Manage Appeals
Petition Type: New
ID: 7731
Submitted: May 18, 2021 at 5:26:27 PM
First Name: Tim
Last Name: Owen
Student Number: 20059480
Email: 16tdo@queensu.ca
Degree Program: BAH
Plan: DEVS
Level of Study: 3
Appeal Category Detail: Drop a failed course
Petition Letter
Petition Letter: Dear Associate Dean,
My name is Tim Owen and I am currently enrolled in a BAH, with a major in Global Development studies. I am submitting this appeal in hopes of having HIST-124 (Canada in the World) removed from my transcript. I took the course in the fall of 2018 and winter of 2019 (full year 6.0 unit course), in my second year at Queens ¿¿ also, the Professor was Steven Maynard. I failed this course during a very challenging, but fortunately temporary period in my life. Thank you for allowing me the opportunity to submit this appeal and explain my circumstance.
During the fall of 2018, my family entered a period of extreme hardship, with regard to internal conflicts and overall family dynamic. This continued into the second semester of my second year, winter of 2019. I would rather not explain exactly what happened, as it is about as personal as family matters get. However, this was an extenuating circumstance that affected my ability to perform well academically. In the midst of severe family tension and a strive to maintain stability within the family, it led to instability in my mental state and as a result, my academic performance. During my second year, this domestic family circumstance affected my ability to perform normally from September 2018 ¿¿ April 2019. During this time, my family situation felt like being aboard a plane that is constantly experiencing turbulence, and eventually returning back to normality. Throughout the year, I constantly emailed my teachers for extensions and submitted extenuating circumstances forms (all of which there is a record of), but never submitted a request for real academic accommodations because I did not think personal family matters would qualify. If you look at my transcript, you will see that the discrepancy between the academic year of 2018-2019 and the other academic periods is drastic. This year was by far my least successful year, and not an accurate representation of my ability. During this academic period, I only passed three courses for a total of a mere 12.0 units.
I am currently in my final year at Queens, though I still have some courses to take, and am looking to apply to the commerce certificate program in the fall (fall 2021). Side note: I may switch from a BAH to a BA this summer, but certain things like this appeal will be a factor in said decision. I am only appealing this course (HIST-124, Canada in the World) because the other course I failed during this same year, I have retaken and I received a B+ grade. Further, I would have retaken HIST-124 had it been available this summer (which I naively assumed it would be). That said, I did not drop the course earlier because 1. The commerce certificate was not in my original plan, and therefore my GPA had less significance. Currently my GPA is a 2.51, and a 2.6 is needed for the program. 2. Even after I decided to apply to the commerce certificate program, I assumed I would have the opportunity to retake HIST-124, as I did with DEVS-240, but the option was not provided.
My name is Tim Owen and I am currently enrolled in a BAH, with a major in Global Development studies. I am submitting this appeal in hopes of having HIST-124 (Canada in the World) removed from my transcript. I took the course in the fall of 2018 and winter of 2019 (full year 6.0 unit course), in my second year at Queens ¿¿ also, the Professor was Steven Maynard. I failed this course during a very challenging, but fortunately temporary period in my life. Thank you for allowing me the opportunity to submit this appeal and explain my circumstance.
During the fall of 2018, my family entered a period of extreme hardship, with regard to internal conflicts and overall family dynamic. This continued into the second semester of my second year, winter of 2019. I would rather not explain exactly what happened, as it is about as personal as family matters get. However, this was an extenuating circumstance that affected my ability to perform well academically. In the midst of severe family tension and a strive to maintain stability within the family, it led to instability in my mental state and as a result, my academic performance. During my second year, this domestic family circumstance affected my ability to perform normally from September 2018 ¿¿ April 2019. During this time, my family situation felt like being aboard a plane that is constantly experiencing turbulence, and eventually returning back to normality. Throughout the year, I constantly emailed my teachers for extensions and submitted extenuating circumstances forms (all of which there is a record of), but never submitted a request for real academic accommodations because I did not think personal family matters would qualify. If you look at my transcript, you will see that the discrepancy between the academic year of 2018-2019 and the other academic periods is drastic. This year was by far my least successful year, and not an accurate representation of my ability. During this academic period, I only passed three courses for a total of a mere 12.0 units.
I am currently in my final year at Queens, though I still have some courses to take, and am looking to apply to the commerce certificate program in the fall (fall 2021). Side note: I may switch from a BAH to a BA this summer, but certain things like this appeal will be a factor in said decision. I am only appealing this course (HIST-124, Canada in the World) because the other course I failed during this same year, I have retaken and I received a B+ grade. Further, I would have retaken HIST-124 had it been available this summer (which I naively assumed it would be). That said, I did not drop the course earlier because 1. The commerce certificate was not in my original plan, and therefore my GPA had less significance. Currently my GPA is a 2.51, and a 2.6 is needed for the program. 2. Even after I decided to apply to the commerce certificate program, I assumed I would have the opportunity to retake HIST-124, as I did with DEVS-240, but the option was not provided.
Academic Plan
Academic Plan: Dear Associate Dean,
Second year was objectively my worst academic year because of my family circumstance, and I have only improved since (as shown by my transcript). Now I sit here and plead to you because a very turbulent time in my life has affected my overall GPA, and ultimately my opportunities. I also take this situation as a learning opportunity, in that sometimes juggling two very stressful situations is the essence of life and something I can overcome. Unfortunately, my family situation was out of my control and adversely impacted my academics. In the fall of 2020, my GPA was a 3.77 and in the winter of 2021 a 3.60. I have become devoted to my academics and I know I can achieve high grades without a massive distraction impeding my work. In the future, despite not having any official academic accommodations, I will seek help and speak to an academic counsellor and student wellness services. I will do this in order to tackle any problem I may have as it occurs, rather than subsequently. My future plan includes finishing my degree and becoming enrolled in the commerce certificate in the fall of 2021. This one really poor year is not a reflection of my ability as a student or my work ethic, but rather the circumstance that caused my lack of academic success. Should you decide to go ahead and approve the removal of HIST-124 from my transcript, I personally guarantee my academic success in all of my future courses taken at Queens. Also, because this does not concern an officially documented physical or mental issue, I will attach a photo of a note from my Mom, as I have no doctors note indicating my internal family struggles (though I know this is not the most legitimate documentation, I will also attach her contact info if needed to verify).
Second year was objectively my worst academic year because of my family circumstance, and I have only improved since (as shown by my transcript). Now I sit here and plead to you because a very turbulent time in my life has affected my overall GPA, and ultimately my opportunities. I also take this situation as a learning opportunity, in that sometimes juggling two very stressful situations is the essence of life and something I can overcome. Unfortunately, my family situation was out of my control and adversely impacted my academics. In the fall of 2020, my GPA was a 3.77 and in the winter of 2021 a 3.60. I have become devoted to my academics and I know I can achieve high grades without a massive distraction impeding my work. In the future, despite not having any official academic accommodations, I will seek help and speak to an academic counsellor and student wellness services. I will do this in order to tackle any problem I may have as it occurs, rather than subsequently. My future plan includes finishing my degree and becoming enrolled in the commerce certificate in the fall of 2021. This one really poor year is not a reflection of my ability as a student or my work ethic, but rather the circumstance that caused my lack of academic success. Should you decide to go ahead and approve the removal of HIST-124 from my transcript, I personally guarantee my academic success in all of my future courses taken at Queens. Also, because this does not concern an officially documented physical or mental issue, I will attach a photo of a note from my Mom, as I have no doctors note indicating my internal family struggles (though I know this is not the most legitimate documentation, I will also attach her contact info if needed to verify).
Decision Letters
History
Originally submitted May 18, 2021 at 5:26:27 PM.
| Field | Reference | Old Value | New Value | Note | User | Date/Time |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| status | N/A | Received | In Review | Spring Forsberg | 2021-05-20 8:57:04 AM | |
| status | N/A | In Review | Denied | Spring Forsberg | 2021-06-07 9:34:29 AM | |
| associate_dean | N/A | Jenn Stephenson, Ph.D. | Spring Forsberg | 2021-06-07 9:34:29 AM | ||
| decision_letter | N/A | N/A | Decision letter sent | Spring Forsberg | 2021-06-07 9:35:09 AM |