Submit an Academic Petition or Appeal

Petition Letter: Dear Associate Dean (Studies)

I¿¿m appealing to drop CHEM 347 (Fall 2014), CHEM 415 (Fall 2014), CHEM 421 (Fall 2014), CHEM 423 (Fall 2014) and CHEM 497A (Fall 2014). I am appealing to drop the listed courses due to severe stress issues that I've been dealing with.
Beginning in the last week of October and lasting through the end of the second week of November, stress was causing me to be unable to attend any of my classes. The stress was causing many detrimental effects to not just my mental health, but to my physical health as well. The effect of the stress that most affected my academic performance was the constant nausea and the daily vomiting I experienced during the first two weeks of November. This is mainly the cause of my inability to attend classes during that period. In addition to the nausea I was also having difficulty sleeping (trouble falling asleep and waking up), suffering from daily headaches and muscle pain, as well as experiencing appetite loss. The combination of these stress induced ailments made it impossible for me to attend class or to complete any of my school work during the first half of November.
Thankfully things are beginning to return to normal because I started to delve further into the causes of the extreme stress I was experiencing. Upon reflection I came to the realization that part of the reason I was so stressed was because my program was no longer the right fit for me. Since this realization I have switched my degree from a 4-year honours degree specializing in chemistry to a 3-year general science degree majoring in chemistry. Since I am in my fourth year this means that I already have all the credits needed to graduate for the 3-year degree and the courses I mentioned above are no longer required for my degree. This is another factor in my desire to appeal CHEM 347, CHEM 415, CHEM 421, CHEM 423, and CHEM 497A.
However despite the switch to the 3-year degree some of the stress has remained. Since the third week in November I have been taking steps to attempt to reduce this stress and return to normal. The first step I took was to see my doctor who referred me to see either a counselor or a psychiatrist. I have since gone to see a counselor here at Queen¿¿s, on November the 28th, to help deal with my stress issues. I am also planning on seeking help from a psychiatrist as well, as recommended by my general practitioner. In addition to dealing with the mental health side of this I have also seen an academic adviser and plan to see a career counselor in order to discuss my potential plans for the future. I am feeling optimistic that with this support I will be able to make the decision that¿¿s right for me, whether I decide to attend grad school, enter the workforce, or work on another degree here at Queen¿¿s.
I have attached the doctor¿¿s note that originally referred me to see a counselor or a psychiatrist. A letter of support from the counselor I saw at Queen¿¿s will also be included in my appeal shortly.

Sincerely,
Owen Wade (10013228)