Submit an Academic Petition or Appeal

Petition Letter: I would like to appeal for a Credit Standing (CR) for my final grade in PSYCH 241 as I feel as though my performance, especially at the end of this semester, was not an accurate reflection of my overall comprehension of the course material and was affected by extenuating circumstances that were not in my control as a result of the current events happening in society.

Over the course of this semester, the pandemic has affected my family's financial stability so I have had to go in and out of multiple interviews looking for a job to help support and provide for my family throughout this difficult time as well as juggling multiple assignments, for instance having a 15-page History paper due on the same day as the exam for PSYCH 241. As a result, these activities proved to be very time-consuming and took a toll on my mental capacity. These last few weeks of the semester, I found that I was not able to be as sufficiently prepared and focused going into the final exam as I would have been if not dealing with these issues and being completely overwhelmed by them.

Additionally, as a Black Student, the recent unfortunate events surrounding my community, such as the recent murder of Daunte Wright and the verdict of the George Floyd trial have also affected my productivity as I am constantly reminded of my vulnerability and other forms of racist violence at an already stressful time in my life academically. At the beginning of 2020, the violence against members of my community has taken quite a toll on my mental health as I struggle to feel safe in my environment based on the discrimination I face due to the colour of my skin. To find a way to cope during the semester I tried to engage in more conversations with others about the difficulties these events can bring and the feelings that come as a result, and have also looked for support in friends and family but still continue to struggle a little bit.

I would greatly appreciate it if this appeal could be granted as I would like to avoid these factors to have a detrimental effect on my GPA. Thank you for your time and consideration in advance. I look forward to hearing back from you.

Sincerely,

Quianna Thompson 20155252