Decision Letter
Appeal Number: 4747
Decision Date: June 25, 2018
Associate Dean: Johanne Benard, Ph.D.
Student Name: Jessica Deol
Student Email: 13jd18@queensu.ca
Dear Ms. Deol:
I have carefully considered your appeal to waive the Faculty ruling that you be Required to Withdraw for a Minimum of Three Years. After reviewing your file, I have decided to deny your request.
As you already know, the academic requirements in the Faculty of Arts and Science are clearly outlined in the Academic Regulation section of the Calendar. The requirement to withdraw is invoked only where students experience ongoing or extreme academic difficulties. The ruling is designed to provide the student with time away from the university to reflect on and remedy the factors impeding their academic success.
The Academic Regulations stipulate that waiving the requirement to withdraw can be considered only where a student€™s academic performance is affected by extenuating circumstances beyond his or her control. The requirement to withdraw is waived only in rare and exceptional circumstances where documentation makes clear that the difficulties are temporary rather than ongoing or that these difficulties have been dealt with in such a way that the student may make a successful return to the university. While it is clear that you experienced a difficult year at university and that you are eager to return to classes, the appeal did not demonstrate to me that an early return to classes is warranted.
According to your file, your requirement to withdraw for one year ruling was waived in 2016 and your requirement to withdraw for a minimum of three years was waived in 2017 generally based on the same overall circumstances that you present in your current appeal as well. After reviewing your appeal, it does not appear that your circumstances are being managed in such a way that you can make a successful return to your studies and you have not supplied any adequate supporting documentation to show that these ongoing issues will be resolved moving forward. The appeals system is not designed to compensate for circumstances that are ongoing in nature. Students with chronic or long-standing personal issues are expected to register in a course load they can comfortably handle, seek help through the Accessibility Services Office to receive any academic accommodations required and drop courses by the Week 8 deadlines if they are continuing to experience problems that affect their coursework.
I recognize that you have nearly completed the courses you need to graduate with your Bachelor of Science General degree but your cumulative GPA is significantly lower than the 1.60 minimum required to graduate. You would need to take at least a further 36.0 units (two years of part-time study) with an average grade of B to raise your cumulative GPA to 1.60.
I would also like to address your part-time status. Last year you were placed on part-time studies as a condition of your appeal decision to ensure that you allowed yourself enough time to successfully complete all of the requirements of your courses. It appears that the ruling wasn€™t applied correctly so SOLUS didn€™t restrict you to taking a maximum of 9.0 units per term as you were supposed to. Despite being aware of your part-time condition you went ahead and registered in four classes in the fall term and six classes in the winter term, a load far heavier than you were permitted to take and could realistically handle. You did not seek any academic advising and you did not drop any classes by the drop deadlines. As a result, your GPA went from 1.23 to 1.19.
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).
Yours sincerely,
Johanne Bénard, Ph.D.
Associate Dean (Studies)
10113223Deol4
Decision Date: June 25, 2018
Associate Dean: Johanne Benard, Ph.D.
Student Name: Jessica Deol
Student Email: 13jd18@queensu.ca
Dear Ms. Deol:
I have carefully considered your appeal to waive the Faculty ruling that you be Required to Withdraw for a Minimum of Three Years. After reviewing your file, I have decided to deny your request.
As you already know, the academic requirements in the Faculty of Arts and Science are clearly outlined in the Academic Regulation section of the Calendar. The requirement to withdraw is invoked only where students experience ongoing or extreme academic difficulties. The ruling is designed to provide the student with time away from the university to reflect on and remedy the factors impeding their academic success.
The Academic Regulations stipulate that waiving the requirement to withdraw can be considered only where a student€™s academic performance is affected by extenuating circumstances beyond his or her control. The requirement to withdraw is waived only in rare and exceptional circumstances where documentation makes clear that the difficulties are temporary rather than ongoing or that these difficulties have been dealt with in such a way that the student may make a successful return to the university. While it is clear that you experienced a difficult year at university and that you are eager to return to classes, the appeal did not demonstrate to me that an early return to classes is warranted.
According to your file, your requirement to withdraw for one year ruling was waived in 2016 and your requirement to withdraw for a minimum of three years was waived in 2017 generally based on the same overall circumstances that you present in your current appeal as well. After reviewing your appeal, it does not appear that your circumstances are being managed in such a way that you can make a successful return to your studies and you have not supplied any adequate supporting documentation to show that these ongoing issues will be resolved moving forward. The appeals system is not designed to compensate for circumstances that are ongoing in nature. Students with chronic or long-standing personal issues are expected to register in a course load they can comfortably handle, seek help through the Accessibility Services Office to receive any academic accommodations required and drop courses by the Week 8 deadlines if they are continuing to experience problems that affect their coursework.
I recognize that you have nearly completed the courses you need to graduate with your Bachelor of Science General degree but your cumulative GPA is significantly lower than the 1.60 minimum required to graduate. You would need to take at least a further 36.0 units (two years of part-time study) with an average grade of B to raise your cumulative GPA to 1.60.
I would also like to address your part-time status. Last year you were placed on part-time studies as a condition of your appeal decision to ensure that you allowed yourself enough time to successfully complete all of the requirements of your courses. It appears that the ruling wasn€™t applied correctly so SOLUS didn€™t restrict you to taking a maximum of 9.0 units per term as you were supposed to. Despite being aware of your part-time condition you went ahead and registered in four classes in the fall term and six classes in the winter term, a load far heavier than you were permitted to take and could realistically handle. You did not seek any academic advising and you did not drop any classes by the drop deadlines. As a result, your GPA went from 1.23 to 1.19.
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).
Yours sincerely,
Johanne Bénard, Ph.D.
Associate Dean (Studies)
10113223Deol4
Generated June 25, 2018 at 8:55:16 AM.