Submit an Academic Petition or Appeal

Manage Appeals

Petition Type: New
ID: 6671
Submitted: April 30, 2020 at 11:14:44 AM
First Name: Charlie
Last Name: Slaney
Student Number: 10183968
Degree Program: BA
Plan: ENGL, MUSC
Level of Study: 4

Petition Categories

Petition Categories: Drop a course after the academic deadline
Code: ENGL 294
Term: Fall
Year: 2019
Petition Category: Drop a course after the academic deadline

Petition Letter

Petition Letter: To whom it may concern,

I am requesting to drop ENGL 294 after the deadline as a result of the following information. I was hit by a car in March of 2017, and after undergoing a pulmonary embolism and fractured skull, I have been steadily recovering from¿¿and coping with¿¿a traumatic brain injury. This injury continues to have a major impact on my studies as I now have an exceedingly limited ability to concentrate as well as retain and process information. Due to this, I struggle to complete assignments and tests on time.
I experience severe headaches several times a week, and I have had increasing difficulty navigating to and from class. I am visually impaired, and the traumatic memories of my accident in cooperation with this preexisting impairment ensure that walking in the Kingston area (I was hit during a walk home from class) is daunting and even panic-inducing at times. Additionally, I have a hard time formulating effective responses in class. All of this put a strain on my overall participation in ENGL 294, and this was a significant disadvantage when it came to completing exams.
I found the fall exams to be debilitating, and while I managed to complete some of my exams with relative success, I was physically unable to prepare for and attend my ENGL 294 exam. This resulted in my failing the course. I find it particularly difficult to predict whether a course load will overwhelm me due to the ambiguity of my condition, as it fluctuates in severity with no indication of its doing so. As my injury is so complex, I have had little aid in recovery, and am still trying to understand how to live successfully with this relatively new disability.
I work with professors to maintain communication and to receive accommodated deadlines. I am making a constant effort to strengthen my academic performance, and I am more able to complete a course load now then I was in past semesters. I am actively seeking treatment in the hopes that I will soon have enough control over my impairment to no longer require late withdrawals or otherwise. I appreciate your consideration, and thank you for your aid and effort to understand my situation.

Sincerely,
Charlie Slaney

Documentation

Professional Letter Detail: Letter from Occupational Therapist