Manage Appeals
Petition Type: New
ID: 5872
Submitted: June 10, 2019 at 2:50:46 AM
First Name: Soran
Last Name: Ghahramani
Student Number: 20079741
Email: 17sg23@queensu.ca
Degree Program: BAH
Plan: ECON
Level of Study: 2
Petition Categories
Petition Categories: Waive the requirement to withdraw for one year
Petition Letter
Petition Letter: My name is Soran Ghahramani, and this is my appeal letter towards the Associate Deans (Studies) to have the requirement to withdraw waived. I will deeply explain as much possible information and provide supporting documents as to why I truly believe that my request to withdraw, be waived. Throughout my time at Queens, I have found the course work and load to be fairly moderate and manageable, but there are several personal barriers that prevent me from completing my work with perfection and quality. I¿¿ve always wanted to be like everyone else and just be average, if anything greater in some instances, with school. I force myself to complete tasks and assignments on time when needed, I try to attend class early when possible, I try to complete 3 hour exams just like everyone else does, but as I grow older I have came to a realization that I shouldn¿¿t be ashamed with myself and feel insecure about myself because everyone is different and I have accepted that. I am a Major Thalassemia patient, I have been diagnosed since birth and have several day to day life complications that interfere with my schooling. I get monthly blood transfusion to upkeep with my health and follow thru with other medications. I also have a mild learning disability and I have ADHD (Combined type). There will be enough supporting document to thoroughly explain my specific circumstances. In grade 10, I had seen a psychologist and went through several tests and was given a full report on myself. I was receiving full academic accommodations in high-school which include note taking service, extra time on tests and assignments, use of computer in most cases, etc. With my health condition, Thalassemia, I go through blood transfusion every 4 weeks which make me miss full school day attendances, become extremely fatigue due to my low hemoglobin count ¿red blood cells¿¿, and undergo mental drainage. Having these 3 major barriers have made it challenging to attend class and fully focus, initiate to do my work and hand it in on time, studying for tests and finals, reading and decoding texts or writings, etc. The reason I am opening up now about my personal barriers in the ending of the second year is because I have always felt insecure and weak when talking about or bringing up what I have, growing up with these personal circumstances wasn¿¿t smooth at all, it would upset me that I would need 4 hours to finish an exam while other students did it in 2, especially having to deal with thalassemia growing up I would sometimes get picked on. Now, I have realized and learned how to block all negative criticism and transform them into being more positive. My school work and GPA is based on what I do, not nobody else, I must work on myself and use whatever accomodations needed without feeling ashamed because everyone's situation is different. I plan on doing whatever it will take to achieve the set GPA that I prosper, I plan on passing all courses and attempting high personal scores on tests and exams, I plan on becoming a great overall student. I am currently in contact with QSAS and am applying for their student academic accommodations, I have been speaking with academic advisors regarding the next steps, and just recently I am visiting my family doctor to receive medical prescription to aid with my learning disabilities and ADHD. Queens University means a lot to me as I have ruled that my education is priority, I come from an amazing family with a great mother and a father whom used to be a highschool teacher, education is big in my family. Not to mention, I am the only one in my friend group back home who chose to go into the path of University and completing my education. I will be attaching several supporting documents to go with my appeal letter. There will be documents from my highschool guidance teacher, my psychologist, and my health practitioner. I have also had them fill out my form for enrolling with QSAS which I will upload as well. Thank you for allowing me this opportunity to write an appeal, if there are any questions, I will be more than glad to answer them.
Academic Plan
Academic Plan: The following academic plan is for my upcoming third year at Queens university. I plan on adding more into my academic planner as I will be contacting with services provided by Queens regarding how to work with my personal barriers.
Firstly, I have been in contact with academic adviser's regarding my appeal and courses. Tomorrow (2019-06-10), I plan on contacting and booking a phone appointment with an academic advisers to once again go through my plan and pin it all down.
Regarding Health condition - Thalassemia Major
-Since birth till the end I have and will be needed blood transfusions, I usually get transfused ever 3-5 weeks. My transfusion dates can be flexible and placed accordingly to work around my school schedule. The transfusions I receive is a full day procedure, usually from 8 AM to 5 PM. I will be in contact with professors and TA's before hand to work around these dates to ensure I attend class. For my extreme fatigue feeling that I receive 1-2 weeks prior to my transfusions, will be hard to plan around as there is nothing to be done about it. This is a internal health problem with my hemoglobin levels which make things difficult. I do in fact plan on letting all my professors know my situation so they can understand if there is a day or class that I cannot attend and come back with a solution to work around it, such as handing something in days earlier or after, etc... Constant communication with professors will be done.
Regarding Learning Disability and ADHD (Combined)
-I have a strong plan to combat these personal barriers. I am currently in contact with QSAS and am enrolling with their services to receive academic accommodations. Including my appeal, there is a document I have attached which is the QSAS form that has been filled out by my psychologist and in there explains my difficulties, which than QSAS and I will discuss on how to work around it. QSAS has told me to submit my appeal first before contacting further with them so ensure that I will be returning for 3rd year.
-I have seen a family doctor and am receiving medical prescription to aid with my personal barriers, these medications will enable me to be more focus and attentive whenever working on school work or in class. A big problem in the past was initiating the first step with anything, whether it was starting an assignment, completing weekly work, studying for an exam, the first step was the hardest for me which is to initiate myself to do it. My physiologist explained to me that with these prescriptions, that first step will be extremely easy as it will strengthen my focus
-For lectures, I plan to take breaks and walks when needed as it is very difficult for me to sit or stand in the same place for several hours. My physiologist explained to me that taking a break when needed can really restart my brain and than re-enable to get back to work.
-For tests and exams, extra time would be best for me followed by doing it in a isolated area, I will be talking with QSAS about this and see what is best for me.
-Many of my academic planner will be structured with the help of QSAS
-I plan on hiring a tutor for all my math needs and some of my Econ needs to fully understand the content. Whether the tutor's cost is 1 an hour or 100, I am still going to proceed and work with one at-least once or twice a week.
-I plan on joining a study group for courses that I feel is needed to work extra on, as personally, studying with people is 10x easier than studying alone as there is more communication and mental work to be done to prepare.
-As for motivation, I live with several students who are doing great in their studies in which they ensure that I work just as hard as them. Also more importantly, I have a girlfriend who constantly alerts me with work that must be completed, gets me to do several hour study sessions at the library and to work hard daily.
I plan on enrolling on 5 courses per semester and catch up wherever is needed, for example MATH 126 and Econ 222. I do intend to do 5th year if needed to do more courses as I am in no rush to graduate, I prefer quality or quantity and will take the time needed to perfect myself as a student in general.
I DO PLAN ON UPDATING MY ACADEMIC PLANNER following up with more academic adviser appointments, and with the help of QSAS. My academic planner will be added onto throughout oncoming months as there and I will update it whenever I have discussion with them.
Firstly, I have been in contact with academic adviser's regarding my appeal and courses. Tomorrow (2019-06-10), I plan on contacting and booking a phone appointment with an academic advisers to once again go through my plan and pin it all down.
Regarding Health condition - Thalassemia Major
-Since birth till the end I have and will be needed blood transfusions, I usually get transfused ever 3-5 weeks. My transfusion dates can be flexible and placed accordingly to work around my school schedule. The transfusions I receive is a full day procedure, usually from 8 AM to 5 PM. I will be in contact with professors and TA's before hand to work around these dates to ensure I attend class. For my extreme fatigue feeling that I receive 1-2 weeks prior to my transfusions, will be hard to plan around as there is nothing to be done about it. This is a internal health problem with my hemoglobin levels which make things difficult. I do in fact plan on letting all my professors know my situation so they can understand if there is a day or class that I cannot attend and come back with a solution to work around it, such as handing something in days earlier or after, etc... Constant communication with professors will be done.
Regarding Learning Disability and ADHD (Combined)
-I have a strong plan to combat these personal barriers. I am currently in contact with QSAS and am enrolling with their services to receive academic accommodations. Including my appeal, there is a document I have attached which is the QSAS form that has been filled out by my psychologist and in there explains my difficulties, which than QSAS and I will discuss on how to work around it. QSAS has told me to submit my appeal first before contacting further with them so ensure that I will be returning for 3rd year.
-I have seen a family doctor and am receiving medical prescription to aid with my personal barriers, these medications will enable me to be more focus and attentive whenever working on school work or in class. A big problem in the past was initiating the first step with anything, whether it was starting an assignment, completing weekly work, studying for an exam, the first step was the hardest for me which is to initiate myself to do it. My physiologist explained to me that with these prescriptions, that first step will be extremely easy as it will strengthen my focus
-For lectures, I plan to take breaks and walks when needed as it is very difficult for me to sit or stand in the same place for several hours. My physiologist explained to me that taking a break when needed can really restart my brain and than re-enable to get back to work.
-For tests and exams, extra time would be best for me followed by doing it in a isolated area, I will be talking with QSAS about this and see what is best for me.
-Many of my academic planner will be structured with the help of QSAS
-I plan on hiring a tutor for all my math needs and some of my Econ needs to fully understand the content. Whether the tutor's cost is 1 an hour or 100, I am still going to proceed and work with one at-least once or twice a week.
-I plan on joining a study group for courses that I feel is needed to work extra on, as personally, studying with people is 10x easier than studying alone as there is more communication and mental work to be done to prepare.
-As for motivation, I live with several students who are doing great in their studies in which they ensure that I work just as hard as them. Also more importantly, I have a girlfriend who constantly alerts me with work that must be completed, gets me to do several hour study sessions at the library and to work hard daily.
I plan on enrolling on 5 courses per semester and catch up wherever is needed, for example MATH 126 and Econ 222. I do intend to do 5th year if needed to do more courses as I am in no rush to graduate, I prefer quality or quantity and will take the time needed to perfect myself as a student in general.
I DO PLAN ON UPDATING MY ACADEMIC PLANNER following up with more academic adviser appointments, and with the help of QSAS. My academic planner will be added onto throughout oncoming months as there and I will update it whenever I have discussion with them.
Documentation
Professional Letter: PSYCHOEDUCATIONAL REPORT.pdf
Document: Highschool counsellor report.doc
Documentation Detail: Report conducted by my counselor back in high-school
Document: QSAS psychologist.pdf
Documentation Detail: QSAS Form filled by psychologist
Document: QSAS Health condition.pdf
Documentation Detail: QSAS form filled by health practitioner
Decision Letters
Amendment to Appeal 5872
Relevant Petition: 5872
New Information: The following documentation that I will be uploading is regarding a section in my appeal which has been signed off by my doctor. It indicated and describes my health condition in a more in depth followed by the limitations I receive.
Student Number: 20079741
History
Originally submitted June 10, 2019 at 2:50:46 AM.
| Field | Reference | Old Value | New Value | Note | User | Date/Time |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| status | N/A | Received | Prepared for Review | Carrie Roosenmaalen | 2019-06-10 10:15:57 AM | |
| status | N/A | Prepared for Review | In Review | Spring Forsberg | 2019-06-10 2:19:28 PM | |
| status | N/A | In Review | Granted | Spring Forsberg | 2019-06-17 12:16:26 PM | |
| associate_dean | N/A | Jenn Stephenson, Ph.D. | Spring Forsberg | 2019-06-17 12:16:26 PM | ||
| decision_letter | N/A | N/A | Decision letter sent | Spring Forsberg | 2019-06-17 12:17:14 PM |