Submit an Academic Petition or Appeal

Petition Letter: Dear Dr. Stephenson,

Request:

My name is Henry Ludlow (20019172) and I am a student at Queen¿¿s University participating in the Kinesiology (BSc Honours) program. I am writing to request the following appeals for my 2020 Fall semester grades:

KNPE 400: Aegrotat (AG) standing
KNPE 473: Late Drop (Deadline waived)
GPHY 208: Late Drop (Deadline waived)
FREN 106: Late Drop (Deadline waived)

Explanation of Extenuating Circumstances:

The extenuating circumstances for these appeals are that I have been affected by mental illness which impeded my ability to complete the second half of my coursework during the Fall 2020 semester. I have had depression and anxiety since my second year of university (2017-2018). Unfortunately, my brother passed away on June 22, 2020, which caused a significant exacerbation of these mental health issues. As a result of my deteriorating mental health, I was hospitalized from July 30 ¿¿ August 17.
Post hospitalization, I enrolled in the Fall 2020 semester in the belief that I was capable of continuing full-time studies. September through to November I was on track with my studies. However, I had a significant health relapse beginning in November. My last communication to my professors was on November 12, by which time I was unable to focus on school and withdrew myself from my courses. From that point on I did not complete any further coursework which has resulted in the failure of three out of four courses.
Regrettably, I did not communicate my university absence to any of my professors or university administrators. Whilst I should have applied for academic accommodations as soon as I became ill, my mental health during November and December was in such a poor state I was unable to function logically and pursue this option. Provided with this letter of appeal is documentation from my family doctor to confirm my mental illness and hospitalization. I have only begun the appeal process recently due to a slight improvement of my mental health in addition to the support of my mental health team (family doctor, psychiatrist, psychologist) and family who I recently confided my situation to.

Future Plan:
I reached out to the Undergraduate Chair for the School of Kinesiology, Anna van der Meulen, at the beginning of January. We met to discuss my options to get back on track with my studies, where she referred me to appeal these grades based on mental health considerations. If granted these academic appeals, I plan to finish the last three courses of my degree plan during the 2021 Summer Semester. I will continue to work with Anna to ensure that this plan is achieved. In the meantime, I will improve my mental health through the multiple health care modalities I am currently employing to ensure that I will be able to resume my studies in the summer.

Thank you for your attention to this matter.
Henry Ludlow