Decision Letter
Appeal Number: 6047
Decision Date: September 20, 2019
Associate Dean: Jenn Stephenson, Ph.D.
Student Name: Ben fulton
Student Email: 16bhf@queensu.ca
Course: PHIL 111B
Term: Fall/Winter
Year: 2018
Category: Request credit (CR) standing in a course or courses
Instructor: Sergio Sismondo
Course: MUSC 171
Term: Fall
Year: 2017
Category: Request credit (CR) standing in a course or courses
Instructor: Kip Pegley
Course: POLS 211
Term: Fall
Year: 2018
Category: Request credit (CR) standing in a course or courses
Instructor: Adrienne Davidson
Course: POLS 212
Term: Winter
Year: 2019
Category: Request credit (CR) standing in a course or courses
Instructor: Adrienne Davidson
Course: MUSC 289
Term: Winter
Year: 2019
Category: Request credit (CR) standing in a course or courses
Instructor: Margaret Walker
Dear Ben Fulton:
I was sorry to read of the challenges you faced during the past two years and understand that these were difficult circumstances to deal with. I have carefully considered your appeal to drop MUSC 171 (F 2017) and POLS 212 (W 2019) past the academic deadline and receive Credit standing in PHIL 111 (FW 2017/18), POLS 211 (F 2018) and MUSC 289 (W 2019). After reviewing your file I have decided the following:
1. To grant your appeal to drop MUSC 171 (F 2017) and receive Credit standing in PHIL 111 (FW 2017/18).
2. To deny your request to drop POLS 212 (W 2019) and for Credit standing in POLS 211 (F 2018) and MUSC 289 (W 2019).
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. 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 your documentation indicates that you received a diagnosis of your chronic health issue in October of 2018 which leads me to support your request to consider courses prior to that diagnosis (ie 2017/18 courses). Since that diagnosis, you have been receiving treatment for your condition and if you were struggling in courses after that diagnosis, it was your responsibility to drop courses by the drop deadline dates.
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)
20054235Fulton
Decision Date: September 20, 2019
Associate Dean: Jenn Stephenson, Ph.D.
Student Name: Ben fulton
Student Email: 16bhf@queensu.ca
Course: PHIL 111B
Term: Fall/Winter
Year: 2018
Category: Request credit (CR) standing in a course or courses
Instructor: Sergio Sismondo
Course: MUSC 171
Term: Fall
Year: 2017
Category: Request credit (CR) standing in a course or courses
Instructor: Kip Pegley
Course: POLS 211
Term: Fall
Year: 2018
Category: Request credit (CR) standing in a course or courses
Instructor: Adrienne Davidson
Course: POLS 212
Term: Winter
Year: 2019
Category: Request credit (CR) standing in a course or courses
Instructor: Adrienne Davidson
Course: MUSC 289
Term: Winter
Year: 2019
Category: Request credit (CR) standing in a course or courses
Instructor: Margaret Walker
Dear Ben Fulton:
I was sorry to read of the challenges you faced during the past two years and understand that these were difficult circumstances to deal with. I have carefully considered your appeal to drop MUSC 171 (F 2017) and POLS 212 (W 2019) past the academic deadline and receive Credit standing in PHIL 111 (FW 2017/18), POLS 211 (F 2018) and MUSC 289 (W 2019). After reviewing your file I have decided the following:
1. To grant your appeal to drop MUSC 171 (F 2017) and receive Credit standing in PHIL 111 (FW 2017/18).
2. To deny your request to drop POLS 212 (W 2019) and for Credit standing in POLS 211 (F 2018) and MUSC 289 (W 2019).
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. 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 your documentation indicates that you received a diagnosis of your chronic health issue in October of 2018 which leads me to support your request to consider courses prior to that diagnosis (ie 2017/18 courses). Since that diagnosis, you have been receiving treatment for your condition and if you were struggling in courses after that diagnosis, it was your responsibility to drop courses by the drop deadline dates.
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)
20054235Fulton
Generated September 20, 2019 at 9:39:16 AM.