Decision Letter
Appeal Number: 951
Decision Date: May 4, 2015
Associate Dean: Sue Blake
Student Name: Madison Horton
Student Email: 11mkqh@queensu.ca
Course: FILM 340
Term: Winter
Year: 2015
Category: Drop a course after the academic deadline
Ms. Madison Horton
11mkqh@queensu.ca
Dear Ms. Horton:
I have carefully considered your appeal to drop FILM 340 (W 2015) past the academic deadline. 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 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 performance was significantly compromised by extenuating circumstances beyond his or her control.
The deadlines for dropping courses have been designed and established in order to provide sufficient time for students to determine their interest in the course material, to consider their ability to handle each course, and to evaluate their overall workload.
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.
While your appeal does describe some circumstances that are extenuating in nature concerning your issues with anxiety, the documentation provided is unfortunately not sufficient. A self-declared illness that lasts for 3 months is chronic and should be documented by a healthcare professional. You indicate that you have an upcoming appointment with a counsellor at Heath, Counselling and Disability Services. I would be willing to reconsider my decision pending the receipt of appropriate documentation from this office indicating the severity of your symptoms, the impact on your courses, particularly FILM 340 and the time frame in which your illness occurred.
If you wish to appeal the Associate Dean€™s decision to the Board of Studies, you must submit an appeal to the Board of Studies within 21 days of the date this decision was sent. Guidelines for appealing to the Board of Studies and the appeal form can be found at: http://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 Mr. Harry Smith, Office of the Ombudsperson for advice on matters of procedure and on obtaining a representative. His office is located in room 237 Robert Sutherland Hall and he can be reached by phone (533-6495) or e-mail (ombuds@queensu.ca).
Sincerely,
Sue Blake
Assistant Dean (Studies)
10054551Horton
Decision Date: May 4, 2015
Associate Dean: Sue Blake
Student Name: Madison Horton
Student Email: 11mkqh@queensu.ca
Course: FILM 340
Term: Winter
Year: 2015
Category: Drop a course after the academic deadline
Ms. Madison Horton
11mkqh@queensu.ca
Dear Ms. Horton:
I have carefully considered your appeal to drop FILM 340 (W 2015) past the academic deadline. 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 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 performance was significantly compromised by extenuating circumstances beyond his or her control.
The deadlines for dropping courses have been designed and established in order to provide sufficient time for students to determine their interest in the course material, to consider their ability to handle each course, and to evaluate their overall workload.
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.
While your appeal does describe some circumstances that are extenuating in nature concerning your issues with anxiety, the documentation provided is unfortunately not sufficient. A self-declared illness that lasts for 3 months is chronic and should be documented by a healthcare professional. You indicate that you have an upcoming appointment with a counsellor at Heath, Counselling and Disability Services. I would be willing to reconsider my decision pending the receipt of appropriate documentation from this office indicating the severity of your symptoms, the impact on your courses, particularly FILM 340 and the time frame in which your illness occurred.
If you wish to appeal the Associate Dean€™s decision to the Board of Studies, you must submit an appeal to the Board of Studies within 21 days of the date this decision was sent. Guidelines for appealing to the Board of Studies and the appeal form can be found at: http://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 Mr. Harry Smith, Office of the Ombudsperson for advice on matters of procedure and on obtaining a representative. His office is located in room 237 Robert Sutherland Hall and he can be reached by phone (533-6495) or e-mail (ombuds@queensu.ca).
Sincerely,
Sue Blake
Assistant Dean (Studies)
10054551Horton
Generated May 4, 2015 at 3:25:06 PM.