Submit an Academic Petition or Appeal

Petition Letter: To whom this may concern,

I am a third year LifeSci student from Iqaluit, Nunavut and I would like to express my interest in Biohacking and Gerontechnology and would like to see If it could be possible for me to enroll into the course this semester.

I had entered the course for enrollment and was automatically waitlisted and am currently in position number one and was eager to start in the event that there is a spot that opens up. I, however, have been in this situation where I have remained on the waiting list, in the first position for months in a course I was really excited to take.

As I was quite interested in the course, I decided to reach out personally to the professor, Dr. Lisa Carver during the coure enrollment period (a week before the 21st) if there was a possibility I could enroll in it. I had checked online for their contact email and it was addressed as 'lc105@queens.ca'. I had not recieved a reply and was getting quite concerned as the deadline date to enroll was approaching. I was then informed that the actual email was 'lc105@queensu.ca' and so I had re-sent my email. Dr. Carver had also recognized the email was a mistake on the website (I also have screenshots of that wrong email - it has now been updated since on the website). Dr. Carver has approved that I enroll in the course and questioned if I was added already and I said that I was not - my position on the waitlist remained and the course had not appeared on my onQ homepage. It was not until the night of the 21st when I requested an update on my enrollment that I was informed that they were unable to add me themselves as the professors cannot do that and that I must contact the BHSc office in order to do so. By the time I sent the request, it was past BHSc office hours and the course enrollment period ended. I received an email back from the office requesting that I make an appeal as I am a day late.

Dr. Carver fully supports my enrolling in the course and I now only require the approval of this appeal to be added. She recommended that I take it in the summer as well but I fully intend to take this course in the winter term.

I currently have five courses in my schedule in the event that I do not enroll in LISC385. I intend to drop a course in exchange for LISC385 to maintain 5 courses. I hope that I can exchange into as I realize one of the courses I am currently enrolled in, I am not fully immersed and thoroughly enjoying in.

In the event that this appeal is granted, I intend to do my very best in this course. In the few months of starting school, I have faced extenutating circumstances regarding family pressures to an extent where I contemplated suicide; my family is not very supportive of me.

I intend to do well in all my courses this semester and will seek out help when I need it. Last fall, I gravely struggled. I am talking to an Academic Advisor today (January 26th at 2pm) about these circumstances and will organize my term accordingly so that I may succeed and feel content in my courses.

I would like to meet with a personal counselor or a therapist as I do more research on how to help myself here on campus. I was never offered any professional help by my family as they saw feelings of despair and depression to be 'overreactions' and instead, were encouraged to suppress such emotions so as not to seem weak or unable. I have suffered from physical and verbal abuse in my life and this was not beneficial to me over the years as it gravely impacted my mental health.

Fortunately now, I somewhat have a support system helping me. I hope to receive professional help and unfortunately have to do it behind my parents' backs as I can only fear what will happen when they find out.

In short, I want to do well for myself. My family never seemed to be fully satisfied with me as their eldest child but I intend to do well this year with the support of individuals that love and care for me, and seek out any help from the university and the Kingston community.

I hope to hear from the Arts and Science Committee soon on the decision regarding my appeal.


Thank you for your time,

Abigail Atienza (20184720)
3rd Year, Undergraduate Student
Queen's University