Submit an Academic Petition or Appeal

Academic Plan: Adam Frazer (Student 202835)
20amnf@queensu.ca
Queen??s University ?? Academic Plan

Background
My name is Adam Frazer, and I just completed my first year at Queen??s University in the Arts and Science Program. My intention is to study Psychology as I believe this foundational knowledge will help me to pursue a career that can have a positive impact on people. Unfortunately, I experienced a number of physical and mental health issues over the course of my first year, that challenged my academic performance and my overall university experience. That said, I am determined to work hard to change things so that I can have the results I desire and that I know I am capable of achieving. I have been trying over the course of the year, and continue to put into place now, the supports and health (physical and mental) measures I require to be successful in the upcoming year. With a strong network of family and friends, improved health and access to resources, and with a committed focus to my academic studies such as demonstrated through this plan, I know I can demonstrate better results and prove that I belong as an active student and member of Queen??s community.

Focus of Study
?? Planned course of study: Honours Bachelor of Arts, Major in Psychology
?? Full-time student, commenced studies in September 2021 but open to consider reduced course-load for 22/23 school year
?? Do not need to work during academic year
?? Have not yet been able to declare major field of study due to not meeting the minimum requirements, but have reviewed the Academic Advisement Report in SOLUS and am aware of the course requirements needed to declare and fulfill the degree requirements

Overall comment:
I feel that my academic performance was affected in my first year of studies due to new and worsening physical and mental health issues. This impacted my ability to focus, to have the energy to complete homework and assignments, and to have the confidence to speak-up, ask questions and advocate for myself. I also experienced a big learning curve in switching from a PC to a MAC computer and ran into some other technical challenges that created initial barriers for me when completing online tests and exams, and when uploading assignments or other important classwork. I have subsequently spent some time trying to analyze these various issues with an objective of putting into place the necessary steps to ensure success for the upcoming year.
??Table 1 provides further details on this assessment including the actions that have been taken or are planned, and the anticipated outcomes to be achieved through these modifications.
??Table 2 provides further details on an assessment of my academic requirements (e.g., demands, interests, skills and work habits, etc.).
??Strategies for success highlights additional steps to be taken to ensure I have a successful academic year.

Table 1: Evaluation ?? Assessment of issues, mitigating steps and anticipated outcomes
Area of Concern: Physical Health
What Happened:
New stomach issues resulting in constant vomiting and inability to eat, occurring over a number of months
?? Diagnosis of B12 deficiency and hypothyroidism further impacting energy, nutrition, appetite, sleep, focus, emotions etc.
?? Urological issues requiring specialist support and causing physical & emotional concern
?? Covid-19 with lasting extreme fatigue, followed by a subsequent cold/flu
What??s Different Now
?? Stomach medications prescribed
?? B12 supplements initiated to address deficiency
?? Further hypothyroidism assessment in progress to determine best medical course of treatment
?? Met with Urologist to determine next steps
Anticipated Outcomes
?? Improved physical health resulting in increased energy, mood, sleep, focus
?? Improved appetite enabling improved nutrition and improved immune status
?? Reduction in anxiety about physical issues
?? Confidence in continued improvement in health through ongoing monitoring and support by Family Physician and Specialist

Area of concern: Mental Health
What happened:
mild anxiety that developed in high school (not treated) became debilitating in first year, with a cycle of frequent panic attacks followed by extreme exhaustion and difficulty in ?getting going?? again
?? Received diagnosis of Generalized Anxiety Disorder
What's different now:
Treatment Plan that incorporates medication and talk therapy in place:
?? Working with a therapist weekly to understand causes of anxiety, develop the tools and resiliency to combat this unease and to work through life / career goals
?? Anti-anxiety medication prescribed to minimize severity of this emotion
?? Have also spent time reviewing the available resources through the Student Wellness Services, including the recommended steps to take for Extenuating Circumstances
?? Connected with QSAS to understand options for accommodations but have since been redirected back to the Faculty Academic Advisor
?? Conducted appointment with Academic Advisor (June 13)
Anticipated outcomes:
?? Improved mental health resulting in increased attention and focus, mood and sleep and supporting improved physical health
?? Improved confidence in self, abilities and capabilities
?? Improved academic performance
?? Confidence in continued improvement through ongoing support provided by therapist (virtual sessions will continue through school year), family and friends

Area of concern: Seeking academic help & dealing with technical issues
What happened:
Lack of confidence and understanding of how, where and when to seek academic help and/or academic consideration
?? Attempted to contact PASS Advisor three times by completing the online intake form but never received a response
?? After waiting 2 months for a mental health assessment with Queen??s Student Wellness clinic, it ended up being booked for the evening before my rescheduled Astronomy exam (Covid outbreak at university). This was an important appointment, but the Queen??s physician did not keep the appointment. I waited for hours for my telehealth call, but it never happened. This not only impacted my study time but more importantly, impacted my emotional health. I became very anxious and had a panic attack which left me in poor shape for my exam the next day.
?? For some exams, particularly in first term, I didn??t understand how to upload the response documents which impacted my ability to submit
?? I also experienced issues uploading my Psychology Mega Lab, which resulted in a failed submission. In trying to then connect with the Prof / TA, there was subsequently a delay in response, and I was not able to successfully submit the first part of my lab. As a result of Part 1 not being completed, I was unable to participate in Part 2 of the lab. This then meant that I could not participate in two-thirds of this critical assignment, failing it and negatively impacting my overall grade.
What's different now:
?? Having had first appointment with Academic Advisor, will schedule subsequent time to review Academic Plan and available resources to support future academic success ?? awaiting response
?? Have spent time reviewing the available online resources and online guides and tutorials to better understand available options should I need help
?? Now understand the Academic Appeal process that can be followed to deal with issues, such as what happened with my Psychology Mega Lab and my Astronomy Final exam
?? Have built regular check-ins with an Accountability Partner (to be requested through Peer Mentorship) as part of Success Strategy to create an ?early warning?? system as an indicator of need for additional, proactive steps to be taken (e.g. Academic Advising, meet with a SASS Advisor etc.)
?? Connected with QSAS to understand options for accommodations but have subsequently been redirected back to the Faculty Academic Advisor. Had first meeting with Advisor on June 13.
?? For technical challenges ??increased use and connections with peers have enabled me to become more proficient in using the MAC laptop
?? I have also been able to identify the error I was making when uploading documents and am now familiar with the required steps
?? I have also spent time reviewing the available IT Service Support and also understand now that some technical issues can be addressed through Academic Consideration process if needed ?? Increased awareness of available resources
Anticipated outcomes:
?? Increased confidence in how and when to reach out for help
?? Active and ongoing monitoring of academic progress with built-in accountability checkpoints to manage potential issues / risks
?? Increased understanding of how to follow-up and/or advocate for myself when academic concerns or technology issues arise
?? Increased confidence in how to use technology and what to expect for participating in virtual learning, exams and submitting assignments online


Table 2 ?? Assessment of Academic Requirements
Area of Concern: Academic Demands
?? Some difficulty in understanding course content at times, but a greater challenge was in understanding the objective or expectations of assignments

Resources, Remedies and Next Steps
?? Seek advice from professor / TA
?? Attend office hours
?? Will re-take necessary pre-requisite courses
?? Request a Peer Mentor
?? Sign up for peer tutoring and writing support
?? Open to taking a lighter course load
?? Contact QSAS to determine eligibility for academic accommodations

Area of concern: Academic Interests
?? Enjoyed course work, felt areas of study were fulfilling and interesting
?? No action required

Area of concern: Academic Skills & Work Habits
?? Was able to develop weekly schedules that included study / work blocks but struggled to use these times effectively due to physical and mental health challenges. This often resulted in submission of assignments at the last minute, despite starting work early.
?? Had strong ideas for assignments and was able to complete assigned readings; however, often struggled to communicate or synthesize these ideas into concrete, written thoughts
?? Was also challenged with the formatting and referencing expectations for each class, which were all different and left me feeling uncertain
?? It was not a challenge for me to balance academic and non-academic activities

Resources, Remedies and Next Steps
?? Consult with a learning strategist in Student Academic Success Services
?? Seek a Peer Mentor
?? Request peer tutoring for writing support
?? Contact QSAS to determine eligibility for academic accommodations

Area of concern: Personal Circumstances
?? Experienced extraordinary situational demands due to physical and mental health challenges (see above and additionally provided documentation)

Resources, Remedies and Next Steps
?? Seek assistance through an Academic Advisor
?? Contact QSAS to determine eligibility for academic accommodations
?? Gain awareness of additional academic supports such as Academic Appeals process
?? Continue medical treatment for physical issues
?? Continue talk therapy with therapist on a weekly basis, as well as medical treatment for mental health challenges

Area of concern: Financial Resources
?? Have the financial resources to support myself at university
?? Am not required to work during school year
?? No action required

Success Strategies

In thinking about how to further prepare for a successful academic year, in addition to the identified foundational steps (Table 1, Table 2) that are in progress, I have identified a four-part success strategy to help create further focus. The strategy includes:
?? Planning ?? activities to support career planning and to ensure alignment of courses, personal and academic goals with identified degree Major;
?? Tracking ?? activities to support ongoing tracking of workload and progress throughout courses;
?? Monitoring ?? accountability measures to support meaningful review of progress and act as an ?early warning?? system to take proactive measures as needed to ensure overall success; and
?? Ongoing Evaluation ?? revisit this plan periodically with an Academic Advisor and/or mentor to ensure it remains applicable and supports my continued success.
Further details for each of these sections are noted below, and my hope is to be able to continue working with an Academic Advisor to further refine these plans in collaboration with them, based on their guidance, insights and considerations.

1)Planning:
i. Review the plan requirements for a Psychology (Major) degree as well as the Academic Advisement report in SOLUS
ii. Review the Psychology Major Map and utilize the My Major Map Tool work to develop a customized plan for myself, including:
a. Noting careers of interest and skills/qualifications needed
b. Keep track of ideas and possible short-term goals
c. Tracking accomplishments for future resumes and interviews
iii. Utilize the Skills Cards to help to plan the upcoming year by choosing which skills I want to work on, and identifying courses within my program plan that may help to meet these goals
iv. Attend a career counselling appointment to review my career goals, customized map and ensure alignment of courses with career goals
v. Develop a course plan for each year of study to align course work with achievement of degree Major and personal & academic goals

2)Tracking:
i. Develop an excel workbook that includes an assignment tracking worksheet (Example 1) and a reading tracking worksheet (Example 2) for each course.
ii. Actively use these tools to keep track of all assigned work, readings, due dates and marks in one place, and ensure I am staying on top of all requirements and progressing successfully with each course.
iii. Plan to reach out early as needed to available resources (i.e., TAs, Professor, SASS or QASS advisors as applicable etc.) if feeling challenged or unclear about assignments, and/or if grades are not reflective of a positive outcome.

Example 1: Assignment Tracking Worksheet
Course Title
Due % Received (%) Grade Status Name Comments

Example 2: Reading Tracking Worksheet
Course Week Readings Complete Videos / Questionnaires etc.

3) Monitoring:
i. Work with Academic Advisory services to identify an upper year mentor or other individual who would be willing to act as an Accountability Partner. My desired plan is to have a regular check-in with someone to review the week that has passed and discuss my plans / approach for the week ahead. This would give me the opportunity to ask questions and seek guidance on how to navigate any challenges, whether clarifying understanding of an assignment, or how to best work with a TA, or how to identify suitable resources to support course work.

I would work with the Accountability Partner to finalize a schedule and engagement approach but envision it could look something like the accountability check-in schedule example provided below
(Example 3)

Example 3: Accountability Check-in Schedule
Term Timing Purpose Method
Start of Term
?? Review course outline and prepared tracking tools for each course
?? Discuss overall weighting of assignments and where/ how to prioritize time
?? Synchronous meeting ?? virtually or in-person
?? Approximately 1 h

Ongoing ?? weekly or biweekly check ins
?? Review highlights, key accomplishments and challenges, and any received marks for completed week
?? Review plans and activities for upcoming week
?? Seek guidance and identify next steps for any areas of challenge
?? Asynchronous check-in through email
?? Weekly to start but could shift to biweekly depending on course, progress, availability of mentor etc.

Mid-Term
?? Mid-point review of course, looking at marks, discussing learnings from work completed to date & focusing on how to ?tweak?? things for the remainder of semester
?? Synchronous meeting ?? virtually or in-person
?? Approximately 1 h

Ongoing ?? weekly or biweekly check ins
?? Review highlights, key accomplishments and challenges, and any received marks for completed week
?? Review plans and activities for upcoming week
?? Seek guidance and identify next steps for any areas of challenge
?? Asynchronous check-in through email
?? Weekly to start but could shift to biweekly depending on course, progress, availability of mentor etc.

Near End of Term
?? Review course marks and accomplishments to date
?? Understand progress in context of any final assignments, exam etc.
?? Create study plan and approach that incorporates prioritized areas of focus (as understood through discussion)
?? Synchronous meeting ?? virtually or in-person
?? Approximately 1 h

4) Ongoing evaluation:
i. Plan to continually revisit these success strategies with an Academic Advisor and/or mentor to ensure it remains applicable and supports my continued success.