Submit an Academic Petition or Appeal

Petition Letter: April 1, 2021


Dr. Jenn Stephenson
Associate Dean (Academic)
Student Services, First Floor Dunning Hall
Queen¿¿s University


Re: Appeal to Drop ASTR 101 - Astronomy

Dear Dr. Stephenson,

My name is Justin Nashman (20226070) and I am a first-year student at Queen¿¿s University enrolled in Computing, in the Arts & Science department.

Earlier this week I spoke with Karen Knight, Undergraduate Program Assistant for Queen¿¿s Computing, to discuss summer school options that may make sense for me. To my great surprise and disappointment, I found out that I don¿¿t have the necessary prerequisites to advance to second year in Computing.

The main problem is that my GPA average is currently at 1.33 for the courses that I took during the first term. Ms. Knight told me that one of the reasons that my GPA is so low, is that I got an ¿¿F¿ in ASTR 101 ¿¿ Astronomy.

I thought that I had dropped this course back at the beginning of first term. So, I was surprised when I heard this. As a first-year student, I didn¿¿t have any experience with knowing how to drop courses, or knowing when the deadlines are, etc. I don¿¿t recall ever receiving any notification that I was still enrolled in that class, or that I was receiving a ¿¿0¿ in the course ¿¿ since I didn¿¿t attend classes, do any assignments, or write any tests. I really thought that I had dropped the course at the start of the year ¿¿ right up until my conversation with Ms. Knight this week.

I realize that organizational skills are not my strong suit. I have an IEP that identifies that I have ADHD and, as a result, I have challenges with keeping track of due dates for assignments and tests and generally staying organized. I take medication to help me focus. But, it¿¿s still a challenge for me to stay on top of my academic life. I realize that this is not an excuse and it¿¿s my responsibility to be more organized. But, the ADHD does make it a lot more difficult.

¿
I also think that this year is particularly difficult due to Covid-19. I haven¿¿t met my teachers in person. I don¿¿t socialize very much with my classmates. So, I don¿¿t have much of a network at Queens to keep-in-touch with other people. As a result, I often feel alone in trying to navigate this new environment.

I¿¿m writing to you to ask if you could remove the Astronomy course from my records, or at least, find some way for this mark not to affect my GPA average. I love being in the Computer Science program and I see this as a career that a really want to pursue. It would be devastating to me if this administrative mistake puts all of this in jeopardy.

So far, my grades are better in second term. So, if the ASTR 101 course can be removed from my records, then I think I will be able to get my GPA up, so that I am able to stay in the Computing program.

I greatly appreciate any help that you can provide to remove ASTR 101 from my record, so that it doesn¿¿t affect my GPA.


Thank you,


Justin Nashman
20226070
justin.nashman@queensu.ca
416-454-5804