Submit an Academic Petition or Appeal

Petition Letter: I attended the BISC as a full year first year student in 2011/2012. In February 2012 I was sanctioned for using cannabis, and was made to complete my semester remotely in Canada.

Nothing relating to that charge, or the resulting sanction, is being debated or appealed.

This was a non-academic disciplinary action. However, academic accommodation was made on a per class basis and varied considerably. This was well before the days of OnQ.

Two courses provided essentially no viable path to achieving a passing grade (ARTH117 and ECON112). Barriers included - but were not limited to - receiving zeros on midterms written in class in the UK (while I was in Canada), and not being given access to any class materials or slides before final exams. I will be requesting late drops for these courses.

At the time I was made to believe that being allowed to complete my courses was some special, off the books favour, done by executive director Bruce Stanley. I later learned that I was entirely untrue and that I was entitled to complete academic work, or receive sufficient accommodation, given the non-academic nature of the sanction. I was not given the option of dropping the courses late.

This is the reason I did not appeal immediately is that I did not realize I had a legitimate basis to do so. Further, I did not appeal during my undergraduate studies (which I recently finished) for fear of further sanction, or potential exclusion from graduate studies at the school. I didn't want to be seen as difficult. However, I feel that my case is both strong and clear.

I would further like to note, while I performed poorly in other classes I accept that I earned those grades. While my absence from campus doubtlessness negatively affected my performance, this was the result of my poor judgement and I accept that.

However, the two courses I wish to appeal were completely impossible for me to pass given the accommodation - or lack thereof - provided. It is only for these courses that I ask for academic consideration, in the form of late drops.

I am aware of regulation 3.2.1 which places a 21 day limit on appeals after graduation. I have been working on my academic recovery plan over the past three years with Spring Forsberg, and there are many moving parts including an appeal and repeating classes. I am and have been registered in certificate programs since graduating from my BAH. I did not realize that regulation 3.2.1 was tied to the BAH, rather than the end of my undergraduate studies at Queen's.

I ask that you allow me to file this appeal, complete with further details and documentation, as I believe that the case I am presenting warrants the associate dean's attention.