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Petition Type: New
ID: 7437
Submitted: March 12, 2021 at 1:44:39 AM
First Name: osarumwense
Last Name: omoruna
Student Number: 20012540
Degree Program: BScH
Plan: LISC
Level of Study: 4

Petition Categories

Petition Categories: Add a course after the academic deadline, Drop a course after the academic deadline, Request aegrotat (AG) standing in a course or courses, Request an extension of an incomplete grade
Code: ANAT 409
Term: Winter
Year: 2020
Petition Category: Request an extension of an incomplete grade
Instructor's Name: Stephen C. Pang
Code: MUSC 171
Term: Fall
Year: 2019
Petition Category: Request aegrotat (AG) standing in a course or courses
Instructor's Name: Robb Mackay
Code: ENIN 140
Term: Winter
Year: 2020
Petition Category: Request aegrotat (AG) standing in a course or courses
Instructor's Name: Sidneyeve Matrix
Code: GEOL 106
Term: Winter
Year: 2020
Petition Category: Request aegrotat (AG) standing in a course or courses
Instructor's Name: Anna Harrison
Code: NSCI 499
Term: Fall/Winter
Year: 2020
Petition Category: Drop a course after the academic deadline
Instructor's Name: Michael D Kawaja
Code: NSCI 499
Term: Fall/Winter
Year: 2021
Petition Category: Add a course after the academic deadline
Instructor's Name: Michael D Kawaja

Petition Letter

Petition Letter: Dear Associate Dean (Academic),

I am appealing to request for extension of an incomplete (IN) grade in ANAT 409 (Winter, 2020); Aegrotat (AG) standing in MUSC 171 (Fall, 2019), ENIN 140 (Winter, 2020), and GEOL 106 (Winter, 2020); and a late drop of NSCI 499 A and B 001 (Fall/Winter 2020) from the 2019/2020 academic year and a late entrance into the course for the current academic year.

I was unable to complete the requirements for the courses mentioned above during my allotted time period due to severe acute mental and physical illness. This impairment began in early March 2020 and remained a substantial hindrance to my performance until May 2020. During the 2019/2020 academic year, I was working and living in residence on main campus. I was in communication with my professors regularly about any difficulties I was experiencing related to my regular academic accommodations. However, with the onset of a severe and acute illness I was quickly left severely incapacitated and unable to attend to my job, academics, and personal health effectively. I had to leave Kingston and was moved home on March 13th. My condition increased in severity steadily and I was eventually bedridden and completely unable to attend to my academics, participate in any of the asynchronous sessions for any courses, to communicate with my professors, and I was unable to be up to date on the school's policies regarding COVID-19 and the options students had. Moreover, I was unable to complete all of my outstanding work for the remainder of the semester. Beginning in early summer I sought the care of my family physician and a Queen's SWS counselor, and I saw steady improvement. To account for my failed/missing credits I enrolled in 1 summer course from May-June while I was recovering and in 2 additional summer courses from July-August as I was more recovered. However, with academic advisement, it became evident that I would need to enroll for a 5th year to fully address my missing credits and I unenrolled from the last 2 summer courses to allow better recovery in preparation for the new school year.

At the beginning of the Winter 2020 semester, I had outstanding work from the Fall 2019 semester for 2 courses including MUSC 171 (Fall, 2019) and NSCI 401 (Fall, 2019) due to my regular need for academic accommodations at that time. My professors were able to accommodate, and the courses were assigned incomplete grades going into the Winter 2020 semester. I began working on the incomplete assessment for NSCI 401 first and was able to successfully complete it. I was working towards completing the remaining 35 of MUSC 171 by March 2020. However, this conflicted with my onset of illness and I was unable to complete it along with the remainder of my work for the Winter 2020 semester. The courses I was taking in Winter 2020 included ANAT 409, ENIN 140, GEOL 106, GLPH 471, and NSCI 499. I had already completed a majority of the requirements for GLPH 471, but due to difficulties related to my regular need for academic accommodations the course team reweighted my major assignments to ensure completion of the course. Thus, at the time of my onset of illness, I was already on track to complete GLPH 471. Furthermore, at the onset of my illness, I was not on track to finish the outstanding requirements for MUSC 171 (Fall, 2019), my remaining winter courses including ANAT 409, ENIN 140, GEOL 106, and my full-year thesis NSCI 499. This resulted in failure grades or grades substantially lower than the level I was previously performing at as not all of the assessments were submitted.

I am requesting permission for an extension of an IN grade for ANAT 409 as I have not completed and passed 60 of the course and the professor has agreed to allow for my completion of the course. I plan to complete the final requirements for this course during the winter 2021 final exam period as I do not have exams scheduled but rather just the submission of a final project for ENGL 162 that will be completed before the exam period. I am requesting AG standing in MUSC 171, ENIN 140, and GEOL 106 as I have completed and passed at least 60 of those courses but I was unable to complete them due to my extenuating circumstances. I am not asking for designations of incomplete courses as I cannot reasonably complete the courses during the current semester with my current workload. Lastly, after consultation with the associate dean of life sciences and biochemistry and my thesis supervisor, I am requesting a late drop of the full-year NSCI 499 course from the 2019/2020 academic year and late entrance of the course into the current academic year. This is recommended as it will allow me to finish the thesis while taking fewer courses this semester so I may realistically finish my requirements.

Moreover, I experienced severe acute mental and physical illness that was compounded by the fact I was living alone, and the challenging climate created by the pandemic. The return of my health and academic performance is correlated to my being in a supportive environment at home, and the care of my SWS counselor and family physician. At the time of writing this appeal it is March 2021 and I am in a good position to finish off the year well. Should my appeal be granted for the 5 courses, I will be able to focus on the 2 outstanding courses, ANAT 409 and NSCI 499. This will reasonably set me up for success and allow me to graduate this year. To ensure success, I plan to continue to receive the appropriate health care and stay in prompt communication with my professors if any difficulties occur.

Thank you very much for reading my appeal requests. I greatly appreciate your time and considerations. I will be providing the appropriate letters of support as well as an academic plan for my possible late entrance into NSCI 499. If any additional documentation, information, or clarification is required I will be happy to provide such.


Best regards,

Osarumwense Brenda Omoruna

Academic Plan

Academic Plan: Osarumwense Brenda Omoruna Winter 2021 Academic Plan


I am writing this academic plan to support my appeal request for a late add to NSCI 499 A and B 001 for the current academic year.

Course of Study

For the semester of winter 2021, I plan to finish my undergraduate degree in the Bachelor of Science (Hons.) program with a life science specialization plan and a biomedical science sub-plan. Should my academic appeal be approved I will be taking 4 courses this semester including ENGL 162, LLCU 214, DDHT 460, and NSCI 499.

Full time versus part-time status

Based on the direction of academic advisement I will be strategically managing my course load this semester to encourage a successful end of the semester. As of March 2021, I have been taking 3 courses including DDHT 460, LLCU 214, and ENGL 162. This reduced course load has allowed me to progress well into the courses and be on track for their completion. Therefore, in the event of an approval for the late addition of NSCI 499, I will have a 4th course that I can reasonably manage. This is further encouraged by the fact that I first enrolled in the course last academic year and have made significant progress towards its completion. My hiatus from academic study last year due to extenuating circumstances occurred in March. Thus, the resumption of the course at this time will leave me a satisfactory amount of time to complete the remainder of my studies. Furthermore, since the beginning of March, I have started working on this course again to set myself up for success in the event of an approval of late entrance.

Strategies for success

Previously my academic success was inhibited due to sudden extenuating circumstances. I was in an unexpected academic hiatus where I was not making any progress towards my courses. This mandated a formal appeal for the late withdrawal and late entrance of this course for the current academic year. In the year since this event, I have had the time to recover, become adjusted to the current public climate, and determine the best course of action for my studies. It is now abundantly clear to me that the best thing for my health and productivity will be to remain at home in a stable environment, maintain a reasonable course load, and access the appropriate resources for support.

Academic resources: I believe I can be successful in this course as I will not be completing the entirety of the course during the remainder of this semester. In the event of a late drop of the course from last year and resumption this semester, I will be finishing the work I have already started and almost completed. I will also be continuing regular meetings with my project supervisor for the course to monitor my progress towards completion.

Personal resources: To remain in a state of productivity I will be regularly accessing the appropriate personal resources. I will remain in my current environment which is stable and supportive. Additionally, I will continue my regular meetings with my student wellness services (SWS) centre counsellor and family physician. This has been critical in my ability to recover and will continue to be a priority moving forward. My SWS meetings are especially important as they continue to encourage my accountability towards maintaining my personal health goals and monitoring my progress towards my academic goals.


In conclusion, with the approval of my academic appeal and the continued access of my support resources, I will be able to complete the semester successfully. I do not have extraordinary situational demands preventing me from completing my studies. I am highly motivated to get back on track towards completing my academic studies this year. With the consideration of my previous extenuating circumstances and upholding this academic plan, I will be set up for success to complete my studies.

Documentation

Professional Letter: OO letter Mar 4 2021.pdf
Documentation Detail: Letter of support from the Associate Dean, Life Sciences and Biochemistry

Level 1 Status

Status: Granted with Conditions

Level 2

Appeal Type: Level 2
ID: 12
Submitted: August 19, 2021 at 8:43:02 PM
Relevant Petition: 7437
Decision(s) Being Appealed: Request aegrotat (AG) standing in a course or courses: ENIN 140, Winter 2020 (Sidneyeve Matrix)
Request aegrotat (AG) standing in a course or courses: GEOL 106, Winter 2020 (Anna Harrison)

Appeal Letter

Appeal Letter: Dear Board of Studies,

I am appealing the Associate Dean??s decision to deny my appeal (7437) for Aegrotat Standing in ENIN 140 (winter 2020) and Aegrotat Standing in GEOL 106 (Winter 2020). I am requesting a reconsideration of the potential assignment of Aegrotat Standing or to allow for incomplete status in the courses so I may finish the requirements.

Firstly, please consider the following explanation regarding why I was unable to appeal to the Board of Studies by the 21-day deadline. I received my first level appeal decision on April 5th, 2021 and my secondary appeal deadline was April 26th, 2021. While working with my health care provider for documentation to support my secondary appeal I unfortunately experienced severe degeneration of my physical health. This resulted in a severe recurrence and exacerbation of my previous psychological illness as described in my original appeal letter. Unfortunately, at that time my degeneration in health resulted in a severe personal injury involving multiple fractures that took place in mid-April, which eventually necessitated hospital admission. This injury is well documented with my family physician and an off-campus physician's note will be provided in support of this. Furthermore, I am now re-devoted to addressing my secondary appeal and providing my letter with the necessary additional information and documentation.

My decision letter states that I did not explain why I did not connect with my instructors in the summer to make arrangements to complete the outstanding work in the courses. In response to this, I provide the following explanation. Firstly, upon experiencing my extenuating circumstances in winter 2020 my ability to continue my academics severely diminished. It was necessary to leave Kingston due to both the progression of my symptoms and the pandemic. This left me without the regular counselling and medical treatment I was receiving on campus. Furthermore, upon my return to my family home, my family physician had no availability due to overwhelming demand in addition to limiting the types of cases that were being seen due to the pandemic. Thus, my medical and counselling support system broke down and I was unable to continue my medication regimen. This poor treatment of my symptoms caused the continuation of my extenuating circumstances throughout the spring and into the summer. Consequently, I was unable to stay up to date on Queen??s policies regarding course difficulties in light of the pandemic.
As I was gradually able to access my family physician for treatment, I experienced minimal recovery. Upon learning that I had missed the opportunity to receive pass grades or dropp courses due to extenuating circumstances related to the pandemic I did not believe I had the option to address the courses retroactively. In response to the missing credits from my transcript, I enrolled late into a summer French course. Despite my diminished state, it was certain I could manage the course due to my proficiency in French. I also enrolled in additional summer courses later on in the summer term to compensate for my disruptions from the winter. However, I had to drop the courses as participating in the earlier summer French course was detrimental to my recovery and caused great struggle for me despite my proficiency in French. It was recommended by my counsellor, Dr. Khanna, who is supporting this appeal with documentation that I drop the summer courses, as I was not in the state to complete schoolwork over the summer.
Near the end of the summer Louise Winn, the Associate Dean of Life Sciences and Biochemistry, reached out to discuss the disruptions to my transcript. Upon discussing my situation, she informed me that I would be able to appeal the courses. I opted to request to receive Aegrotat Standing as I was not advised to take on additional requirements during the academic term. This would have disrupted my ability to handle all my workload. Furthermore, if the Board believes that this explanation does not qualify me to receive an estimated grade as I should complete the final requirements, I am highly motivated and willing to complete the final requirements at this time.

My decision letter also states that despite completing and passing more than 60% of the course work I did not complete enough of the required components to have met the learning outcomes in the courses. I am appealing that the Board consider the level at which I was completing my work and my academic standing in the courses without the final requirements. The vast majority of the work I was able to complete in each course was either at the A+ or A level. In addition, for each course, I was unable to complete only the last requirement, either an assignment or test and was still able to receive passing grades of C+ and B+. Therefore, I believe this supports that before I experienced my academic disruptions, I was highly devoted to fully understanding and performing well in the course, allowing me to grasp the learning outcomes. Thus, I believe that receiving Aegrotat Standing in both courses will accurately represent my actual grasp of course materials and ability to perform in the courses. Furthermore, if the Board does not believe I qualify to receive Aegrotat Standing in either course I am requesting that I may be allowed at this time to finish the last requirement for each course.

Finally, it is also stated in my decision letter that the instructor for GEOL 106, Dr. Anna Harrison, reached out to me in the summer and I failed to respond. However, this was a misunderstanding as I did receive any emails from Dr. Harrison over the summer. After communication with Dr. Harrison, she explained that she did not reach out to me but rather was waiting for students to communicate their plan to address outstanding work first. My inability to address my outstanding work over the summer is explained above.

Moreover, I have never had such extreme disruptions to my academics which have spanned over multiple semesters and affected my academic standing greatly. The consideration of my circumstances will allow me to finish off my degree in such a manner that is representative of my academic abilities and will align with the academic trends I have displayed before my interruptions. I look forward to the chance to discuss these circumstances further with the Board.

Thank you for taking the time to address my letter.

Best regards,

Osarumwense Brenda Omoruna

Documentation

Documentation Detail: I plan to submit an off campus physicians note and a letter from my counsellor no later than 3 weeks from now (September 9th)
Select a decision letter template to generate and queue a decision letter using its content.

Level 2 Amendments

Appeal Type: Level 2 Amendment
ID: 14
Submitted: August 24, 2021 at 3:23:02 PM
Relevant Petition: 7437

Documentation

Appeal Type: Level 2 Amendment
ID: 16
Submitted: August 30, 2021 at 5:10:39 PM
Relevant Petition: 7437

Documentation

Document: OO Letter.pdf

History

Originally submitted March 12, 2021 at 1:44:39 AM.

FieldReferenceOld ValueNew ValueNoteUserDate/Time
statusN/AReceivedIncompleteKerri Andrews2021-03-12 4:03:16 PM
statusN/AIncompleteIn ReviewKerri Andrews2021-03-19 11:46:26 AM
statusN/AIn ReviewGranted with ConditionsKerri Andrews2021-04-05 8:55:28 AM
associate_deanN/AJenn Stephenson, Ph.D.Kerri Andrews2021-04-05 8:55:28 AM
decision_letterN/AN/ADecision letter sentKerri Andrews2021-04-05 8:56:15 AM
new_appeal_level_2N/ALevel 2Level 2 Appeal ID: 1215obo2021-08-19 8:43:02 PM
new_appeal_level_2N/ALevel 2 AmendmentLevel 2 Appeal ID: 1415obo2021-08-24 3:23:02 PM
new_appeal_level_2N/ALevel 2 AmendmentLevel 2 Appeal ID: 1615obo2021-08-30 5:10:39 PM
statusN/AReceivedIn ReviewPamela Briand2021-09-24 2:33:30 PM
statusN/AIn ReviewADA Amended DecisionKerri Andrews2021-12-02 10:10:27 AM
decision_letterN/AN/ADecision letter sentKerri Andrews2021-12-02 10:12:23 AM