Submit an Academic Petition or Appeal

Appeal Number: 5390
Decision Date: March 25, 2019
Associate Dean: Jenn Stephenson, Ph.D.
Student Name: Nusaipa Aidid
Student Email: 17nma2@queensu.ca

Course: ANAT 100
Term: Fall
Year: 2017
Category: Drop a course after the academic deadline

Course: BIOL 103
Term: Fall
Year: 2017
Category: Drop a course after the academic deadline

Course: MATH 121
Term: Fall
Year: 2017
Category: Drop a course after the academic deadline

Course: BIOL 102
Term: Winter
Year: 2017
Category: Drop a course after the academic deadline

Course: FREN 107
Term: Winter
Year: 2017
Category: Drop a course after the academic deadline


Dear Mr. Aidid:

I have carefully considered your appeal to drop ANAT 100, BIOL 103 (F 2017) and BIOL 102, FREN 107 (W 2018). After reviewing your file I have decided the following:

1. To grant your request to drop ANAT 100 and BIOL 103 (F 2017) based on your extenuating circumstances which are supported by your documentation for the timeline of Fall term 2017.

2. To deny your request to drop BIOL 102 and FREN 107 (W 2018) late. Your letter states that during the Winter 2018 term you were still seeing your doctor for check-ups and were prescribed medication. Unfortunately the documentation you submitted does not address the severity and impact that your health issues had on your studies during that term. The appeals system is intended for situations where students experience an unforeseen acute or new situation that arises after the drop deadline in Week 8. 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. It is the student€™s responsibility to realistically assess their progress in a course by week 8 of the term and if they have not kept up with the course requirements, they should drop the course by the drop deadline.

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 extenuating 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 circumstances beyond his or her control.

If you wish to appeal the Associate Dean€™s decision to the Board of Studies, information and deadlines can be found at 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 the Office of the Ombudsman (www.queensu.ca/ombudsman) for advice on matters of procedure and on obtaining a representative.

I can see from your transcript that your decision to change from a Science degree to an Arts degree has been a positive change and I wish you well in your pursuit of an English degree.

Sincerely,


Jenn Stephenson, Ph.D.
Associate Dean (Studies)


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