Decision Letter
Appeal Number: 5938
Decision Date: July 25, 2019
Associate Dean: Jenn Stephenson, Ph.D.
Student Name: Christopher Behn
Student Email: 15cb23@queensu.ca
Course: CHEM 281
Term: Fall
Year: 2015
Category: Drop a course after the academic deadline
Course: CHEM 281
Term: Fall
Year: 2017
Category: Drop a course after the academic deadline
Course: CHEM 281
Term: Summer
Year: 2018
Category: Drop a course after the academic deadline
Course: MATH 121
Term: Fall/Winter
Year: 2017
Category: Drop a course after the academic deadline
Course: BIOL 205
Term: Fall
Year: 2017
Category: Drop a course after the academic deadline
Course: GPHY 209
Term: Winter
Year: 2018
Category: Request credit (CR) standing in a course or courses
Instructor: Scott Lamoureux
Course: GPHY 304
Term: Winter
Year: 2017
Category: Request credit (CR) standing in a course or courses
Instructor: Scott Lamoureux
Course: CHEM 112
Term: Fall/Winter
Year: 2017
Category: Request credit (CR) standing in a course or courses
Instructor: Nicholas Mosey
Course: ENSC 315
Term: Winter
Year: 2018
Category: Request aegrotat (AG) standing in a course or courses
Instructor: Susan Belyea
Course: GPHY 228
Term: Winter
Year: 2019
Category: Request aegrotat (AG) standing in a course or courses
Instructor: Beverly Mullings
Course: GPHY 325
Term: Fall
Year: 2018
Category: Request aegrotat (AG) standing in a course or courses
Instructor: George Beven
Course: GPHY 371
Term: Winter
Year: 2019
Category: Request aegrotat (AG) standing in a course or courses
Instructor: Laura Thompson
Dear Christopher Behn:
I am sorry to have read of the challenges you report that you have experienced during your studies here at Queen€™s and I have carefully considered your appeal to drop CHEM 281 (F 2015), CHEM 281 (F 2017), CHEM 281 (S 2018), MATH 121 (FW 2016/17), BIOL 205 (F 2017) past the academic deadline as well as your request for Credit standing in GPHY 209 (W 2018), GPHY 304 (W 2017), CHEM 112 (FW 2016/17) and Aegrotat Standing in ENSC 315 (W 2018), GPHY 325 (F 2018) and GPHY 228, GPHY 371 (W 2019) based on those circumstances. After reviewing your file 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€. 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. Academic Regulation 10.3.1. states that, Aegrotat estimated standing in a course is reserved for situations in which a student, who has completed and passed at least 60 of the work for a course, but because of illness or other extenuating circumstances beyond his or her control, is unable to complete all the work of the course (see Academic Regulation 6)€. Aegrotat standing is only granted in cases where there are well documented and unforeseen extenuating circumstances outside of a student€™s control and the learning outcomes of the course have been satisfied. 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.
The documentation you have provided related to courses prior to Fall term 2018 is based on self-reported circumstances and does not warrant alterations to your transcript based on those circumstances. The documentation you have submitted regarding your migraines specifically suggests that you have experienced chronic and acute episodes since high school which is an indication that you have had several years of experience dealing with this illness and should have been an active participant in managing your health and reaching out to instructors for alternative due dates if you were unable to submit assignments. The information we received from your instructors made note of your poor attendance throughout the term which was an sign that you were unable to manage your courses due to your health related challenges. It is a student€™s responsibility to evaluate their progress and the impact their circumstances are having on their courses by the academic drop deadline dates. The appeals system is not designed to compensate for managing a long standing, chronic condition; instead it is intended for situations where students experience an unforeseen acute or new situation that arises after the drop deadline in Week 8.
I am sure this is a disappointing decision Christopher and means that you are unable to proceed to an Honours Degree, but let me remind you of your eligibility to graduate with Bachelor of Arts degree which is a great accomplishment
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)
Decision Date: July 25, 2019
Associate Dean: Jenn Stephenson, Ph.D.
Student Name: Christopher Behn
Student Email: 15cb23@queensu.ca
Course: CHEM 281
Term: Fall
Year: 2015
Category: Drop a course after the academic deadline
Course: CHEM 281
Term: Fall
Year: 2017
Category: Drop a course after the academic deadline
Course: CHEM 281
Term: Summer
Year: 2018
Category: Drop a course after the academic deadline
Course: MATH 121
Term: Fall/Winter
Year: 2017
Category: Drop a course after the academic deadline
Course: BIOL 205
Term: Fall
Year: 2017
Category: Drop a course after the academic deadline
Course: GPHY 209
Term: Winter
Year: 2018
Category: Request credit (CR) standing in a course or courses
Instructor: Scott Lamoureux
Course: GPHY 304
Term: Winter
Year: 2017
Category: Request credit (CR) standing in a course or courses
Instructor: Scott Lamoureux
Course: CHEM 112
Term: Fall/Winter
Year: 2017
Category: Request credit (CR) standing in a course or courses
Instructor: Nicholas Mosey
Course: ENSC 315
Term: Winter
Year: 2018
Category: Request aegrotat (AG) standing in a course or courses
Instructor: Susan Belyea
Course: GPHY 228
Term: Winter
Year: 2019
Category: Request aegrotat (AG) standing in a course or courses
Instructor: Beverly Mullings
Course: GPHY 325
Term: Fall
Year: 2018
Category: Request aegrotat (AG) standing in a course or courses
Instructor: George Beven
Course: GPHY 371
Term: Winter
Year: 2019
Category: Request aegrotat (AG) standing in a course or courses
Instructor: Laura Thompson
Dear Christopher Behn:
I am sorry to have read of the challenges you report that you have experienced during your studies here at Queen€™s and I have carefully considered your appeal to drop CHEM 281 (F 2015), CHEM 281 (F 2017), CHEM 281 (S 2018), MATH 121 (FW 2016/17), BIOL 205 (F 2017) past the academic deadline as well as your request for Credit standing in GPHY 209 (W 2018), GPHY 304 (W 2017), CHEM 112 (FW 2016/17) and Aegrotat Standing in ENSC 315 (W 2018), GPHY 325 (F 2018) and GPHY 228, GPHY 371 (W 2019) based on those circumstances. After reviewing your file 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€. 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. Academic Regulation 10.3.1. states that, Aegrotat estimated standing in a course is reserved for situations in which a student, who has completed and passed at least 60 of the work for a course, but because of illness or other extenuating circumstances beyond his or her control, is unable to complete all the work of the course (see Academic Regulation 6)€. Aegrotat standing is only granted in cases where there are well documented and unforeseen extenuating circumstances outside of a student€™s control and the learning outcomes of the course have been satisfied. 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.
The documentation you have provided related to courses prior to Fall term 2018 is based on self-reported circumstances and does not warrant alterations to your transcript based on those circumstances. The documentation you have submitted regarding your migraines specifically suggests that you have experienced chronic and acute episodes since high school which is an indication that you have had several years of experience dealing with this illness and should have been an active participant in managing your health and reaching out to instructors for alternative due dates if you were unable to submit assignments. The information we received from your instructors made note of your poor attendance throughout the term which was an sign that you were unable to manage your courses due to your health related challenges. It is a student€™s responsibility to evaluate their progress and the impact their circumstances are having on their courses by the academic drop deadline dates. The appeals system is not designed to compensate for managing a long standing, chronic condition; instead it is intended for situations where students experience an unforeseen acute or new situation that arises after the drop deadline in Week 8.
I am sure this is a disappointing decision Christopher and means that you are unable to proceed to an Honours Degree, but let me remind you of your eligibility to graduate with Bachelor of Arts degree which is a great accomplishment
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)
Generated July 25, 2019 at 11:54:54 AM.