Decision Letter
Appeal Number: 1561
Decision Date: November 26, 2015
Associate Dean: Sue Blake
Student Name: Juliet Harris
Student Email: 13jlh14@queensu.ca
Course: GPHY 104
Term: Fall
Year: 2015
Category: Drop a course after the academic deadline
Course: LATN 110
Term: Fall/Winter
Year: 2014
Category: Drop a course after the academic deadline
Dear Ms. Harris:
I have carefully considered your appeal to drop GPHY 104 (F 2015) past the academic deadline. After reviewing your file I have decided to deny your request.
As you know, courses must be dropped on SOLUS within the published deadlines. The Academic Regulations (Appeal of Academic Decisions, IIIb) stress that exceptions to this will only be waived under exceptional circumstances. The integrity of Arts and Science transcripts in general would be greatly diminished if the Faculty were to effect changes to students€™ records without clear and compelling documentation indicating that the student€™s performance was significantly compromised by extenuating circumstances beyond his or her control.
The deadlines for dropping courses have been designed and established in order to provide sufficient time for students to determine their interest in the course material, to consider their ability to handle each course, and to evaluate their overall workload.
Extenuating circumstances normally involve a significant physical or psychological event that is beyond your control and debilitating to your overall academic performance. Additionally, these kinds of extraordinary situations are normally supported by documentation from a professional.
While your letter does describe some circumstances that sound extenuating in nature, the documentation provided is not sufficient. The note you provided from Queen€™s Health Services is intended to be used for short-term illnesses that do not necessarily require medical attention. The symptoms you describe in your appeal letter are not short-term acute illnesses but rather those that require on going treatment from a healthcare professional. Your letter also alludes to seeking medical treatment from a doctor and being prescribed medication. Without a letter from your physician that confirms the timeline and general severity of your illness as well as the impact that it has had on your performance in GPHY 104, I cannot reasonably waive the academic regulation and allow you to drop this course past the academic deadline.
If you wish to appeal the Associate Dean€™s decision to the Board of Studies, you must submit an appeal to the Board of Studies within 21 days of the date this decision was sent. Guidelines for appealing to the Board of Studies and the appeal form can be found at: http://www.queensu.ca/artsci/students-at-queens/academic-appeals (click on €œBoard of Studies€) Do not use the on-line application for this process. You may contact Mr. Harry Smith, Office of the Ombudsperson for advice on matters of procedure and on obtaining a representative. His office is located in room 421 Robert Sutherland Hall and he can be reached by phone (533-6495) or e-mail (ombuds@queensu.ca).
Sincerely,
Sue Blake
Assistant Dean (Studies)
10142753Harris
Decision Date: November 26, 2015
Associate Dean: Sue Blake
Student Name: Juliet Harris
Student Email: 13jlh14@queensu.ca
Course: GPHY 104
Term: Fall
Year: 2015
Category: Drop a course after the academic deadline
Course: LATN 110
Term: Fall/Winter
Year: 2014
Category: Drop a course after the academic deadline
Dear Ms. Harris:
I have carefully considered your appeal to drop GPHY 104 (F 2015) past the academic deadline. After reviewing your file I have decided to deny your request.
As you know, courses must be dropped on SOLUS within the published deadlines. The Academic Regulations (Appeal of Academic Decisions, IIIb) stress that exceptions to this will only be waived under exceptional circumstances. The integrity of Arts and Science transcripts in general would be greatly diminished if the Faculty were to effect changes to students€™ records without clear and compelling documentation indicating that the student€™s performance was significantly compromised by extenuating circumstances beyond his or her control.
The deadlines for dropping courses have been designed and established in order to provide sufficient time for students to determine their interest in the course material, to consider their ability to handle each course, and to evaluate their overall workload.
Extenuating circumstances normally involve a significant physical or psychological event that is beyond your control and debilitating to your overall academic performance. Additionally, these kinds of extraordinary situations are normally supported by documentation from a professional.
While your letter does describe some circumstances that sound extenuating in nature, the documentation provided is not sufficient. The note you provided from Queen€™s Health Services is intended to be used for short-term illnesses that do not necessarily require medical attention. The symptoms you describe in your appeal letter are not short-term acute illnesses but rather those that require on going treatment from a healthcare professional. Your letter also alludes to seeking medical treatment from a doctor and being prescribed medication. Without a letter from your physician that confirms the timeline and general severity of your illness as well as the impact that it has had on your performance in GPHY 104, I cannot reasonably waive the academic regulation and allow you to drop this course past the academic deadline.
If you wish to appeal the Associate Dean€™s decision to the Board of Studies, you must submit an appeal to the Board of Studies within 21 days of the date this decision was sent. Guidelines for appealing to the Board of Studies and the appeal form can be found at: http://www.queensu.ca/artsci/students-at-queens/academic-appeals (click on €œBoard of Studies€) Do not use the on-line application for this process. You may contact Mr. Harry Smith, Office of the Ombudsperson for advice on matters of procedure and on obtaining a representative. His office is located in room 421 Robert Sutherland Hall and he can be reached by phone (533-6495) or e-mail (ombuds@queensu.ca).
Sincerely,
Sue Blake
Assistant Dean (Studies)
10142753Harris
Generated November 26, 2015 at 9:11:00 AM.