Decision Letter
Appeal Number: 2140
Decision Date: May 24, 2016
Associate Dean: Johanne Benard, Ph.D.
Student Name: Kierstin Holmberg
Student Email: 13kah8@queensu.ca
Course: ANAT 315
Term: Fall
Year: 2015
Category: Request credit (CR) standing in a course or courses
Instructor: Ron Easteal
Course: ANAT 316
Term: Winter
Year: 2016
Category: Request credit (CR) standing in a course or courses
Instructor: Ron Easteal
Course: HLTH 230
Term: Fall
Year: 2015
Category: Request credit (CR) standing in a course or courses
Instructor: Jeffrey Lalonde
Dear Ms. Holmberg:
I have carefully considered your appeal to receive Credit standing in ANAT 315, HLTH 230 (F 2015) and ANAT 316 (W 2016). After reviewing your file I have decided to deny your request.
As you know, Appeal Regulation 3.3.4. states that, Credit standing in a course is reserved for situations in which a student, who has completed and passed all of the work of the course including the final examination, but because of illness or other extenuating circumstances beyond their control, earned a substantially lower grade than might have been expected, normally a grade of C or lower€. The Calendar goes on to stress that Credit standing will only be granted 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 her control.
Normally, when a student appeals for Credit standing in a course, we expect to see a clear distinction in grades during the time in which the extenuating circumstances took place. For example, the grades on the transcript prior to the time of the circumstances occurring are usually higher and give a good indication of what the student€™s usual academic performance is. The grades on the transcript during the time of the extenuating circumstances tend to be lower overall, indicating that the circumstances had a clear and negative impact on the student€™s academic performance. In reviewing your transcript, there is no clear distinction when comparing your grades earned before and during the time of your personal difficulties. Your grades from first and second year are overall quite similar and there is no clear explanation as to why your circumstances affected these courses but not the other courses you took during these terms. While I fully acknowledge that your extenuating circumstances would likely have had some effect on your academics over the past year, there is not enough evidence to determine that they were the primary factor that led to your poor performance in these courses.
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 Ombudsman 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,
Johanne Bénard, Ph.D.
Associate Dean (Studies)
10139301Holmberg
Decision Date: May 24, 2016
Associate Dean: Johanne Benard, Ph.D.
Student Name: Kierstin Holmberg
Student Email: 13kah8@queensu.ca
Course: ANAT 315
Term: Fall
Year: 2015
Category: Request credit (CR) standing in a course or courses
Instructor: Ron Easteal
Course: ANAT 316
Term: Winter
Year: 2016
Category: Request credit (CR) standing in a course or courses
Instructor: Ron Easteal
Course: HLTH 230
Term: Fall
Year: 2015
Category: Request credit (CR) standing in a course or courses
Instructor: Jeffrey Lalonde
Dear Ms. Holmberg:
I have carefully considered your appeal to receive Credit standing in ANAT 315, HLTH 230 (F 2015) and ANAT 316 (W 2016). After reviewing your file I have decided to deny your request.
As you know, Appeal Regulation 3.3.4. states that, Credit standing in a course is reserved for situations in which a student, who has completed and passed all of the work of the course including the final examination, but because of illness or other extenuating circumstances beyond their control, earned a substantially lower grade than might have been expected, normally a grade of C or lower€. The Calendar goes on to stress that Credit standing will only be granted 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 her control.
Normally, when a student appeals for Credit standing in a course, we expect to see a clear distinction in grades during the time in which the extenuating circumstances took place. For example, the grades on the transcript prior to the time of the circumstances occurring are usually higher and give a good indication of what the student€™s usual academic performance is. The grades on the transcript during the time of the extenuating circumstances tend to be lower overall, indicating that the circumstances had a clear and negative impact on the student€™s academic performance. In reviewing your transcript, there is no clear distinction when comparing your grades earned before and during the time of your personal difficulties. Your grades from first and second year are overall quite similar and there is no clear explanation as to why your circumstances affected these courses but not the other courses you took during these terms. While I fully acknowledge that your extenuating circumstances would likely have had some effect on your academics over the past year, there is not enough evidence to determine that they were the primary factor that led to your poor performance in these courses.
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 Ombudsman 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,
Johanne Bénard, Ph.D.
Associate Dean (Studies)
10139301Holmberg
Generated May 24, 2016 at 10:19:45 AM.