Submit an Academic Petition or Appeal

Petition Letter: To Whom It May Concern:

My name is Samantha Lacy and I am currently a third year student at Queen??s University. I am writing this letter in order to appeal dropping classes past the deadline. Due to another relapse in my chronic illness, I was not able to complete my Fall/Winter 2021 term classes to the best of my ability. As my last academic appeal had explained, I suffer from a severe case of Borderline Personality Disorder (BPD). Although BPD is a very complex illness, it can be characterized by its self-destructive and emotionally volatile traits, just to name a few. I understand that this letter may sound like a broken record on repeat when you consider that this is my second appeal in my time at Queen??s, for this I sincerely apologize as I feel I have let down the entire institution. I want to break this cycle of inward collapse with every ounce and fiber of my being because it sabotages so many aspects of my life. That being said, I am constantly striving to better manage my illness and to continue my journey in healing. With the right treatment and medications I can function better as a student, advocate, daughter, sister and community member.
In the Fall/Winter 2021 term I chose to stick to online classes, this was both a blessing and a curse. On one hand, I was able to take a bit more time to decompress surrounded by my family and the healthcare professionals that I had been working with. At the same time, I felt so isolated from the Queen??s community no matter how hard I tried to stay involved in classes and clubs associated with Queen??s. I had started the Fall term well but I descended into another depressive episode which landed me in the hospital again. Around mid-November, I was required to attend the hospital every day for three weeks as part of an outpatient clinic program. Although these three weeks taught me so many coping skills and ways to understand the roots of my toxic behaviour, I was so completely exhausted by the time I came home that I could not concentrate on my studies or anything else for that matter. I was also put on another medication which I find has helped me manage my mood swings. Prior to the depressive episode, I was particularly enjoying and excelling in my DEVS 220 class with Professor Fanning. Due to my circumstances, I was not able to complete the class with a passing grade but Professor Fanning has encouraged me to re-take the class when I am in a better place. My decision to stay home for the Fall term may have been a mistake but I know I can??t change the past, I can only move forward.
As I write this, I am in my room in Toronto surrounded by boxes and a pile of clothes that I??m taking to Kingston for return to in-person classes. I haven??t been to Kingston since October and although the idea of returning brings a certain amount of anxiety, it also brings excitement and hope for my future. I am currently enrolled in two classes in which I have completed all the assessments so far on time and with my best efforts. It may seem like I am not trying hard enough, but I??ve never fought so hard in my life to stick with something. Writing this appeal itself has taken me countless hours and multiple re-writes. I don??t deserve any more than my peers with disabilities and illnesses, I just ask that my circumstances are taken into consideration. Sometimes I have doubts that maybe I shouldn??t be enrolled in school or maybe that I don??t deserve to be, these thoughts keep me up at night. However, the more I think about it, the more proud of myself and grateful I become to be fighting (and managing) my illness another day. I want to be at school, and not just any school, I want to be at Queen??s. The Queen??s staff, administration, students, community and everything in-between assures me that I can persevere through this challenging period of my life.
Thank you in advance for reading my letter and for understanding my situation.

Sincerely,
Samantha Lacy