Submit an Academic Petition or Appeal

Petition Letter: To the Associate Dean at Queen¿¿s University,

I am appealing to drop HLTH200, HLTH315, and MOHK101 for the fall term.

I received academic consideration for this term since I had health issues that arose in October but progressed significantly over the course of the term (something that was not at all foreseeable). I went to the doctor once the symptoms began to significantly influence my ability to complete daily tasks. I was confident this could be quickly resolved with treatment, but unfortunately, treatment was not able to be started and completed in time for me to fully complete this term (as a result of waiting on test results.) I ended up moving home for the last month of classes to receive care. Unfortunately, the last month is where the majority of course work was to be completed for HLTH200, HLTH315 and MOHK101. I was able to complete DEVS230 because a good portion of this class was done at the beginning of the term when I was well.

For a more in depth timeline, when I began to notice a decline in my health, I believed it to be something I could handle myself. I found I had days where I felt much better and would complete all of my work on those days. I began waiting for those ¿¿stronger days¿ to come along so I would be able to keep up with school and daily life. I was coping well with this and no one could have foreseen my symptoms would progress to the point that they did. As things progressed, these days of strength stopped coming and I found myself unable to do much at all. I met with an academic advisor who recommended I apply for academic consideration. With her help and my doctors help, I tried my best to finish the term, hoping some good days would come along and I would be able to finish the term to the best of my ability. Unfortunately, the term of my academic consideration came and went and I was still struggling.

I decided to take the winter term to recuperate and ensure that my return to Queen¿¿s be done at a time when I was confident this would not happen again. While the journey to feeling better has been a longer road than I originally anticipated, I am confident I am feeling better. I have chosen to take a summer course as a way of slowly easing back into academics after my brief break. This will help to ensure my health continues to be closely monitored, while also putting into practice some new tools I have found to be helpful in keeping my physical and mental health well.

In regards to my future at Queen¿¿s, I plan on retaking these courses next year and extending my time at Queen¿¿s by one year to ensure I get the credits I need to graduate. I plan to keep in contact with the many resources Queen¿¿s provides to students to ensure I am on track in doing this. I will also be taking advantage of the mental health support Queen¿¿s offers to ensure I am in contact and monitored by a mental-health professional (another tool to ensure I stay on track). I will continue to be in close contact with my primary care physician to ensure my health remains in good condition.

For your reference, here are some examples of improvement in my daily life since seeing my health improve.
¿¿ I have been able to find a summer job at a local grocery store where I am working 40 hours per week. This proves my physical health (and I can confidently say I would not have been able to do this months ago when struggling with my health.) In the school year I will be acclimated to working these hours, and will be able to dedicate these hours to doing school work.
¿¿ I have been able to maintain a healthy sleep and eating schedule that helps to ensure my physical and mental health remains in optimum condition.
¿¿ I have found a medical treatment that I will continue, until my physician recommends otherwise, to ensure my health remains at the place it is now.

I am disappointed in myself for having to make this request and for not being able to continue my third year of university as anticipated. I am thankful for the professors and Queen¿¿s staff that have been so helpful and accommodating during this time. I am making a promise to not only Queen¿¿s, but to myself, that I will continue to use all the tools provided to me to remain in optimal health for the remainder of my time at Queen¿¿s.

I will be attaching the medical note that I provided to receive academic consideration, please contact me if you would like any additional documentation.

Very respectfully,

Brooke Noonan