Decision Letter
Appeal Number: 3930
Decision Date: December 18, 2017
Associate Dean: Jill Atkinson, Ph.D.
Student Name: Rebecca La Barr
Student Email: 14rl14@queensu.ca
Course: ENGL 271
Term: Winter
Year: 2017
Category: Drop a course after the academic deadline
Course: ENGL 217
Term: Winter
Year: 2017
Category: Drop a course after the academic deadline
Course: ENGL 257
Term: Winter
Year: 2017
Category: Drop a course after the academic deadline
Course: PSYC 235
Term: Fall/Winter
Year: 2016
Category: Drop a course after the academic deadline
Course: ARTH 120
Term: Fall/Winter
Year: 2016
Category: Drop a course after the academic deadline
Course: ENGL 258
Term: Fall
Year: 2016
Category: Drop a course after the academic deadline
Course: ENGL 237
Term: Fall
Year: 2016
Category: Drop a course after the academic deadline
Course: ENGL 234
Term: Fall
Year: 2016
Category: Drop a course after the academic deadline
Course: ENGL 215
Term: Fall/Winter
Year: 2015
Category: Drop a course after the academic deadline
Course: ENGL 292
Term: Fall/Winter
Year: 2015
Category: Drop a course after the academic deadline
Course: PHIL 111
Term: Fall/Winter
Year: 2015
Category: Drop a course after the academic deadline
Course: PROF 210
Term: Fall/Winter
Year: 2015
Category: Drop a course after the academic deadline
Dear Ms. La Barr:
I have carefully considered your appeal to drop ENGL 215, ENGL 292, PHIL 111 (FW 2015/16), ENGL 234, ENGL 237, ENGL 258 (F 2016), ARTH 120B, ENGL 217, ENGL 257, ENGL 271 and PSYC 235B (W 2017) past the academic deadline as well as waive the requirement to withdraw for one year. 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 I am sympathetic to your situation, there is unfortunately not enough information presented to grant your request. Your appeal does supply some evidence of ongoing mental health challenges but there is no evidence supplied to confirm the impact these challenges had on your coursework and no explanation supplied as to why you were not able to drop these courses by the drop deadlines. According to your file and appeal, you sought both academic and mental health counselling but it appears that you did not follow through on their recommendations or offers of support. Lastly, there is no indication provided by your counsellor as to whether or not you are currently recovered to the point where you can make a successful return to your studies. Without such confirmation, I cannot waive the requirement to withdraw.
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,
Jill Atkinson, Ph.D.
Associate Dean (Studies)
10155896La Barr2
Decision Date: December 18, 2017
Associate Dean: Jill Atkinson, Ph.D.
Student Name: Rebecca La Barr
Student Email: 14rl14@queensu.ca
Course: ENGL 271
Term: Winter
Year: 2017
Category: Drop a course after the academic deadline
Course: ENGL 217
Term: Winter
Year: 2017
Category: Drop a course after the academic deadline
Course: ENGL 257
Term: Winter
Year: 2017
Category: Drop a course after the academic deadline
Course: PSYC 235
Term: Fall/Winter
Year: 2016
Category: Drop a course after the academic deadline
Course: ARTH 120
Term: Fall/Winter
Year: 2016
Category: Drop a course after the academic deadline
Course: ENGL 258
Term: Fall
Year: 2016
Category: Drop a course after the academic deadline
Course: ENGL 237
Term: Fall
Year: 2016
Category: Drop a course after the academic deadline
Course: ENGL 234
Term: Fall
Year: 2016
Category: Drop a course after the academic deadline
Course: ENGL 215
Term: Fall/Winter
Year: 2015
Category: Drop a course after the academic deadline
Course: ENGL 292
Term: Fall/Winter
Year: 2015
Category: Drop a course after the academic deadline
Course: PHIL 111
Term: Fall/Winter
Year: 2015
Category: Drop a course after the academic deadline
Course: PROF 210
Term: Fall/Winter
Year: 2015
Category: Drop a course after the academic deadline
Dear Ms. La Barr:
I have carefully considered your appeal to drop ENGL 215, ENGL 292, PHIL 111 (FW 2015/16), ENGL 234, ENGL 237, ENGL 258 (F 2016), ARTH 120B, ENGL 217, ENGL 257, ENGL 271 and PSYC 235B (W 2017) past the academic deadline as well as waive the requirement to withdraw for one year. 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 I am sympathetic to your situation, there is unfortunately not enough information presented to grant your request. Your appeal does supply some evidence of ongoing mental health challenges but there is no evidence supplied to confirm the impact these challenges had on your coursework and no explanation supplied as to why you were not able to drop these courses by the drop deadlines. According to your file and appeal, you sought both academic and mental health counselling but it appears that you did not follow through on their recommendations or offers of support. Lastly, there is no indication provided by your counsellor as to whether or not you are currently recovered to the point where you can make a successful return to your studies. Without such confirmation, I cannot waive the requirement to withdraw.
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,
Jill Atkinson, Ph.D.
Associate Dean (Studies)
10155896La Barr2
Generated December 18, 2017 at 9:31:03 AM.