Manage Appeals
Petition Type: New
ID: 7803
Submitted: June 2, 2021 at 9:05:35 PM
First Name: Robert Leighton
Last Name: Cooke
Student Number: 20254057
Email: robb.cc@gmail.com
Degree Program: BSH
Plan: ENGL
Level of Study: 1
Petition Categories
Petition Categories: Drop a course after the academic deadline
Code: BIOL102
Term: Winter
Year: 2021
Petition Category: Drop a course after the academic deadline
Petition Letter
Petition Letter: Hello Associate Dean(Academic),
I am writing to request academic consideration for a non-extenuating circumstance. I wish to late-withdraw from BIOL102 (Winter 2021). I would like to retake the course, but the interested student track will not allow me to continue the single course if I do not meet GPA minimums. I would like to retake the course next term.
I had to take a new job starting in February as I was having my previous job hours reduced and needed the income. I now am managing a 28-home construction site full-time and some weekends. I was brought on to make very strict closing deadlines in June when the top floors of the 14 upper units hadn't even been put on yet. I must manage 20-30 different trades daily. This has meant that regrettably my attention, and time was consumed by onboarding and learning the ins and outs of my new role and responsibilities. This was not helped by my ADHD and Major Depressive Disorder. I did not anticipate all these factors would create such mental distress for me at the time that I enrolled in the course.
I was simply overwhelmed both with stress of maintaining my employment, managing so many people in person with the pressure to keep the project on track, time commitment, ADHD, Depression, constant potential exposure to Covid and how my mental disorders came together.
All of this started in February right after the course started which resulted in both missing course work and missing the withdrawal deadline.
As my job has always been essential, I must always be at the site 10-12 hours a day in person. This has itself presented great stress and worry about covid exposure. In addition, I need to drive 30 mins each way to the site. I do not have the option to not physically go to the site.
I have ADHD which makes executive function, and tracking deadlines a challenge. I am also struggling with Major Depressive Disorder. The comorbidity of these conditions can amplify the effects of them on a person.
These mental health issues, particularly the ADHD are why the deadline of March 5th which was the last day to drop courses passed by. The disorder makes it hard to keep track of things like deadlines. This is the reason that I am asking for the late academic withdrawal without penalty.
At this stage, I have reached a proficiency in my new position, and I have a much better grasp of how I can balance my new workload with academics going forward. As well the project will start closings in June so that stress will be reduced. I have been doing weekly zoom training with Hospice Toronto, which as well had to happen after work further reducing my executive function abilities due to the emotional nature of the bereavement training. I have nearly completed the training program.
I have attached a letter from my psychiatrist as well to support the medical diagnoses and to help explain how ADHD impacted my ability to make the decision on time to drop the course when I should have.
My plan if the request is approved. I would immediately retake the course to fully learn the material as well as show that I can complete the degree. I will not have the immense amount of stress factors when I retake the course affecting me. Through Hospice Toronto I have also received the vaccine such that I can begin weekly visits with Hospice Clients. While not a major factor, this has somewhat eased my stress of being around so many persons in my daily work. (Although I am still responsible for all Covid safety at the site, and I continue to follow health guidelines such as distancing, sanitizing etc.)
I had applied to the Queens interested student degree track. With a dream of getting a second degree in life sciences. As this is my second 3.0 credit course, I need to get an average of 1.6 gpa to continue with the studies from the previous B that I got. As it stands, I unfortunately let the time pass by until I could not drop the course. If I cannot get the course dropped, I won't be able to continue in the interested student degree track. This is why it is so important to have this request granted. Without it, I cannot continue in the program.
Thank you for your consideration,
Robert Cooke
20254057
BIOL102
I am writing to request academic consideration for a non-extenuating circumstance. I wish to late-withdraw from BIOL102 (Winter 2021). I would like to retake the course, but the interested student track will not allow me to continue the single course if I do not meet GPA minimums. I would like to retake the course next term.
I had to take a new job starting in February as I was having my previous job hours reduced and needed the income. I now am managing a 28-home construction site full-time and some weekends. I was brought on to make very strict closing deadlines in June when the top floors of the 14 upper units hadn't even been put on yet. I must manage 20-30 different trades daily. This has meant that regrettably my attention, and time was consumed by onboarding and learning the ins and outs of my new role and responsibilities. This was not helped by my ADHD and Major Depressive Disorder. I did not anticipate all these factors would create such mental distress for me at the time that I enrolled in the course.
I was simply overwhelmed both with stress of maintaining my employment, managing so many people in person with the pressure to keep the project on track, time commitment, ADHD, Depression, constant potential exposure to Covid and how my mental disorders came together.
All of this started in February right after the course started which resulted in both missing course work and missing the withdrawal deadline.
As my job has always been essential, I must always be at the site 10-12 hours a day in person. This has itself presented great stress and worry about covid exposure. In addition, I need to drive 30 mins each way to the site. I do not have the option to not physically go to the site.
I have ADHD which makes executive function, and tracking deadlines a challenge. I am also struggling with Major Depressive Disorder. The comorbidity of these conditions can amplify the effects of them on a person.
These mental health issues, particularly the ADHD are why the deadline of March 5th which was the last day to drop courses passed by. The disorder makes it hard to keep track of things like deadlines. This is the reason that I am asking for the late academic withdrawal without penalty.
At this stage, I have reached a proficiency in my new position, and I have a much better grasp of how I can balance my new workload with academics going forward. As well the project will start closings in June so that stress will be reduced. I have been doing weekly zoom training with Hospice Toronto, which as well had to happen after work further reducing my executive function abilities due to the emotional nature of the bereavement training. I have nearly completed the training program.
I have attached a letter from my psychiatrist as well to support the medical diagnoses and to help explain how ADHD impacted my ability to make the decision on time to drop the course when I should have.
My plan if the request is approved. I would immediately retake the course to fully learn the material as well as show that I can complete the degree. I will not have the immense amount of stress factors when I retake the course affecting me. Through Hospice Toronto I have also received the vaccine such that I can begin weekly visits with Hospice Clients. While not a major factor, this has somewhat eased my stress of being around so many persons in my daily work. (Although I am still responsible for all Covid safety at the site, and I continue to follow health guidelines such as distancing, sanitizing etc.)
I had applied to the Queens interested student degree track. With a dream of getting a second degree in life sciences. As this is my second 3.0 credit course, I need to get an average of 1.6 gpa to continue with the studies from the previous B that I got. As it stands, I unfortunately let the time pass by until I could not drop the course. If I cannot get the course dropped, I won't be able to continue in the interested student degree track. This is why it is so important to have this request granted. Without it, I cannot continue in the program.
Thank you for your consideration,
Robert Cooke
20254057
BIOL102