Submit an Academic Petition or Appeal

Petition Letter: Dear Dr. Jill Atkinson,


I am appealing to drop POLS 406 (Fall, 2021), due to extenuating circumstances out of my control. This past spring/summer has included a timeline of events that have made daily tasks insurmountable. Having epilepsy due to a brain tumour means I must take medications daily to keep me alive. Beginning in May I began having an increase of seizures that were threatening my life. While trying to manage these seizures, the impacts of my medication, school, and my depression, I received news that my dad was diagnosed with an inoperable brain tumour and given x many years to live. Within a month of this I had another seizure, and one month after that (now August), I experienced yet another life-threatening seizure, followed by a week-long migraine that sent me to the hospital multiple times, setting me back significantly in my studies. Finally, at the end of August, I was then diagnosed with pre-cancer, worsening my mental health significantly.

Then, at the beginning of September came the reports of girls being drugged and assaulted at Western University, triggering my own sexual violence experiences while attending Queen??s both on campus in residence and off-campus in the housing district. It is difficult to put into words how deeply this impacted me. I began having a harder time eating, sleeping, and doing daily tasks, including writing for my courses.

As I tried to wrap up my summer courses amid these events and move into the fall semester, my health continually worsened, leading to an increase in the epilepsy medications needed to save my life. These medications have severe side effects, making completion of the requirements in this course unmanageable. These drugs inhibit my ability to concentrate and write while simultaneously causing depression, headaches, and constant fatigue. They make daily tasks such as sleeping, eating, or working impossible some days. As both my physical and mental health declined, I knew that I needed to get help as daily tasks were becoming increasingly difficult. I increased appointments with my neuropsychologist, have been added to a waiting list at a trauma centre, reached out to my accommodation adviser and have now also had a meeting with Barbara Lotan to get the support I need during this difficult time.

I have continued to work away at my studies as each challenge presented itself with the hopes of being able to complete Pols 406, however, I can now understand that this is too much for me to take on right now. I am in two other fall courses that I am not asking for permission to drop as I have completed 60% of the required assessments and strongly believe I can have them completed in the winter term due to the format of the courses and the support of my instructors.

I believe dropping this course is the best option for me so that I can focus on completing the other courses I have that are within my ability given the extenuating circumstances I am experiencing. I am asking for your consideration of this so that I can successfully complete the final courses needed for my degree program, while also working on managing my life-threatening illness and strengthening my mental health successfully.

After speaking with Deb Bruce, Barb Lotan, my professors, and my medical specialists, we have created a plan that will help me to succeed in the completion of my degree. I will be receiving mental health and trauma support from Queen??s Wellness through Barb Lotan, my neuropsychologist weekly and a trauma centre going forward. I have the support of my professors, health professionals and my family in helping me to achieve success in both my studies and my physical and mental health. I am not planning on taking any more courses until I have my current courses completed and my health better managed, supporting my academic goal of graduating with a political science degree from Queen??s University while being healthy.

Documentation surrounding my health will be submitted for you to review.

Thank you very much for taking the time to consider this appeal.

Sincerely,


Erin Charlton