Submit an Academic Petition or Appeal

Petition Letter: Dear Associate Dean (Academic),

My name is Lexi Pereira, and I am appealing to drop DEVS221 (Winter, 2022) and HIST252 (Winter, 2022).
I am appealing to drop these courses because of extenuating mental health circumstances. On September 12th, 2021, my grandmother unexpectedly passed away. She was a crucial parental figure in my life, and her passing greatly affected my mental health. From September onwards, I entered a state of depression and experienced severely raised anxiety levels preventing me from attending live classes and completing academic tasks. My mental illness required me to see my family doctor to adjust my medication to a higher dosage to avoid severe anxiety and depression. My anxiety restricted my ability to read and focus on all tasks, causing me to fall behind in my classes. Though the courses are online, I found myself unable to participate in live forums and lectures due to my depression and anxiety, forcing negative thoughts on myself.
As a result, I had to focus on the courses required for my degree plan, causing my grades to suffer in my elective courses (DEVS221 and HIST252). By the time I was able to look at the assignment(s) for these two courses, I was past the due date, so I decided to focus on the courses necessary for my degree plan.
The steps I took to deal with the extenuating circumstances include the following:
?? Requesting Academic Consideration from Four Directions and SASS.
?? Requesting additional time for my assignments with my professors.
?? Meeting with my Indigenous Advisor to discuss my situation and receive emotional support.
In addition, I have been meeting with a psychologist through the university once every week, following up appointments with my family doctor, and staying at my parents?? residence as opposed to my student residence for extra support.
I did not drop the course earlier because of how debilitating my anxiety had become. Though my grandmother passed away last semester, the reality of her death did not hit me until after the Christmas holidays. My grandmother loved Christmas and loved how much time the family would spend together during these times, and the holidays were a powerful reminder of her and how she is no longer here. My focus for the winter semester was to catch up on missed content as some of my courses continued from the fall to winter semester, causing the new courses to fall to the bottom of my priority list (DEVS221 and HIST252).
In the future, I wish to take fewer classes to decrease the chance of triggering my anxiety. I am scheduling meetings with several advisors to discuss what my following years will look like and the possibility of enrolling in fewer classes while still maintaining my status as a full-time student. I am open to enrolling in summer courses if necessary or taking an extra semester/year to finish my degrees. I have also contacted Professor Ian Fanning (DEVS221) and Professor Samuel Tsegai (HIST252) regarding my mental health. Professor Fanning suggested I appeal for the courses and take them in the fall of 2022/winter 2023. Both Professors are aware of my inability to continue in the classes and fully support my decision to appeal.
As for the following academic year, I will continue to see my psychologist and have consistent appointments with my doctor. Everything outlined in this letter will support my educational goals by preventing two failed courses on my record and allowing me to graduate with a Concurrent Education Honours degree from Queen??s University.


Sincerely,

Lexi Pereira
2022344