Decision Letter
Appeal Number: 7538
Decision Date: May 17, 2021
Associate Dean: Jenn Stephenson, Ph.D.
Student Name: Celia Bulger
Student Email: 15cjb17@queensu.ca
Course: FILM 220
Term: Fall
Year: 2020
Category: Drop a course after the academic deadline
Course: FILM 343
Term: Fall
Year: 2020
Category: Drop a course after the academic deadline
Course: FILM 389
Term: Fall
Year: 2020
Category: Drop a course after the academic deadline
Dear Celia Bulger:
I have read with interest your appeal to drop FILM 220, FILM 343, FILM 389 (F 2020), taking note of the challenges 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 without documentation to support your inability to focus on your academic requirements, I am unable to grant this appeal. In the future, I encourage you to carefully evaluate your progress in a course by week 7 of the term and if you are finding the material too difficult or have not kept up with the course work, you should drop the course by the week 8 drop deadline. The drop deadline is set at Week 8 to allow students plenty of 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.
Celia, let me remind you that if a student repeats a course, the lower grade is excluded from their GPA and the higher grade is include. I also encourage you to reach out to Student Academic Success Services (SASS) and Student Wellness Services in the future if you continue to feel overwhelmed as these services may be able to assist you by providing some tips and support as you attempt to manage the circumstances you outlined.
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)
20019040Bulger
Decision Date: May 17, 2021
Associate Dean: Jenn Stephenson, Ph.D.
Student Name: Celia Bulger
Student Email: 15cjb17@queensu.ca
Course: FILM 220
Term: Fall
Year: 2020
Category: Drop a course after the academic deadline
Course: FILM 343
Term: Fall
Year: 2020
Category: Drop a course after the academic deadline
Course: FILM 389
Term: Fall
Year: 2020
Category: Drop a course after the academic deadline
Dear Celia Bulger:
I have read with interest your appeal to drop FILM 220, FILM 343, FILM 389 (F 2020), taking note of the challenges 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 without documentation to support your inability to focus on your academic requirements, I am unable to grant this appeal. In the future, I encourage you to carefully evaluate your progress in a course by week 7 of the term and if you are finding the material too difficult or have not kept up with the course work, you should drop the course by the week 8 drop deadline. The drop deadline is set at Week 8 to allow students plenty of 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.
Celia, let me remind you that if a student repeats a course, the lower grade is excluded from their GPA and the higher grade is include. I also encourage you to reach out to Student Academic Success Services (SASS) and Student Wellness Services in the future if you continue to feel overwhelmed as these services may be able to assist you by providing some tips and support as you attempt to manage the circumstances you outlined.
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)
20019040Bulger
Generated May 17, 2021 at 2:02:29 PM.