Submit an Academic Petition or Appeal

Petition Letter: Rylee North
20152604
rylee.north@queensu.ca
2045 Balantrae Circle
Kingston, ON

Associate Dean (Academics),

I am appealing to drop PHGY170 (Summer, 2021) and IDIS173 (Summer, 2021) after the drop deadline.

I am appealing these two courses because I was enrolled in them for the summer term, and was hoping to use the term as an opportunity to excel academically, however unforeseen circumstances prevented me from demonstrating my abilities. My good friend and fellow student, Kamila Lebel, passed away unexpectedly on June 9 of this year. I received a 2-week accommodation period until June 23, 2021 and I expected myself to be able to continue in my courses, but I was not prepared for the weight and impact of my grief in all aspects of my life.

Prior to the July 2 drop deadline, I attempted to contact student services and book an academic advising appointment, but I was unable to make contact with an advisor before the deadline. I would have dropped the course before the deadline if I was confident I would not have been able to succeed, and upon recommendation after speaking with an advisor, but the timeline and severity of events did not provide me with enough time to act accordingly. As a result, I did not drop the courses but I knew I would not be successful at all if I tried to juggle both courses, so I chose to put the energy I had towards just PHGY170. I was hoping to pull through but despite my efforts, I was just shy of passing that course. I know I would have been able to successfully complete both courses during the summer if Kamila was still here; I have now had time to process her passing without distractions or the added stress of school, and I will continue to manage the ongoing pain of loss moving forward. This term, I am retaking both of the courses requested in this appeal to hopefully demonstrate that to her, to myself, and to my instructors.

I do not believe this is directly related to this specific appeal, but I figure it might be worth mentioning for context. During the end of my second year, after seeking ongoing medical treatment and advice for over a year, I was finally diagnosed with multiple health conditions that had severely impacted my physical/mental health, which also resulted in academic implications. These health issues are ongoing but I have been, and am continuing to seek treatment and advice on management through my doctors. My second year was really difficult for me as I dealt with undiagnosed conditions, and the impacts of these conditions were increasing in severity as the year progressed. This summer, I was looking forward to my classes as receiving my diagnoses and ongoing treatment meant that I would finally be able to show what I am capable of without the barriers posed by the unchecked physical and mental limitations of my condition. I was just trying to get back on track and move forward in my studies, and Kami??s passing was the last thing I expected when I thought about potential barriers to the summer term. I know other students are also feeling her absence, and the absence of other losses in their lives, and we will continue to carry that with us for the rest of our time at Queen??s and beyond. I believe I have now developed a solid support team of friends, family, doctors, therapists, and faculty personnel. I am hopeful that my life is finally beginning to move forward, but I am even more hopeful as I now have confidence in myself; confidence in knowing how to cope with future obstacles, and confident that I possess the tools needed for self-advocacy.

After weighing my options and speaking with various advisors, I know that I do not want to give up despite the times where things seem impossible and the difficulties I have faced. I enjoy learning; I want to continue with school and I genuinely want to be successful. In continuing to work on myself and different areas of my life, and in ongoing consultation with medical and academic advisors in my life, I think this appeal request is a step forward that can provide me with the momentum to continue moving in the right direction.

Thank you and I appreciate your time.

Sincerely,

Rylee North
20152604
rylee.north@queensu.ca