Submit an Academic Petition or Appeal

Petition Letter: Dear Associate Dean,

I am writing this appeal letter to request permission to drop a course ten days after the March 5th drop deadline.

After careful consideration, I have come to the conclusion that it is necessary that I drop the course DEVS 105 (Winter 2021) in order to effectively continue as a successful student.

The ongoing mental and physical health challenges that I have endured this past year under extreme psychological stress have deeply impacted my abilities to work within the time standard I need in order to carry a full online course load.

While I have suffered from depression and anxiety for most of my life, this year has been exceptionally challenging. The symptoms that arise from loneliness and panic during this isolating period as the pandemic continues have completely uprooted my usual way of life and deeply challenged my well-being.

My energy that would have otherwise been channelled towards my course work has instead been exhausted by my worry for my parents who are essential workers, my grandparent who is quarantined in a nursing home that has been experiencing out-break since December, and my grief for community members who have passed away.

This month, I have reached out to the Empower-Me service provided by our school, and am extremely thankful for the professional support that I have received. In order to continue my journey towards regaining my mental and physical well-being, I have registered for 10 sessions of one-on-one virtual counselling with this service.

Now that I have begun to receive the support of this therapy, I am able to make the thoughtful decision to ask that I be able to drop DEVS 105. It is imperative that I do so in order to be able to effectively focus on my other course work.

The other four courses that I am enrolled in are directly related to my Film and Media Major. When I am not working on classes, I am using my time to work towards strengthening my mental and physical health, as well as support my family during this unprecedented time.

Through my Empower-Me counselling, I have learned that I should not feel like I am fighting a battle for my health and sanity vs my academic success. If I am granted the ability to drop this extra course, I will be able to put the careful energy and time I need into both my health and academic success.

I plan to move forward into this next chapter of my life as a healthy Queen¿¿s University student who no longer fears reaching out for help.

Thank you for your consideration.

Sincerely,

Lauren Thomas

20101240