Submit an Academic Petition or Appeal

Petition Letter: May 31st, 2020

To the Chair of the Undergraduate Academic Progress and Graduation Committee, Associate Dean, and to others whom it may concern:

I would like to appeal the Faculty¿¿s decision that I must withdraw from Queen¿¿s for a period of two terms. I understand that the actions I¿¿ve made in the past have resulted in these consequences however I am committed to redeeming myself and ensuring I do not jeopardize the Faculty¿¿s trust or put my fellow students in a difficult situation again. It is in my best interest to complete my courses at Queen¿¿s as I am currently employed in the industry related to my faculty and have been offered a future there after having earned my degree.
In relation to the incident that lead to the Faculty¿¿s decision, I do not wish to excuse my actions but to explain them. During the Summer of 2019, I had come to a decision with my family that it would be best to defer for a year and focus on my health and well-being, which had been on a steady decline in the months following up to the Summer break. I moved back in with my family in Montreal and decided to enroll in the PSYCH 100 class I had originally passed but ultimately failed due to my other breach of academic integrity via attendance record. Having commenced my full-time job at the beginning of October, I did not anticipate the workload I would be facing while juggling both my job and school as well as working to improve my mental and physical health. Although I had the support of my family during this time, I was not coping well under the pressure and further suppressed the underlying issues instead of seeking help. I began doing the bare minimum in regard to my PSYCH 100 class, often submitting work at the last minute in order to focus more on my job and personal issues. I was extremely unprepared for my final exam in January and only began to really focus on my studying about a week leading up to the test. This is when I made the mindless decision to contact a fellow student about the questions on the exam. I had not considered the effect of my actions on both myself and the other student. In the end, I was overwhelmed by the stress of not being prepared for the exam and felt a failure would result in a worse consequence. I chose to drop the course before the designated date.
I have since come to realise the importance of completing my courses as soon as possible in order to progress in my workplace and fulfil the goals I have set as of the past 6 months. I was fortunate enough to retain my job through the COVID-19 crisis and enrolled in two Summer classes with the intention of turning my failure around and gaining credits towards my degree. During the pandemic I had been reduced to a four day work week which has proven extremely helpful in managing my workload, therefore I have negotiated with my employers to continue working four days a week so I can utilise my time and have an extra day to study for exams. It is my understanding that Queen¿¿s intends to continue the Fall semester online but is prepared to accept students on campus depending on the situation closer to the beginning of the term. Following some discussion, my employer is prepared to accommodate my needs as per either circumstance if I am granted the opportunity to return to Queen¿¿s in the 2020 Fall semester, either online or in person. It is extremely important to me to retain my position at this company and to take advantage of the opportunity to progress, which I cannot do without earning my degree. I acknowledge the quality of my future depends on the result of this appeal and the completion of my studies. Therefore, I am requesting to be able to return this Fall semester so I can complete my last two terms. I took a year off to improve my health and well-being and I would regret to see it go to waste only to spend another year waiting to return. I have made a considerable effort to change my ways of coping with stress in a constructive way rather than the negative attempts I have made in the past that lead to these consequences. With a much clearer path for my future, my priority is to spend the next two semesters focusing primarily on passing my classes and working towards the completion of my degree. I understand and respect the decision of the Faculty, however I ask that my future be reconsidered as the outcome of this decision will change my life dramatically. Since making the mistakes that have led to the Faculty¿¿s decision, I have made plans for the future that rely on the result of this appeal and I appreciate being given the chance to express this to you.
Thank you kindly for your time and consideration of these requests. It is very deeply appreciated.

Sincerely,

M.Houston

Matthew James Houston (10160329)
499 Westhill Avenue, Beaconsfield, QC
14mmh2@queensu.ca
514-686-9753