Decision Letter
Appeal Number: 6464
Decision Date: January 20, 2020
Associate Dean: Jenn Stephenson, Ph.D.
Student Name: Simin Zhang
Student Email: 16sz22@queensu.ca
Course: STAT 455
Term: Fall
Year: 2019
Category: Drop a course after the academic deadline
Dear Simin Zhang:
I am sorry to have read in your letter of appeal that you report your chronic condition impacted your ability to complete all your Fall term 2019 courses and I have carefully considered your appeal to drop STAT 455 and MATH 474 (F 2019) past the academic deadline based on that circumstance. 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. 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.
Your appeal outlines that you have been dealing with a chronic condition which impacted your final exams, which have been deferred until the end of January 2020. It appears that you are currently registered in courses so could feasibly prepare for those exams. In the letter you received from me dated May 7, 2019 and again on May 30, 2019, you were advised that the appeals process is not meant to manage a chronic condition and yet it seems, according to your letter of appeal, that at the beginning of every month your stomach and pelvic pain seriously affected your daily life and studies. You have been warned twice that the appeals process is not meant to manage an ongoing and/or chronic condition so I cannot in good conscience adjust your transcript.
Instead, you should pause and evaluate their progress in courses during week 7 of term and if you have fallen behind or your health is impacting your progress, you should drop courses by the week 8 drop deadline dates. I would also suggest that you considering registering with QSAS who can help arrange appropriate ongoing accommodations if required. A QSAS Advisor can assist you with both your health and academics.
This is a disappointing decision I am sure Simin, but let me remind you that if a student repeats a course, the low grade is excluded from their grade point average and the higher grade is included which would mean there would be no long term negative impact on your GPA.
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 University Ombudsperson for information about student rights and responsibilities as well as guidance on policy and procedure (www.queensu.ca/ombuds).
Sincerely,
Jenn Stephenson, Ph.D.
Associate Dean (Studies) 20032407Zhang1
Decision Date: January 20, 2020
Associate Dean: Jenn Stephenson, Ph.D.
Student Name: Simin Zhang
Student Email: 16sz22@queensu.ca
Course: STAT 455
Term: Fall
Year: 2019
Category: Drop a course after the academic deadline
Dear Simin Zhang:
I am sorry to have read in your letter of appeal that you report your chronic condition impacted your ability to complete all your Fall term 2019 courses and I have carefully considered your appeal to drop STAT 455 and MATH 474 (F 2019) past the academic deadline based on that circumstance. 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. 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.
Your appeal outlines that you have been dealing with a chronic condition which impacted your final exams, which have been deferred until the end of January 2020. It appears that you are currently registered in courses so could feasibly prepare for those exams. In the letter you received from me dated May 7, 2019 and again on May 30, 2019, you were advised that the appeals process is not meant to manage a chronic condition and yet it seems, according to your letter of appeal, that at the beginning of every month your stomach and pelvic pain seriously affected your daily life and studies. You have been warned twice that the appeals process is not meant to manage an ongoing and/or chronic condition so I cannot in good conscience adjust your transcript.
Instead, you should pause and evaluate their progress in courses during week 7 of term and if you have fallen behind or your health is impacting your progress, you should drop courses by the week 8 drop deadline dates. I would also suggest that you considering registering with QSAS who can help arrange appropriate ongoing accommodations if required. A QSAS Advisor can assist you with both your health and academics.
This is a disappointing decision I am sure Simin, but let me remind you that if a student repeats a course, the low grade is excluded from their grade point average and the higher grade is included which would mean there would be no long term negative impact on your GPA.
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 University Ombudsperson for information about student rights and responsibilities as well as guidance on policy and procedure (www.queensu.ca/ombuds).
Sincerely,
Jenn Stephenson, Ph.D.
Associate Dean (Studies) 20032407Zhang1
Generated January 20, 2020 at 8:49:00 AM.