Submit an Academic Petition or Appeal

Petition Letter: Hello,

My name is Alex Cull, and I am a second-year student in Biochemistry, with a minor in Music. The letter I am writing today pertains to dropping a class I am currently enrolled in for my minor, MUSC 171 (Social History of Popular Music). Going into this fall term with online learning being the norm for education at the moment, I was unsure about my ability to handle a full course load of five classes delivered solely from home. I went into this year fully aware of the fact that it would be difficult for me to adjust. However, over the past two months I have really struggled to fit this course in with my other areas of study. I think under normal circumstances this would be a course I would both enjoy and excel in, but with my four other courses this semester also being delivered online it is really bogging me down, both in being able to properly find time for all of my classes and myself in-between, but also just mentally. Music is something I am extremely passionate about and have been my whole life, but with the way that online learning has changed all of my courses, this music elective simply is not good for either my grades or my mental health. I need my focus right now to be on science, and 5 courses just does not work for me under these circumstances. I understand that the deadline was 2 days ago, though I was emailing with the contact for dropping courses at the Dan School the morning of the 3rd when I realized the deadline had passed. It was a decision that I reached over the weekend, and I had planned on emailing about it on the 3rd as I was in transit to come back to Kingston all day on the 2nd; I must have misread the deadline date, and so here I am. I acknowledge that I missed a set deadline, and that mental health and grades are not the most drastic reasons for a course drop, so I understand if this letter does not provide enough reasoning for the removal of the course. However, given the unusual nature of this year's education delivery and its overall impact on student health and wellness, I truly hope that this letter reads as an earnest explanation, and not simply an excuse.

Thank you for your time and consideration,
Alex Cull (20181455)
19alc2@queensu.ca