Submit an Academic Petition or Appeal

Petition Letter: Dear Queen¿¿s Appeal Associate Dean,
I am writing to you today to express my request to change my stated final grades in GPHY254, GPHY102 and GPHY203 to credit (CR) standings.
In March of 2021, many extenuating circumstances came into my life that caused psychological challenges and family financial problems that continued up until this present day. The COVID 19 pandemic caused myself to begin experiencing severe symptoms of anxiety and depression. I have always been a studious person, as you can tell from my past term grades, but it was as if a switch had flipped in my brain and body, which is demonstrated in the outliers that are my Winter 2021 term grades. I was unable to get out of bed everyday and would experience anxiety with very personal details. I felt defeated and did not know how to ask for help. I would be mentally unable to attend some tutorials where I felt unsafe and had no motivation to study and write my final papers and exams to the best of my ability. I was unable to travel home easily due to COVID 19 and I felt as if this was my breaking point. I did not tell anyone about how I was feeling, as if my problems and thoughts were not valid enough. I began experiencing suicidal thoughts in April of 2021 and felt unsafe and depressed.
This affected my final grades in many of my Winter 2021 term final grades. I am appealing only to these three courses because my grades were significantly lower than I¿¿ve ever received. I believe I did not succeed as well in these classes because my anxiety and suicidal thoughts were at an all time high in the middle of April, which was when the examinations and final papers were due in these classes. Unlike my other classes that wrapped up in early April.
I am ashamed of myself for not reaching out and getting help sooner. In late April 2021, I began using Queen¿¿s and general mental health resources such as help lines, and virtual video resources on how to deal with mental health and psychological disorders. I also contacted my doctor at the beginning of May to discuss options on how to treat my mental health challenges. He is currently on vacation and I have an appointment in the coming weeks. As trying to get a psychologist is challenging during the pandemic, I have been using online resources and counselling in the meantime and I have found new goals and meaning for my future and my life. I want to become a teacher and get into a Bachelor of Education program, which requires high grades. Appealing would possibly change my life and allow for a second chance to save my GPA and try again.
I know that I made a mistake by not seeking help sooner, but I am so thankful for the resources that Queen¿¿s University has offered me and I want to do better. If my classes I chose are appealed, I will consider taking them in following years and I am currently enrolled in the GPHY250 Summer 2021 course to proactively catch up and prove that I am dedicated to achieving better.
The challenges I faced in the past 2 months have been one of my hardest times in my life, however I know that if I can get these classes appealed, I will become a better and more motivated student to finish my undergrad with excellence and pursue higher education, all that cannot be achieved without a high GPA.
I thank you for your time and appreciate the consideration for an appeal.
Sincerely,
Ingrid Gruson