Submit an Academic Petition or Appeal

Petition Letter: I recently finished my first year at Queen's University and ended the semester with less success than I had anticipated. I am appealing to drop 'POLS 110: Introduction to Politics and Government,' as extenuating circumstances resulted in my inability to effectively complete the course. These circumstances also prevented me from dropping the class within the one-term deadline. Throughout the school year, I suffered from untreated anxiety and depression. Symptoms of my mental illness included: difficulty concentrating; sleep disturbances; loss of motivation; fatigue; isolation; and excessive worry. These afflictions hindered my academic performance by stunting my desire to complete assignments and limited my ability to focus on tasks. The increasing feelings of isolation and hopelessness inhibited my ability to reach out for support in any regard and complete the necessary steps to drop POLS 110 within the university deadline. On April 19th 2022 I spoke with Pamela Hall, a Residence Outreach Counsellor at Queen's University who verified that I was suffering from an extenuating circumstance. I have attached a Verification of Confidential Extenuating Circumstance form completed by Ms. Hall. My grandfather's rapidly declining health and admittance into palliative care exacerbated my mental and emotional struggles. Since the semester's completion, I have reached out to my family physician and received several referrals for mental health specialists. Dropping POLS 110 would inspire me to get the help I need to build a more effective academic future at Queen??s University. Thank you so much for your consideration and I look forward to hearing from you.