Decision Letter
Appeal Number: 5488
Decision Date: April 1, 2019
Associate Dean: Jenn Stephenson, Ph.D.
Student Name: Xueying Zhang
Student Email: 17xz50@queensu.ca
Course: GNDS 125
Term: Winter
Year: 2019
Category: Drop a course after the academic deadline
Dear Ms. Zhang:
I have read with interest your appeal to drop GNDS 125 (W 2019), taking note of the challenges you had with the course evaluations. After reviewing your appeal fully, 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 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. Extenuating circumstances normally involve a significant physical or psychological event that is beyond your control and debilitating to your overall academic performance.
I am certainly sympathetic to your situation and realize that this is a disappointing decision, however finding a course difficult is not considered an extenuating circumstance. You note in your letter of appeal that you realized soon after the 1st quiz that the course was challenging for you. That was the indicator that you should have considered dropping the course. In the future, I encourage you to carefully evaluate your progress in a course by week 7 of the term and if you are finding the material too difficult or have not kept up with the course work, you should drop the course by the week 8 drop deadline. The drop deadline is set at Week 8 to allow students plenty of time to assess their progress in a class and withdraw without any academic penalty if they feel that they cannot keep up with the demands or have the academic background needed to successfully complete it.
This is a difficult learning experience Xueying but one that will be valuable as you proceed with the pursuit of your university degree. The long term impact of a failure or low grade should not weigh particularly heavy when, and if, you apply to a graduate program.
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.
Sincerely,
Jenn Stephenson, Ph.D.
Associate Dean (Studies)
20091473Zhang
Decision Date: April 1, 2019
Associate Dean: Jenn Stephenson, Ph.D.
Student Name: Xueying Zhang
Student Email: 17xz50@queensu.ca
Course: GNDS 125
Term: Winter
Year: 2019
Category: Drop a course after the academic deadline
Dear Ms. Zhang:
I have read with interest your appeal to drop GNDS 125 (W 2019), taking note of the challenges you had with the course evaluations. After reviewing your appeal fully, 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 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. Extenuating circumstances normally involve a significant physical or psychological event that is beyond your control and debilitating to your overall academic performance.
I am certainly sympathetic to your situation and realize that this is a disappointing decision, however finding a course difficult is not considered an extenuating circumstance. You note in your letter of appeal that you realized soon after the 1st quiz that the course was challenging for you. That was the indicator that you should have considered dropping the course. In the future, I encourage you to carefully evaluate your progress in a course by week 7 of the term and if you are finding the material too difficult or have not kept up with the course work, you should drop the course by the week 8 drop deadline. The drop deadline is set at Week 8 to allow students plenty of time to assess their progress in a class and withdraw without any academic penalty if they feel that they cannot keep up with the demands or have the academic background needed to successfully complete it.
This is a difficult learning experience Xueying but one that will be valuable as you proceed with the pursuit of your university degree. The long term impact of a failure or low grade should not weigh particularly heavy when, and if, you apply to a graduate program.
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.
Sincerely,
Jenn Stephenson, Ph.D.
Associate Dean (Studies)
20091473Zhang
Generated April 1, 2019 at 8:47:35 AM.