Submit an Academic Petition or Appeal

Appeal Number: 5915
Decision Date: July 15, 2019
Associate Dean: Jenn Stephenson, Ph.D.
Student Name: Elizabeth Studholme
Student Email: 13es28@queensu.ca

Course: GPHY 362
Term: Winter
Year: 2016
Category: Drop a course after the academic deadline

Course: GPHY 337
Term: Fall
Year: 2016
Category: Drop a course after the academic deadline

Course: GPHY 368
Term: Fall
Year: 2016
Category: Drop a course after the academic deadline

Course: GPHY 365
Term: Fall
Year: 2016
Category: Drop a course after the academic deadline

Course: GPHY 314
Term: Fall
Year: 2016
Category: Drop a course after the academic deadline

Course: PHIL 261
Term: Winter
Year: 2019
Category: Drop a course after the academic deadline

Course: HIST 200
Term: Winter
Year: 2019
Category: Drop a course after the academic deadline

Course: HIST 207
Term: Winter
Year: 2019
Category: Drop a course after the academic deadline


Dear Elizabeth Studholme:

I was very sorry to read of the difficult circumstances you explained in your letter of appeal and I have carefully considered your appeal to drop GPHY 362 (W 2016), GPHY 337, GPHY 368, GPHY 365, GPHY 314 (F 2016), PHIL 261, HIST 200 and HIST 207 (W 2019) past the academic deadline which would subsequently waive the Requirement to Withdraw for three years. After reviewing your file I have decided the following:

1. I will grant your request to drop GPHY 362 (W 2016) and GPHY 337, GPHY 368, GPHY 365, GPHY 314 (F 2016) since the documentation provided supports circumstances experienced during that time frame. I will also waive the Requirement to Withdraw for three years.

2. I will deny your request to drop PHIL 261, HIST 200 and HIST 207 (W 2019) past the academic deadline. The circumstance that you outline related to winter term 2019 speaks to a level of anxiety that you experienced due to your concern that you would not meet the 1.6 GPA threshold. It is up to the student to measure the impact of their circumstances by the drop date and if you were falling behind in course work or felt you were not achieving the level of success you were hoping for, you should have dropped your courses by the drop deadline date during week 8 of the term.

Elizabeth, you mention in your appeal letter that you have a surplus of credits to complete a 3 year degree (BA GENERAL GPHY) and that you are of the opinion that it is your GPA that is standing in the way of you graduating with that degree. However, you actually require an additional 15.0 units to graduate with that degree. You need 90.0 units in total and to date you have completed 75.0 units in total. You have however completed all your Geography requirements so those additional 15.0 units can be electives. Let me take this opportunity to remind you of our repeat policy whereby a student can repeat a course with a low grade and the higher grade earned would then be included in the GPA and the lower grade would be excluded from the GPA.

Going forward, I strongly suggest that you pause and evaluate your progress in your courses during week 7 of the term and if you have fallen behind in your course work, you should drop courses by the week 8 drop date deadline.

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) 10120884Studholme