Submit an Academic Petition or Appeal

Petition Letter: Dear Associate Dean (Studies),
Request:
I am appealing to have the 21-day deadline for submission of an appeal waved, due to extenuating circumstances that prevented me from appealing this matter until now. The courses I wish to submit appeals for are as follows:
- Drop HLTH 456 (Winter 2013) past the deadline;
- Appeal for Aegrotat (AG) Standing in PSYC 457 (Fall 2013);
- Appeal for Credit standing (CR) in PSYC 351, PSYC 397, and PSYC 221 (Winter 2014).
Explanation of Extenuating Circumstances:
From 2013 through 2014, I experienced a number of prolonged extenuating circumstances that negatively affected my academic performance and my ability to complete certain courses. These extenuating circumstances persisted well beyond the end date of the courses, and prevented me from addressing this appeal until now. I will try to be as concise as possible, however this appeal is for 5 separate courses over a year (Note: the following explanations are also the reason for my appeals in each course).
In the winter semester of 2013, I enrolled in HLTH 456, an independent study course. It was the only course I enrolled in, as I was scheduled to have two major spinal surgeries in the United States that semester, one on February 26th, and the second on May 28th, 2013. My spinal problems were such that I suffered significant mobility impairments and intense, chronic pain. I thought I would be able to manage one course, and that once I had the first of my surgeries that my condition would improve enough for me to complete it. In hindsight it was an ambitious decision, and I underestimated the toll a major spinal surgery would take on my body and mind. I had a difficult recovery from the first surgery; Sitting up and using a computer became extremely difficult. I was still having intense pain and lost most of my ability to use my left hand due to extensive nerve palsy. I spoke with my professor, who allowed me to (after filling out appropriate documentation) carry the course over to be completed in the Winter semester of 2014 instead without having to late-drop the course and re-register in it. I was still optimistic at this point about being able to complete it come winter 2014.
The recovery from my two spine surgeries in Winter 2013 was much more difficult than I anticipated. During the following summer I needed intense physical rehabilitation to regain my body strength and mobility, specifically in my hands. Despite this, I felt pressured to resume my studies in September, partly because the financial toll of prolonging my studies was beginning to weigh heavily on my husband, who is the sole income provider for our family. I started the fall semester 2013 taking three courses. I was upfront with my professors about my physical limitations, and kept them informed about my situation. By mid-semester, I found myself struggling not only with chronic pain, fatigue, and dexterity, but also depression and anxiety. I managed to complete one of my courses in December 2013, however I was too ill physically and psychologically afterwards to complete the other two at the time. I was unable to focus or concentrate on anything other than my pain. I requested extensions for the final exam (NURS 323) and project (PSYC 457) until January, which were granted.
Over the Christmas holidays however, a family crisis arose that consumed all of my time and energy. My parents began a sudden and contentious divorce, and my family, as I knew it dissolved. My mother and younger brother (who has autism and a physical disability) moved up to Kingston from Brockville and rented a house just down the street from me to get away from my father, who had by then become verbally and emotionally abusive and physically threatening. I had already begun 3 courses, hoping that I could still graduate in the spring. A few days after my mom and brother moved here in January 2014, my brother slipped on ice outside his new home and broke his hip, requiring emergency surgery and months of rehabilitation. As my mother was now the sole income provider and caregiver for my brother, I was required extensively to help my brother with his recovery while completing my courses. Despite this, I managed to do the final exam for NURS 323 in mid January, however I was not able to complete the final project for PSYC 457. I spoke with Dr. Kelley and she allowed me to extend the due date until April 2014. Typing was still difficult, and it was extremely hard for me to concentrate on anything throughout the semester; if I wasn¿¿t dealing with an issue with my brother, I was dealing with problems with my own health. I kept my professors informed of my extenuating circumstances throughout the semester, and they have all agreed to support my appeals for credit standing in their courses, given the significant challenges I was facing at that time. Due to my illness, family stressors and demands I was facing, I also had to again delay working on my HLTH 456 course.
By the end of winter semester 2014, I knew I would not be graduating that spring, and that I was not well enough to complete HLTH 456 or the final project in PSYC 457. This fact only worsened by depression, and I had difficulty eating or even getting out of bed. By then, the accumulation of serious and overwhelming extenuating circumstances involving my health and my family came to a head and, for lack of a better phrase, I suffered a mental breakdown. I was not able to cope with the stressors any longer and I had to take a leave of absence from school so I could receive proper mental and physical care, as I was in an extremely fragile state. My doctor recommended I postpone anything to do with school until she felt I was ready to return.
I received treatment throughout the summer and into the fall, all the while continuing to assist my brother with his recovery the best that I could, given my own health issues. By that time, the surgery my brother had initially to repair his broken hip failed and he was completely bedridden again by June. He had developed Avascular Necrosis, which required a total hip replacement that he had in late-November, 2014. It was then discovered that he had osteoporosis so he was unable to engage in any rehabilitation exercises until January, when he finally became mobile again and also qualified for daily assistance from a PSW, alleviating my responsibilities. Receiving homecare for my brother lifted a huge burden off of my shoulders, and I began to think about finishing my degree. I am currently taking the final course needed for my degree this semester, and will happily graduate in the spring after a long 8 years.
It is for these reasons that I was not capable of submitting my appeals before the scheduled deadlines, and would like to request that the deadline be waived and my appeals for the above courses be heard.
Thank you for your time and understanding,
Jessica Covey