Submit an Academic Petition or Appeal

Petition Letter: Madeleine Moore
20074125
30 Aberdeen Street
Kingston, ON K7L 3N2
226.678.0456
17mnm1@queensu.ca

March 28, 2019

Dr. Jenn Stephenson
Associate Dean (Studies)
Queen¿¿s University
94 University Avenue
Kingston, ON K7L 3N9

Dear Dr. Stephenson,

I am appealing to drop STATS 263 (Winter, 2019).

In Summer 2018, I faced two extremely pivotal, traumatic experiences. These events both occurred on the heels of significant health concerns; one of which being a cancer survivor and facing intense aftermaths. I have been enduring a delay in processing said events and my ability to regularly function has been drastically altered. Since January 2019, I have experienced extreme difficulty to eat, sleep, socialize, and attend my classes and tutorials. As a result, my performance in school has significantly declined along with my mental health. I tried to deal with these extenuating circumstances in September 2018 and saw a private therapist during my first semester. In addition to this, I visited a counsellor at Queen¿¿s Wellness Center. Fortunately I was able to successfully finish my semester with decent grades and plow through as a form of survival. With that being said, when I began to cope and process these events in my second semester, I started to burnout. I tried to return to my therapist, began taking antidepressants again, and even went to the hospital as a last resource late February. I returned to Queen¿¿s Wellness Center for a crisis appointment and received academic consideration, along with follow-up appointments with a counsellor. From there, I saw an occupational therapist and academic advisor; all of which are helpful individuals to get me back into a regular routine. I have an appointment to see a healthcare professional to directly address the psychological manner of this matter.

This is where I ask for help from you. In order to better myself and improve my academic abilities, I need a lessened load overall. This course requires the most amount of attention and effort from me, and unfortunately at this time, I am unable to successfully complete STATS 263 (Winter, 2019). I was unfit to recognize the severity of my situation and lacked in the support I needed in order to reach out, access proper resources, and appeal this course earlier than now. In order to ensure a successful return to my studies in the Fall 2019 term, I will continue to seek out support for my mental wellness in my hometown throughout the summer and into the school year.

It has been a very difficult time for me and I am actively trying to advocate for myself and alleviate my load in any way I can. Should my appeal be granted, I will incorporate a lighter course load in my future semester(s). Furthermore, I will uphold regular meetings with both a medical professional and personal counsellor to continue to undertake a positive approach when addressing these extenuating circumstances. Following through with this plan will support my academic goals and overall improve my mental wellness.

I look forward to hearing from you. Thank you for your time and I appreciate your consideration.


Sincerely,

Madeleine Moore