Decision Letter
Appeal Number: 5946
Decision Date: July 9, 2019
Associate Dean: Jenn Stephenson, Ph.D.
Student Name: Vaishnavie Sivanantham
Student Email: 16vs39@queensu.ca
Course: MATH 111
Term: Fall/Winter
Year: 2018
Category: Request credit (CR) standing in a course or courses
Instructor: Peter Taylor
Course: CHEM 223
Term: Winter
Year: 2019
Category: Request credit (CR) standing in a course or courses
Instructor: Anne Petitjean
Dear Vaishnavie Sivanantham:
I am sorry to have read your report that you have experienced challenges for significant period of time and that it escalated during Winter term 2019. I understand that you are seeking Credit standing in MATH 111 (FW 2018/19) and CHEM 223 (W 2019) due to the impact those circumstances had on these courses. After reviewing your appeal letter and the information we have received from your instructors, I have decided to deny your request.
As you know, Academic Regulation 10.3.2. states that, Credit standing in a course is reserved for situations in which a student, who has completed all of the work in the course including the final examination, and achieved a passing grade in the course, 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.€ Credit standing is only granted in cases where there are well documented and unforeseen extenuating circumstances outside of a student€™s control. 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.
I am certainly sympathetic to your situation and realize that this is a disappointing decision, however, the information we received from your MATH 111 instructor shows that the grades you received in Fall term were not significantly different than the grades earned in the Winter term. The information we received from your CHEM 223 instructor also indicates that your grades did not significantly change during the Winter term which demonstrates that your circumstances did not significantly escalate, as you state in your appeal, during that term. The information from your instructors suggests that the grades earned accurately reflects the learning outcomes you achieved in these courses and is a clear reflection of your mastery of the course content.
Going forward, I suggest that you inform yourself of the academic regulations concerning deadlines as they are outlined in the Important Dates section on the Arts and Science web page and assess your progress in your courses or discuss your options with an Academic Advisor during week 7 or 8 of the term. If you find that you have fallen behind in your attendance, readings or assignments, it is your responsibility to drop by the end of week 8.
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. The Office of the Ombudsman can also assist students with advice about policies and procedures. You may contact the Ombudsman at ombuds@queensu.ca or by phone at 613-533-6495.
Sincerely,
Jenn Stephenson, Ph.D.
Associate Dean (Studies)
20067272Sivanantham
Decision Date: July 9, 2019
Associate Dean: Jenn Stephenson, Ph.D.
Student Name: Vaishnavie Sivanantham
Student Email: 16vs39@queensu.ca
Course: MATH 111
Term: Fall/Winter
Year: 2018
Category: Request credit (CR) standing in a course or courses
Instructor: Peter Taylor
Course: CHEM 223
Term: Winter
Year: 2019
Category: Request credit (CR) standing in a course or courses
Instructor: Anne Petitjean
Dear Vaishnavie Sivanantham:
I am sorry to have read your report that you have experienced challenges for significant period of time and that it escalated during Winter term 2019. I understand that you are seeking Credit standing in MATH 111 (FW 2018/19) and CHEM 223 (W 2019) due to the impact those circumstances had on these courses. After reviewing your appeal letter and the information we have received from your instructors, I have decided to deny your request.
As you know, Academic Regulation 10.3.2. states that, Credit standing in a course is reserved for situations in which a student, who has completed all of the work in the course including the final examination, and achieved a passing grade in the course, 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.€ Credit standing is only granted in cases where there are well documented and unforeseen extenuating circumstances outside of a student€™s control. 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.
I am certainly sympathetic to your situation and realize that this is a disappointing decision, however, the information we received from your MATH 111 instructor shows that the grades you received in Fall term were not significantly different than the grades earned in the Winter term. The information we received from your CHEM 223 instructor also indicates that your grades did not significantly change during the Winter term which demonstrates that your circumstances did not significantly escalate, as you state in your appeal, during that term. The information from your instructors suggests that the grades earned accurately reflects the learning outcomes you achieved in these courses and is a clear reflection of your mastery of the course content.
Going forward, I suggest that you inform yourself of the academic regulations concerning deadlines as they are outlined in the Important Dates section on the Arts and Science web page and assess your progress in your courses or discuss your options with an Academic Advisor during week 7 or 8 of the term. If you find that you have fallen behind in your attendance, readings or assignments, it is your responsibility to drop by the end of week 8.
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. The Office of the Ombudsman can also assist students with advice about policies and procedures. You may contact the Ombudsman at ombuds@queensu.ca or by phone at 613-533-6495.
Sincerely,
Jenn Stephenson, Ph.D.
Associate Dean (Studies)
20067272Sivanantham
Generated July 9, 2019 at 10:26:10 AM.