Submit an Academic Petition or Appeal

Petition Letter: Associate Dean,

I am appealing the Faculty¿¿s decision that I must withdraw from Queen¿¿s for a minimum of three years. During the time period of October 2016 to November 2017, I was physically and mentally incapacitated due to alcohol abuse. My health and well-being were in a dangerous state, requiring care at hospitals, detox centers, and rehabilitation centers.
Much of the details regarding the timeline of my ongoing extenuating circumstances are included in the first academic appeal that I am submitting jointly alongside this appeal. I will therefore use this appeal to describe how my issues affected my academic life in an ongoing and uncontrollable manner.
Beginning the Fall-term of 2016, I began to self medicate with alcohol, as a coping mechanism for depression and anxiety which I had been struggling with, and was taking prescription medication for. This already poor choice was spurred by the fact that alcohol, and the medication which I was prescribed deeply altered my mood and cognitive function. My consumption of alcohol continued to the point that I was dependent on the substance.
During this time I was attempting to complete my B.A (POLS) and my academic prudence was nearly non- existent. Of the four classes that I was enrolled in (CLST 214, ENSC 203, POLS 211, POLS 280), I passed only one. I rarely attended class, seminars, or tutorials. Almost always I would attempt to complete my assignments, often under the influence, only to give in to the truth that I was not properly functioning to write a coherent paper. In some cases, I missed mid-term, and final exams completely.
Throughout this time my parents were not aware of my physical and mental state, and I did not inform them about my poor academic standing. Foolishly hoping that I was going work through my issue, I pressed on into Winter 2017 semester, in which I was enrolled in three classes (POLS 262, POLS 317,POLS 320). Nothing changed. My condition remained extremely poor, and culminated in my failing of all three classes.
In June of 2017, I entered Renascent, a treatment center for alcohol and substance abuse. There I successfully completed a 35-day 12 Step rehabilitation program (documents attached).
It was after this that I returned to work, continued participating in aftercare programs provided by the treatment center, and began to fall back into a routine and healthy lifestyle. I continued with treatment at the center for Addiction and Mental Health (CAMH). Dr. Jonathan Bertram, my physician at CAMH helped me find a medication regiment (which I continue presently) that does extremely well to positively curb my mental health (documents attached). I now continue my medication and mental/physical health referrals through my family physician Dr. Kelly Te (documents attached).