Decision Letter
Appeal Number: 3033
Decision Date: February 21, 2017
Associate Dean: Johanne Benard, Ph.D.
Student Name: Martin Caruana
Student Email: m.caruana@queensu.ca
Course: BCHM 315
Term: Fall
Year: 2016
Category: Request credit (CR) standing in a course or courses
Instructor: Steven Smith and Robert Campbell
Dear Mr. Caruana:
I have carefully considered your appeal to receive Credit standing in BCHM 315 (F 2016). After reviewing your file I have decided to deny your request.
As you know, Academic Regulation 10.2.2. 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.
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 appeal does describe experiencing some extenuating circumstances, it does not provide enough information or evidence to link what specific impact your circumstances had on BCHM 315 in particular. You also received strong grades in the other courses you were registered in during the fall term so it is not clear from your appeal whether or not you would have performed any better in BCHM 315 in the absence of any extenuating circumstances. Without clear evidence, I cannot reasonably change the grade.
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)
10133460Caruana2
Decision Date: February 21, 2017
Associate Dean: Johanne Benard, Ph.D.
Student Name: Martin Caruana
Student Email: m.caruana@queensu.ca
Course: BCHM 315
Term: Fall
Year: 2016
Category: Request credit (CR) standing in a course or courses
Instructor: Steven Smith and Robert Campbell
Dear Mr. Caruana:
I have carefully considered your appeal to receive Credit standing in BCHM 315 (F 2016). After reviewing your file I have decided to deny your request.
As you know, Academic Regulation 10.2.2. 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.
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 appeal does describe experiencing some extenuating circumstances, it does not provide enough information or evidence to link what specific impact your circumstances had on BCHM 315 in particular. You also received strong grades in the other courses you were registered in during the fall term so it is not clear from your appeal whether or not you would have performed any better in BCHM 315 in the absence of any extenuating circumstances. Without clear evidence, I cannot reasonably change the grade.
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)
10133460Caruana2
Generated February 21, 2017 at 9:27:26 AM.