Submit an Academic Petition or Appeal

Petition Letter: To the Associate Dean (Studies),

In the Winter 2018 semester my academic conduct was uncharacteristically poor as a direct result of certain extenuating circumstances and I plan to drop the courses taken during that semester. However, the one-term deadline in place regarding appeals to drop courses late expired on September 15, 2018. Therefore, I am writing this letter to formally appeal to waive the one-term deadline as the first step of my appeal, pursuant to the conditions laid out in section 3.2.2.5 of the Appeal Regulations. Due to multiple long-term extenuating circumstances not within my control, I was unable to appeal those courses before the deadline and unable to file this appeal request before the present.

Prior to the 2017 to 2018 academic year I was diagnosed with Generalized Anxiety Disorder (GAD) and Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD), receiving successful psychiatric treatment for both. Since they no longer posed serious concerns, I had stopped taking medication for them by December 2017. Unfortunately, these diagnoses did not include my underlying, undiagnosed bipolar-spectrum mood disorder. This illness would later prove to be by far the most severe and debilitating event I have ever faced. Left untreated and undiagnosed, it began to worsen during the 2018 Winter semester with symptoms of intense anxiety and depression accompanied with volatile changes in mood. My symptoms also included feelings of intense hopelessness and worthlessness. These symptoms increased dramatically in severity in late February and early March 2018. The dramatic and acute onset of this illness and its symptoms led to fatigue and an inability to concentrate and my condition had become so severe to the point that I was unable to function. This meant that I could not go to class or do any academic work and my academic performance dramatically declined to the point that I failed all of my classes that semester. By the time it had become severe to the point that I could not perform academically, the week 8 drop deadline had passed, and I was in no condition to make major decisions regarding my academics. My symptoms had become very severe by this point.


From March 2018 onward, I experienced volatile and constant fluctuations in my mood, emotions, and self-worth in addition to the other symptoms listed above. This continued well into the summer of 2018. I actively attempted to receive psychiatric treatment during the summer, but it did not prove helpful because my mood disorder remained undiagnosed and untreated. By the end of the summer, my condition had not improved, and it made no sense to return to my studies with severe symptoms still present. Therefore, in August 2018, I made the decision to not return to Queen's until I was in good enough health to do so. In fact, my symptoms had become severe to the extent that at this time I considered the possibility of having to fully drop out of Queen's. Since I was not attending classes, from August to November 2018 I relocated to Taiwan to help take care of my terminally ill grandmother. Watching her health decline and ultimately coping with her passing worsened my already negative mental state. Unfortunately, living in a foreign country meant that receiving mental health care was not a possible option at this time. By September 15, 2018, prior psychiatric treatment had not helped, symptoms were ongoing, significantly impeding all aspects of my life, and I was in a foreign country unable to receive adequate treatment. Writing an appeal by this date was not a viable option and would not be until my condition sufficiently improved.


By the time I returned from Taiwan to my home in the United States in November 2018, I was still experiencing a multitude of symptoms and unable to function on a personal level, much less an academic one. I knew I had to get better ¿¿ there was no alternative; I could only return to Queen's if I got better to the point where I could function once again, file an appeal, and ultimately take classes. I made the decision to begin receiving psychiatric treatment again, and in January 2019 I was finally properly diagnosed with mood disorder on the bipolar spectrum and began to receive treatment for it, as well as for any remaining GAD and ADHD symptoms. This included both psychiatric medication and consultation with a psychologist for talk therapy sessions. Therapy was very helpful, giving me the ability to identify thoughts and feelings that arose due to my illness and view them in a new light. After a few months of trying various psychiatric medications, I finally started on a mood stabilizer that has worked incredibly well. Combined with therapy, my symptoms have finally abated and my mental state has returned to its previous level from before my acute decline in 2018. As a result, I have now recovered to the point where I am finally able to write this letter, file this appeal, and return to my studies on a permanent basis. While my illness cannot be fully cured, it is being managed. I am monitoring it closely on an ongoing basis using both medication and tools that I have learned in therapy so that it will not pose a significant problem to my future success. Attached to this appeal are documents from my psychiatrist and psychologist describing my illness.

After this appeal, I plan to formally appeal to drop the courses taken during the Winter 2018 Semester and return to Queen's in September 2019 to continue my studies. Due to successful treatment over the past few months and continued treatment going into the future, my illness no longer poses a significant threat to my future academic performance, but I will take steps to keep it in check after returning to Queen's, including scheduling regular appointments with Student Wellness Services. In addition to this note, I have included a separate Academic Plan. While I understand it is not a necessity for this specific appeal, I felt it was important to include one in order to fully explain my future plan.

It has been a struggle to get to where I am now. It has been a difficult year but also one where I have taken the time to figure out what I want for myself and for my future. I pushed myself and took an online course during the Winter 2019 Semester as my condition was being treated and I am currently independently studying French and Mandarin Chinese over the summer since I plan to become fully fluent in both before graduation.

Filing this appeal is the most important action I have ever taken. Over the past few weeks I have devoted much of my time to writing my letter and creating my academic plan. Confronting my disorder and articulating its consequences in detail while writing this has been a difficult and emotional process, but I felt it was necessary that I comprehensively explain my circumstances. This letter is lengthy, but I believe everything stated in it is necessary in order for you to have a full and accurate knowledge of my circumstances. I understand it has been a while since the deadline passed, but I want you to know I am writing this appeal in good faith and that this is the first time in over a year that I can honestly say I am ready to return. I am writing this appeal so that I can have a successful future. But I also care about the outcome of this appeal because I know what I am capable of and wish to prove it to myself. My first year at Queen's, I excelled academically, earning a spot on the Dean's Honour List and I know I can do so again now that my illness is under control. I know I can thrive academically and personally at Queen's, because I have before. I have never felt more inspired or motivated in my life and I want to demonstrate to myself that I have improved and that I am capable of success. I am far more confident in myself and in my ability to succeed than ever before and cannot wait to return. I call Queen's home and wish to have the opportunity to do so again.

Thank you very much for your time and consideration,

Hedley Myers