Submit an Academic Petition or Appeal

Appeal Number: 6904
Decision Date: October 19, 2020
Associate Dean: Jenn Stephenson, Ph.D.
Student Name: Essi AMEGBETO
Student Email: 18eha@queensu.ca

Course: MATH 121
Term: Fall/Winter
Year: 2018
Category: Request credit (CR) standing in a course or courses
Instructor: TROY DAY

Course: BIO 102
Term: Fall
Year: 2018
Category: Request credit (CR) standing in a course or courses
Instructor: WAYNE SNEDDEN AND CHRIS MOYES

Course: BIO 103
Term: Winter
Year: 2019
Category: Request credit (CR) standing in a course or courses
Instructor: ADAM CHIPPENDALE AND VIRGINIA WALKER

Course: PSYC 100
Term: Fall/Winter
Year: 2018
Category: Request credit (CR) standing in a course or courses
Instructor: JORDAN POPPENK AND JEREMY STEWART

Course: ECON 110
Term: Fall/Winter
Year: 2018
Category: Request credit (CR) standing in a course or courses
Instructor: IAN CROMB

Dear Essi Amegbeto:

I am sorry to have read about the challenges you faced during the 2018/2019 Academic Year and have carefully considered your appeal for Credit Standing in BIOL 102 (F 2018), BIOL 103 (F 2019), ECON 110, MATH 121 and PSYC 100 (FW 2018/2019). 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.

I certainly empathize with your situation Essi and understand that this is a disappointing decision. I acknowledge that near the end of the Fall 2018 term you began counselling with Student Wellness Services and I want to also commend you for connecting with SASS around that same time when you recognized that you needed help preparing for your exams. However, the information that we received from your instructors indicate that your grades do not completely align with the periods of impact from the extenuating circumstances that you reported in your appeal letter. I also want to point out that your documentation indicates that your health issues began before the drop deadline of the terms that you are appealing from and do not indicate an impact on your ability to these drop courses by the posted deadlines. Please know that financial hardships are not considered to be grounds for an appeal unless they are verified to be unexpected and occur after the drop deadline.

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 (Academic)