Submit an Academic Petition or Appeal

Appeal Number: 7361
Decision Date: February 3, 2021
Associate Dean: Jenn Stephenson, Ph.D.
Student Name: Levin Mwaura
Student Email: 20lkm2@queensu.ca

Course: CISC 101
Term: Winter
Year: 2021
Category: Add a course after the academic deadline
Instructor: W.Powley

Course: CISC 124
Term: Winter
Year: 2021
Category: Add a course after the academic deadline
Instructor: B.Ma

Course: CISC 151
Term: Winter
Year: 2021
Category: Add a course after the academic deadline
Instructor: Abbas Hazeem

Dear Levin Mwaura:

I have carefully considered your appeal to add CISC 101, CISC 124, and CISC 151 (W 2021) after the academic deadline. After reviewing your file, I have decided to deny your request.

As you know, courses must be added on SOLUS within the published deadlines. The Academic Regulations (Appeal of Academic Decisions, IIIb) stress that exceptions to this will only be waived under exceptional 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 ability to add a course within the deadline was significantly compromised by extenuating 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. Additionally, these kinds of extraordinary situations are normally supported by documentation from a professional. The deadlines for adding courses have been designed and established to provide sufficient time for students to obtain the relevant permission, determine their interest in the course material, to consider their ability to handle each course, and to evaluate their overall workload.

I was sorry to read that you were not able to enroll in Winter term classes due to financial reasons but with the absence of extenuating circumstances, beyond your control, which would have prevented you from meeting the add deadline as published in the Arts and Science Calendar, I can not reasonably waive the Faculty Regulation. I suggest that you to consider registering for the upcoming Spring/Summer term instead.

I also see that you were not successful in completing any of your Fall term courses. I encourage you to connect with the Faculty of Arts and Science Student Services office to discuss course planning and your academic goals going forward. Please call (613-533-2470) to set up an appointment with one of our Academic Advisors.

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 (Academics)