Decision Letter
Appeal Number: 7166
Decision Date: December 21, 2020
Associate Dean: Jenn Stephenson, Ph.D.
Student Name: Katherine Marshall
Student Email: 16kam18@queensu.ca
Dear Katherine Marshall:
I have read with interest your appeal to drop HIST 282 (F 2020), taking note of the circumstances you outlined. After reviewing your appeal fully, 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. Extenuating circumstances normally involve a significant physical or psychological event that is beyond your control and debilitating to your overall academic performance.
I am certainly sympathetic to your situation and realize that this is a disappointing decision, however your learning challenges are pre-existing to this current term and there does not appear to be a particular circumstance that exacerbated your challenges after the drop date deadline. It is a student€™ responsibility to assess, prior to the drop date, their progression in a course. I cannot therefore, in good conscience, adjust your academic record. In the future, I encourage you to follow through with your plan and carefully evaluate your progress in a course prior to the week 8 drop date deadline. If you have not kept up with the course work, you should drop the course by the drop deadline. The drop deadline is set to allow students time to assess their progress in a class and withdraw without any academic penalty if they feel that they cannot keep up with the demands or have the academic background needed to successfully complete it.
Katherine, let me remind you that if a student repeats a course, the lower grade will be excluded from the GPA and the higher grade will be included.
I also want to point out that should you run into difficulties in the future, you may want to request Academic Consideration where extension may be a possible remedy to help during difficult periods. Here is the link to information about that process: https://www.queensu.ca/artsci/undergrad-students/academic-consideration-for-students
I also suggest that you reach out to your instructor to see if it is still possible to complete the outstanding requirements in this course.
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)
20064444Marshall
Decision Date: December 21, 2020
Associate Dean: Jenn Stephenson, Ph.D.
Student Name: Katherine Marshall
Student Email: 16kam18@queensu.ca
Dear Katherine Marshall:
I have read with interest your appeal to drop HIST 282 (F 2020), taking note of the circumstances you outlined. After reviewing your appeal fully, 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. Extenuating circumstances normally involve a significant physical or psychological event that is beyond your control and debilitating to your overall academic performance.
I am certainly sympathetic to your situation and realize that this is a disappointing decision, however your learning challenges are pre-existing to this current term and there does not appear to be a particular circumstance that exacerbated your challenges after the drop date deadline. It is a student€™ responsibility to assess, prior to the drop date, their progression in a course. I cannot therefore, in good conscience, adjust your academic record. In the future, I encourage you to follow through with your plan and carefully evaluate your progress in a course prior to the week 8 drop date deadline. If you have not kept up with the course work, you should drop the course by the drop deadline. The drop deadline is set to allow students time to assess their progress in a class and withdraw without any academic penalty if they feel that they cannot keep up with the demands or have the academic background needed to successfully complete it.
Katherine, let me remind you that if a student repeats a course, the lower grade will be excluded from the GPA and the higher grade will be included.
I also want to point out that should you run into difficulties in the future, you may want to request Academic Consideration where extension may be a possible remedy to help during difficult periods. Here is the link to information about that process: https://www.queensu.ca/artsci/undergrad-students/academic-consideration-for-students
I also suggest that you reach out to your instructor to see if it is still possible to complete the outstanding requirements in this course.
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)
20064444Marshall
Generated December 21, 2020 at 2:58:20 PM.