have learnt a lot about the university and resources available to students. As a first-generation student accepted to Queen¿¿s university there were many things about post-secondary education, I was unaware of however knowing what I know now I could have done some things different when I was in the BSc program. However, I have learned many things in that year which I am thankful for one of which Is to take lighter course load when getting into a new program as its more important to do well then finish an academic year with bad grades. At the moment I am doing well in the BA program and I really enjoy the courses. Now I also know if there¿¿s extenuating circumstances or questions about the program I should directly ask the academic advisors of the faculty of arts and science for assistance. I would greatly appreciate it if the 2017/2018 courses mentioned at the beginning of my appeal letter were dropped from my academic transcript. I have provided all of my medical documents from my doctor as well as the hospitals.


Sincerely,

Nusaipa Aidid