Decision Letter
Appeal Number: 6392
Decision Date: February 3, 2020
Associate Dean: Jenn Stephenson, Ph.D.
Student Name: Magdalena Ganame
Student Email: m.ganame@queensu.ca
Course: ECON 212
Term: Fall
Year: 2019
Category: Drop a course after the academic deadline
Course: COMM 200
Term: Fall
Year: 2019
Category: Request credit (CR) standing in a course or courses
Instructor: Douglas Reid
Dear Magdalena Ganame:
I am sorry to have read of your reported extenuating circumstances during the Fall term 2019 and I have carefully considered your appeal to drop ECON 212 past the academic deadline as well as request Credit standing in COMM 200 (F 2019) based on those circumstances. After reviewing your file 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. In addition, courses must be dropped on SOLUS within the published deadlines. 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 sure this is a disappointing decision, but the information we received from the instructor of COMM 200 regarding your grades earned, indicates that your grades were fairly consistent throughout the term, including an assignment due on October 11th which was prior to your extenuating circumstances timeline, so your circumstances do not demonstrate a significant impact on your grades at the end of October and during December exams. The grade earned in COMMN 200 is a valid representation of the learning outcomes met in this course.
With regards to ECON 212, as well as COMM 200, the documentation you have submitted is based on self-reported challenges during the Fall term, since you sought support from Student Wellness after that term ended, which therefore does not substantiate the challenges you report in your letter.
Magdalena, let me remind you that if a student repeats a course, the lower grade is excluded from their GPA and the higher grade is included. Since ECON 212 is a required course for your Plan, the long term impact of the current grade in that course is nil.
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. 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 am pleased to see that you plan to continue to work with Student Wellness Services and wish you luck with your courses this term.
Sincerely,
Jenn Stephenson, Ph.D.
Associate Dean (Studies)
Decision Date: February 3, 2020
Associate Dean: Jenn Stephenson, Ph.D.
Student Name: Magdalena Ganame
Student Email: m.ganame@queensu.ca
Course: ECON 212
Term: Fall
Year: 2019
Category: Drop a course after the academic deadline
Course: COMM 200
Term: Fall
Year: 2019
Category: Request credit (CR) standing in a course or courses
Instructor: Douglas Reid
Dear Magdalena Ganame:
I am sorry to have read of your reported extenuating circumstances during the Fall term 2019 and I have carefully considered your appeal to drop ECON 212 past the academic deadline as well as request Credit standing in COMM 200 (F 2019) based on those circumstances. After reviewing your file 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. In addition, courses must be dropped on SOLUS within the published deadlines. 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 sure this is a disappointing decision, but the information we received from the instructor of COMM 200 regarding your grades earned, indicates that your grades were fairly consistent throughout the term, including an assignment due on October 11th which was prior to your extenuating circumstances timeline, so your circumstances do not demonstrate a significant impact on your grades at the end of October and during December exams. The grade earned in COMMN 200 is a valid representation of the learning outcomes met in this course.
With regards to ECON 212, as well as COMM 200, the documentation you have submitted is based on self-reported challenges during the Fall term, since you sought support from Student Wellness after that term ended, which therefore does not substantiate the challenges you report in your letter.
Magdalena, let me remind you that if a student repeats a course, the lower grade is excluded from their GPA and the higher grade is included. Since ECON 212 is a required course for your Plan, the long term impact of the current grade in that course is nil.
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. 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 am pleased to see that you plan to continue to work with Student Wellness Services and wish you luck with your courses this term.
Sincerely,
Jenn Stephenson, Ph.D.
Associate Dean (Studies)
Generated February 3, 2020 at 10:29:49 AM.