Submit an Academic Petition or Appeal

Appeal Number: 6440
Decision Date: January 27, 2020
Associate Dean: Jenn Stephenson, Ph.D.
Student Name: Paulina Bernreiter
Student Email: 15pmb1@queensu.ca

Course: BCHM 218
Term: Winter
Year: 2018
Category: Request credit (CR) standing in a course or courses
Instructor: John Allingham

Course: PHGY 214
Term: Fall/Winter
Year: 2018
Category: Request credit (CR) standing in a course or courses
Instructor: Allan Baer


Dear Paulina Bernreiter:

I am sorry to have read that you struggled with health related challenges during the Winter term 2018 and I understand that you are seeking Credit standing in PHGY 214 (FW 2017/18) and BCHM 218 (W 2018) 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 the BCHM 218 instructor noted that you failed both the midterm and final exams in this course which is an indicator that the learning outcomes were not met. The information we received from your PHGY 214 instructor noted that you did well on 3/4 of the course components and only failed the fall term exam. The documentation you submitted does not show a specific correlation to this one exam but speaks to exams in general. In addition, the other courses completed during that same semester are not seemingly impacted by your circumstances.

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 courses 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. 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).

I encourage you to continue to work with your health care supports and wish you the best of luck with your courses this term.

Sincerely,


Jenn Stephenson, Ph.D.
Associate Dean (Studies)

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