Submit an Academic Petition or Appeal

Petition Letter: Dear Associate Dean (Studies)


I am writing to you today to have the following grades dropped late from my transcript, as I understand expunging grades is not feasible:

1. ENGL 274, Fall Term, 2015
2. ENGL 290, Fall Term, 2015
3. SPAN P10, Fall Term, 2015
4. ENGL 200, Fall and Winter term, 2016 & 2017
5. ENGL 215, Fall and Winter term 2016 & 2017
6. ENGL 237, Winter term 2016
7. ENGL 273, Winter term 2016
8. ENGL 293, Winter term 2016
9. FREN 150, Fall and Winter terms 2016 & 2017
10. PSYCH 100, Fall and Winter terms 2016 and 2017

While I understand this is an extensive list, I would like to explain the circumstance I faced at the time, and why it has taken me so long to write this appeal.

In the Fall of 2015, my mother had told me that she had two forms of cancer ¿¿ skin and colon. Immediately after finding out this new, I called my counsellor Sarah, to talk through my emotions. Not only was I the only one who knew of the news, my mother had me promise I would not tell my sister, or the rest of my family. With no one else to turn to, I knew Sarah was the person I could count on, as we had been working together for over a year at that point. To my astonishment, I was informed that Sarah was taking medical leave, and no one was sure when she would return. Requesting another counsellor was a struggle, as I had a previous negative experience with a counsellor on main campus. While reluctant, I met with another, but felt as though I was not being heard or understood.

During this time, getting out of bed became a struggle. Staying awake in class was a struggle and going to class was a struggle. So, I stopped. I knew there was something wrong, but the only resource that I had known and come to trust was gone. So, I felt very alone. Luckily during the exam season, my mother had gone through her surgery and came out triumphant against the cancer. But my grades had not.

I did not drop the courses I struggled with at the time, as I knew my parents would no longer pay for any additional schooling and would be severely angry with me. Unfortunately, the relationship with my parents growing up was very toxic, and I was terrified of what the repercussions would be if I was to drop my courses (hence retaking certain courses multiple times ¿¿ this was in hopes that the higher GPA would cancel out the lower mark). After telling my parents what I was going through, they told me to pack my things, leave the house and refused to speak to me for close to a year. Our relationship has since mended, but that interaction also had a profound effect on my mental health (and resulted in a failed suicide attempt).


My mental health was at such a debilitating point, I started suffering from insomnia, irritability, hopelessness, withdrawal from family and friends, as well as extreme fatigue. All of these factors contributed to my inability to function properly over those two years. At first, I didn¿¿t realize why all those things were happening, and I brushed it off as just burnout and exhaustion from school and work. However, after a suicide attempt, I went to get help. I was diagnosed by a Physician at the Queen¿¿s Medical clinic with Severe Depression and Anxiety. Unfortunately, I was told the doctor who diagnosed me was not able to follow me as a patient, so I was once again passed along from Physician to Physician. Taking my mental health into consideration, I decided to take a year off of school to get better. I made regular appointments with a wonderful counsellor who worked at Queen¿¿s who made a lot of progress with me, until I was told I was no longer able to come back due to my withdrawn status from school.


By this point, two years later, I had the medication, the tools and the support that I needed to continue on for future success. I was regularly attending counselling sessions with a Nurse Practitioner from my Doctor¿¿s office, and I had even attended St. Lawrence College for a Practical Nursing program for a semester and faired very well. My dream has always been to take a BNSc at Queen¿¿s University, however, with my transcript the way that it is, I fear I will not be able to do so.


Should you drop these grades from my transcript, you would be providing a student with a disability the opportunity to succeed at her dream. Having said that, I understand that continuing to see a counsellor and doctor, as well as maintaining my support network and taking my medication are all factors that need to be carried out on my part to ensure my future success.

With utmost gratitude,

Crystal O¿¿Dea