Submit an Academic Petition or Appeal

Petition Letter: Academic Appeal CLST 304:
Hello, my name is Nicolas Brian Thomas Marshall, Net ID: 19NBTM, Student ID: 20218341. In this appeal I hope to appeal the failing grade I received in Professor Cristiana Zaccagnino class: CLST 304 in the Winter 2021 Semester. I am writing this appeal because I failed the class, and am concerned by the effect this will have on my GPA, since I hope to pursue post-graduate studies in the future. I am hoping to have the course dropped after the academic deadline, and have it not appear on my transcript as a failed course.
My first argument is that I was in over my head for this course, being that it is a 3rd year course. At the time I took this , I was a first year student, and was not familiar with the course syntax. I was also not familiar with the course selection process on SOLUS. I chose CLST 304 on the basis that I thought SOLUS would prevent me, or give me some warning if I took a course above my year. This was based on the fact that for all other higher level courses I selected, I was informed that I did not meet the prerequisite requirements. CLST 304 only required certain first year courses as prerequisites, and so I was able to take it. I did not drop CLST 304 before the deadline in March because by that point I was not aware that it was a 3rd year course. I knew that there was a research essay due at the end, but having never written one before, I thought that at some point the professor would teach us in depth eventually. I was only made aware that the course was a 3rd year one in about the last week of classes, when the professor remarked in one of our classes that she wished those of us who were graduating this year good luck.
I do not believe that the mark I have been given is an accurate portrayal of my academic ability. If anything, It is an analysis of my ability to cope with the pandemic.
The course in question had four assessments in total. Three tests, and one research essay. I missed two of the tests' assessment periods. All tests were due at 12:00 pm on the last day they could be done. My stress riddled brain saw 'pm and assumed that meant it was due at midnight. I understand this is not how clocks work, but when I logged on to do the test at 9:00 pm I was still surprised to see that the test had been due 9 hours ago. I emailed the professor, and she was kind enough to let me do it later, with reduced marks. I received a passing grade on this test, in the fifties. The second time I missed the deadline was the third test. It happened for a similar reason but was more due to the general stress of the time. I missed it, and because of that I received a zero. I did not email the professor about this one, because in her last email to me she said that In the future, I will be stricter about deadlines. I took this to mean that I would not get any more chances. The test I was able to complete on time (The second one assigned) I received a mark in the 80s. My argument relating to the tests' not being accurate assessments of my abilities is this: The situation that caused me to do poorly on these tests was a symptom of online learning, as opposed to my understanding of the material. In a non-COVID setting, I believe I would do well on these tests, since there are no confusing deadlines for in person tests. One can look at the test I was able to complete normally as evidence of this, which I will remind you I scored quite high on.
I attended every single lecture of the class, I took notes of each. I learned what I could consider a substantial amount about Architecture in the ancient world during this semester. I failed the course not because of my poor understanding of the material, but because of my lackluster time management skills in the face of a global pandemic that has negatively affected my mental health, isolated me socially, and impacted my ability to perform well academically.
As an additional note, I have fulfilled this appeal to the best of my ability and knowledge, with constant reference to the sources listed on the appeal site. I have not included additional documents, because to my understanding the extenuating circumstances are clear without them, and the evidence related to my performance in the class is something I would assume you have access to. If this is unsatisfactory, please let me know, and if I should include a letter from a family member detailing my circumstance, or a letter from my therapist vouching for the effect the pandemic has had on my mental state, please let me know.

Thank you,
Nicolas Marshall