Submit an Academic Petition or Appeal

Petition Letter: Hello,

Im writing this appeal in hopes to drop a course past the academic deadline. Unfortunately nobody has control of unforeseen circumstances that will soon happen. In early March a group of close friends had asked me to join them for a night out on the weekend, which I ended up declining and staying in that night. Early the next morning I had heard the news from my friends that one of our close friends Liam Geddes had fallen down the stairs and is in the hospital and they don't know anything else. The next couple of days waiting was awful because nobody expected that this could take our friend away from our lives. Again I had gotten the news early in the morning that he was no longer with us, one of the hardest things was keeping it to myself as his family wanted to announce his passing. His passing hit me like something I never expected, leaving me lost and questioning what to do. With balancing my spring football schedule, classes, as well as before and after school care for my niece on top of Liams passing had me pushed to my limits and I new a breaking point was to come for myself. I understand that being a varsity athlete comes with the expectations of academics before anything but with this unexpected passing I had fallen behind in a course. I had reached out to my professor about any possibilities of making up for my absence and he had recommended dropping the course. This was not my first choice but the lasting effect of my friends passing kept me grieving to myself, thinking if there was something I could have done to help. I have no disrespect or any harsh feeling towards my professor for suggesting this option as I have not given my best effort in the course, I wish to have the option of dropping the course and adding one into my summer schedule to help build towards my degree. I appreciate the time taken to read over my appeal.

Thank you,

Tanner Hawley