Submit an Academic Petition or Appeal

Petition Letter: Dear Dr. Atkinson,

My name is Tanisha Hasan and I am a 5th year Political Studies major. Due to extenuating circumstances, I am appealing to waive the 21-day appeal deadline to drop courses/apply for an Aegrotat standing and to study remotely in the Winter 2022 term. I have been significantly impacted by mental health issues which incapacitated me throughout my academic career and to engage in the appeal process. Courses that I am appealing to drop include in the following Fall 2018: POLS 243, POLS 261; Winter 2019: POLS 264; Summer 2019: CLST 205; Fall 2020: DEVS 230, GNDS 212, POLS 313; Winter 2021: ENSC 321, POLS 483; Summer 2021: GNDS 280, LLCU 325, POLS 211, POLS 327, POLS 434. I am also appealing for Aegrotat Standing for POLS 280 (Fall 2018), POLS 212 (Winter 2019), and POLS 404 (Winter 2021). As I continue to struggle with my mental illnesses and because there are no online upper year Political Studies courses being offered for Winter 2022, I am appealing to enroll in one 3rd and two 4th year POLS in-person courses but to study remotely.

Extenuating Circumstances

The timeline of my extenuating circumstances begins in my first year where my mental health issues started as moderate and then became acute in my second to fourth year. This impacted my life and academics significantly; what first began as lacking energy to get out of bed and to focus on schoolwork on some days turned into weeks during my second year (2018-2019). In Fall 2018, my mental health was so debilitating that I was unable to leave my bed, attend to my basic needs (ex. sleeping, eating, exercise), communicate with friends and family which led to self-isolation, and reach out for professional help. This had a severe effect on my academics; I was unable to attend classes, focus on and complete schoolwork. Despite having an awareness of mental illness, I was unable to recognize that I was struggling myself and experienced a lot of shame which created a rhetoric of fixing things on my own; thus, prohibiting me from reaching out for the help I desperately needed.

Additionally, family issues attributed to my struggles, I grew up in an emotionally and verbally abusive family and my sister was also struggling with depression. Family tensions during this period exacerbated my issues and I did not have a support system to help me through my mental illnesses. In my third year (2019-2020), I started receiving counselling from Student Wellness Services and my academics improved, but I still struggled with my mental health as the inconsistency and surface-level counselling did not properly address my needs. My fourth year (2020-2021) was when my mental health worsened due to COVID-19, racism from peers, asynchronous courses, unsafe living environment in Kingston due to housemates not abiding by health guidelines, and multiple family members contracting COVID-19. My mental health impacted my life so severely that I began to experience daily suicide ideation, chronic dizziness, increased heart rate and abdominal pain. In Fall 2020, I recognized I needed to take serious action to deal with my mental illnesses; therefore, I visited SWS for my mental and physical health, received an official General Anxiety Disorder and Depressive Disorder diagnosis, started anti-depressant medication, found a consistent therapist, reached out to professors for extensions, and more. I continued to struggle for majority of 2021 as I was too overwhelmed to do things such as go outside or start an assignment; however, I truly began to recover post-returning to B.C. in June 2021 as I was no longer in constant stress over my health and safety as I was in my Kingston student house. Over the past 3 months, due to a strong support system, therapy, and a safe living environment, I have been able to manage my disorders resulting in better academic performance. To continue this upward trajectory, I believe that remaining in B.C. and studying remotely is the best option as I finish my remaining two semesters and manage my mental health.

Future Plan

My plan is to remain in B.C. to finish my undergraduate degree and to continue managing my disorders with my network of support that includes consistent psychotherapy. I have met with an academic advisor to plan out my remaining 24.0 credits; I will take a reduced course load over two semesters and making-up for courses I was unable to complete.
If the 21-day deadline is waived, I will move forward with an appeal to drop and apply for Aegrotat standing in the aforementioned courses. In terms of my appeal to study remotely, I have already contacted POLS professors who have allowed me to enroll in their in-person courses as an online student if this appeal is approved (with the permission of the professor, I have included our email correspondence as documentation that outlines how the courses could be accommodated). Regarding academic integrity, 4th year POLS courses do not have any examinations and the 3rd year course I require, if possible, I could take any examinations at UBC??s testing centres or alternatively complete an assignment of equal value.

If this appeal is not approved, I will enroll in three online elective courses at Queen??s for the Winter 2022. I will then apply to be a UBC visiting student for the Spring/Summer 2022 semester to finish my remaining 15.0 POLS credits at UBC as transfer credits (I have contacted Queen??s Letter of Permissions and there have been upper year POLS course evaluations from UBC in the past). The first option is preferred as this second option would require me to take a full course load and navigate a different university system. Additionally, Queen??s academic advisors recommend to not take a semester of only degree requirements. To receive permission to enroll remotely for in-person courses at Queen??s would allow for a more manageable remainder of my degree for my mental health and academics.

Thank you for your time and consideration,

Tanisha Hasan