Submit an Academic Petition or Appeal

Petition Letter: Hello there,

My name is Ashley Canete. This school year has been very challenging for me as a close friend of mine took his own life in October of last semester. It has been the most brutal six months of my life trying to cope with the matter while continuing my studies.

That incident has caused severe negative impacts on my mental health and academic performance. I have had difficulty concentrating in class, focusing on studying and memory impairments. I was initially granted several beneficial accommodations, for which I am very grateful, including an appeal to drop a course late. However, when I was granted that appeal, I decided to push myself and continue my enrollment in ECON 255.

In January, I was still not mentally capable of writing the final exam worth 80% of my course grade. I was granted an incomplete grade after reaching for help from Student Wellness Services and my professor.

I am very thankful for that accommodation, as it gave me time to begin learning how to transition back into my routine while coping with my extenuating circumstance.

Unfortunately, this course is still too heavy for me to complete at the moment, given my impaired intellectual abilities, on top of the fact that it was this course that I was studying for the night that I found out my friend passed away, making it challenging for me to revisit the material.

I tried to continue with this course as best I could, but I am asking if I can drop it at this time with the possibility of completing it at a later date. I do not want to complete this course without being mentally fit enough to reach my full potential. I do not know when this will be as I am still navigating my mental health; that is why I am requesting a DR instead of an extension on my incomplete grade.

I would gratefully appreciate this accommodation and plan to continue reaching out for help from Student Wellness Services to improve my academic performance, given my current impairments that continue to impede my focus in all my courses.

I would also gratefully appreciate any advice and recommendations you have in helping me deal with my current situation.

Sincerely,
Ashley Canete
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