Decision Letter
Appeal Number: 8794
Decision Date: March 7, 2022
Associate Dean: Jenn Stephenson, Ph.D.
Student Name: Sylvia Kathirkamanathan
Student Email: 18sk136@queensu.ca
Course: MICR 360
Term: Fall
Year: 2021
Category: Drop a course after the academic deadline
Dear Sylvia:
I have read with interest your appeal to drop MICR 360 (F 2021), taking note of the challenges you outlined, and I am sorry for your loss. 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 circumstances and 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, often taking place after the drop deadline.
I am certainly sympathetic to your situation and realize that this is a disappointing decision, however the sad passing of your uncle was well before the drop deadline and if you were finding it difficult to manage your grief and courses, you should have dropped this course by the drop deadline.
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.
Another tool to manage your academics in addition to dropping a course by the drop deadline is our Academic Consideration protocol. A student can request short term consideration if they need more time to complete an assignment or had to miss a class due to documented extenuating circumstances. Here is the link for information about that process:
https://www.queensu.ca/artsci/undergrad-students/academic-consideration-for-students
Sylvia, 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 encourage you to reach out to Student Wellness Services if you continue to feel overwhelmed by your grief as they may be able to offer you some support.
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 ??Board of Studies?). 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).
Student Academic Appeals Policy (SAAP) or Rules of Procedure for USAB are Queen??s university Senate approved appeal policies. In the event that an inconsistency arises between these policies and Arts & Science regulations, SAAP and USAB will supersede.
Sincerely,
Jenn Stephenson, Ph.D.
Associate Dean (Academic)
20173330Kathirkamanathan
Decision Date: March 7, 2022
Associate Dean: Jenn Stephenson, Ph.D.
Student Name: Sylvia Kathirkamanathan
Student Email: 18sk136@queensu.ca
Course: MICR 360
Term: Fall
Year: 2021
Category: Drop a course after the academic deadline
Dear Sylvia:
I have read with interest your appeal to drop MICR 360 (F 2021), taking note of the challenges you outlined, and I am sorry for your loss. 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 circumstances and 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, often taking place after the drop deadline.
I am certainly sympathetic to your situation and realize that this is a disappointing decision, however the sad passing of your uncle was well before the drop deadline and if you were finding it difficult to manage your grief and courses, you should have dropped this course by the drop deadline.
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.
Another tool to manage your academics in addition to dropping a course by the drop deadline is our Academic Consideration protocol. A student can request short term consideration if they need more time to complete an assignment or had to miss a class due to documented extenuating circumstances. Here is the link for information about that process:
https://www.queensu.ca/artsci/undergrad-students/academic-consideration-for-students
Sylvia, 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 encourage you to reach out to Student Wellness Services if you continue to feel overwhelmed by your grief as they may be able to offer you some support.
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 ??Board of Studies?). 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).
Student Academic Appeals Policy (SAAP) or Rules of Procedure for USAB are Queen??s university Senate approved appeal policies. In the event that an inconsistency arises between these policies and Arts & Science regulations, SAAP and USAB will supersede.
Sincerely,
Jenn Stephenson, Ph.D.
Associate Dean (Academic)
20173330Kathirkamanathan
Generated March 7, 2022 at 8:26:45 AM.