Submit an Academic Petition or Appeal

Petition Letter: To the Attention of the Associate Dean (Academic):

I am writing to submit an appeal for my daughter, Maeve Hildebrand, student number 20061206. The four courses in question were all taught in FALL 2020, were each 3 credits, and are listed below:

1. ENIN 200, Entrepreneurship Foundations, Gregory Bavington
2. ENSC 480, Special topics in Environmental Science (Watersheds), Geoffrey Hall
3. CHEM 213, Intro to Chemical Analysis, Zhe She
4. CLST 205, Ancient Humour, Callie Callon


Maeve developed a devastating medical condition that first presented at the end of 2018. She withdrew from classes for the first semester of 2019 while we travelled to the States in search of treatments. Maeve returned to classes and worked hard at continuing with her degree, despite her medical challenges. She is registered with QSAS and has accommodations for her disability.

Maeve progressed to the best of her ability, making changes when she needed to, in order to adjust to her health needs, and was moving forward with her schooling until the pandemic began. Maeve began the fall 2020 term with positive expectations but as the pandemic progressed, it began to take a serious toll on her, triggering extreme psychological distress. This was unfortunately out of everyone??s control and absolutely became a crisis situation, resulting in an inability to continue with her studies. In November, the added mental weight of the pandemic triggered PTSD and serious suicidality concerns, from ourselves, her friends, and an intake officer at Queen??s, who I had contacted during the crisis. The immediate intervention was to have her stop classes at once and return home. Given the state she was in, she gave permission to the intake officer at Queen??s for me to act on her behalf.

Originally, the goal had been to have four of the classes extended into the winter term, via Incompletes (which were granted) and one class appealed. However, the ability of her to resume her studies was too overwhelming. Of the total of five classes, she passed one based on how well she had done in the class prior to the extenuating circumstances of crisis intervention. The other 4 classes received a grade of F.

The appeal is being done now, given that Maeve began responding to medications and therapy treatments. Although Maeve??s physical health is a chronic, debilitating condition, the pandemic took her, like some others, to the breaking point of what she could manage. Given that Maeve has returned to school this fall, is now in treatment, and is putting the last 10 months behind her, I am moving forward with the appeal at this time. I did not want to do this prematurely without being able to say that things had improved with treatment and scheduled therapy sessions.

Additionally, as a parent I am heartbroken at the crisis she experienced and am loathe to have her return to that period, even for the sake of the appeal. She finally has her head above water and is focusing on continuing forward in a positive way without looking back at what she??s been through. Therefore, I am submitting this on her behalf.

Thank you sincerely,

Alison O??Brien-Moran, on behalf of Maeve Hildebrand

Addendum:
I am so very sorry. I began submitting this appeal and came across information that there was a deadline to do this. I had spoken with Lucy Mackrell who was an Academic Consideration Manager, last year and was told there was no deadline to do this appeal. I??m really sorry?I don??t know if the rules changed or if I misunderstood, given the state of stress our family was under. I can look back through the emails and see if I can find anywhere Lucy may have included it in print, vs. verbally.