Submit an Academic Petition or Appeal

Petition Letter: To the Associate Dean of Arts and Sciences.

My name is Mackenzie Collins, I was recently granted an appeal to waive the 21 day limit on dropping courses and I would appreciate the opportunity to drop these courses from my academic record:

FALL 2012: PHIL 203
WINTER 2013: ENGL 232 PHIL 271
FALL WINTER 2012/13: HIST 310 A and B

I feel that this appeal is justified as I began in my first notation because I was experiencing severe mental distress and grief during that year. During the august previous to the fall semester my mother, whom I was living with, suddenly and unexpectedly passed away. I had already had symptoms of anxiety and depression in the past and her death caused me to be far less able to deal with that condition. Rather than taking the year off to deal with the fallout of this occurrence I foolishly decided to return to school. At this point I was in denial about both my depression and my inability to cope but entered classes as the university environment was comforting and familiar.

Rather than taking steps to deal with both my mental health and academic problems I ignored both of them shirking responsibility and shrinking away from daily life. I lived under a constant anxiety about the work I was unable to complete, thus preventing me from beginning it and placing myself in a vicious cycle of fear.

However since May 2013 things have been far better. I have been able to successfully reintegrate myself with my family and set up a mental health support network and treatment program. I have received an official diagnosis as of November this year for depression. With a regime of cognitive therapy and medication I have now gained increased emotional stability and confidence. I have been working at keeping a routine and dealing with the symptoms of my condition.

Academically I plan to return to full time classes in September of this coming year, either at Queens or a University closer to my home depending on the support network I can establish. I plan to specialize in a different concentration, most likely political science, feeling that a clean break from my previous studies will be useful and that the choice will leave me better positioned for future endeavors.

To that end I have registered at the University of Athabasca for two of their online courses to be completed this winter / spring. What is more important is thatI have also been talking with the admissions of several institutions and have received the information that this appeal would allow my grades to be in a much better condition to reenter my studies or to transfer to a different university. I am hopeful that Queen¿¿s will be gracious enough to grant me this appeal and allow me to represent my true potential academically.

Thank you for your consideration,

Mackenzie Collins 06232085