Decision Letter
Submission Number: 10378
Decision Date: May 24, 2023
Associate Dean: Jenn Stephenson, Ph.D.
Student Name: John Wright
Student Email: 19jw105@queensu.ca
Course: Math 225
Term: Winter
Year: 2023
Category: Drop a course after the academic deadline
Dear John:
I have read with interest your petition to drop MATH 225 (W 2023), taking note of the challenge you experienced during a final exam in another course. After reviewing your petition fully, I have decided to deny your request.
As you know, courses must be dropped on SOLUS within the published deadlines. Appeal Regulation 3.3.1.2 stresses that ??a petition to drop a class late must clearly demonstrate the significant extenuating circumstances, beyond the student??s control, which prevented them from dropping the class by the deadline. 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 you could have applied for Academic Consideration after that incident and postponed your exam in MATH 225 if you were feeling unsettled after that incident. Additionally, the information we received from the instructor demonstrates that you were already doing poorly in the course prior to the exam so this incident alone was not the only factor leading to a failing grade. And finally, the connection between the 15 April exam disruption and this later exam, which you did not attend, is not clear.
In the future, I encourage you to carefully evaluate your progress in courses 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. The drop deadlines, outlined in the ??Important Dates? section on the Faculty of Arts and Science web page, have been established to ensure fair and equitable treatment of all students.
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
John, let me remind you that if a student repeats a course, the lower grade is excluded from their GPA and the higher grade is included. I encourage you to continue to work with your counsellor in the future if you feel the ongoing support related to your circumstance would be helpful.
If you wish to appeal the Associate Dean??s decision to the Board of Studies, information and deadlines can be found at https://www.queensu.ca/artsci/undergraduate/student-services/academic-petitions-and-appeals (click on ??Submit a Board of Studies Appeal Here?). You may contact the Office of the University Ombudsperson for information about student rights and responsibilities https://www.queensu.ca/ombuds/appeal-process/procedural-fairness and guidance on policy and procedure by visiting their website at https://www.queensu.ca/ombuds/.
Sincerely,
Jenn Stephenson, Ph.D.
Associate Dean (Academic)
20215128Wright
Decision Date: May 24, 2023
Associate Dean: Jenn Stephenson, Ph.D.
Student Name: John Wright
Student Email: 19jw105@queensu.ca
Course: Math 225
Term: Winter
Year: 2023
Category: Drop a course after the academic deadline
Dear John:
I have read with interest your petition to drop MATH 225 (W 2023), taking note of the challenge you experienced during a final exam in another course. After reviewing your petition fully, I have decided to deny your request.
As you know, courses must be dropped on SOLUS within the published deadlines. Appeal Regulation 3.3.1.2 stresses that ??a petition to drop a class late must clearly demonstrate the significant extenuating circumstances, beyond the student??s control, which prevented them from dropping the class by the deadline. 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 you could have applied for Academic Consideration after that incident and postponed your exam in MATH 225 if you were feeling unsettled after that incident. Additionally, the information we received from the instructor demonstrates that you were already doing poorly in the course prior to the exam so this incident alone was not the only factor leading to a failing grade. And finally, the connection between the 15 April exam disruption and this later exam, which you did not attend, is not clear.
In the future, I encourage you to carefully evaluate your progress in courses 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. The drop deadlines, outlined in the ??Important Dates? section on the Faculty of Arts and Science web page, have been established to ensure fair and equitable treatment of all students.
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
John, let me remind you that if a student repeats a course, the lower grade is excluded from their GPA and the higher grade is included. I encourage you to continue to work with your counsellor in the future if you feel the ongoing support related to your circumstance would be helpful.
If you wish to appeal the Associate Dean??s decision to the Board of Studies, information and deadlines can be found at https://www.queensu.ca/artsci/undergraduate/student-services/academic-petitions-and-appeals (click on ??Submit a Board of Studies Appeal Here?). You may contact the Office of the University Ombudsperson for information about student rights and responsibilities https://www.queensu.ca/ombuds/appeal-process/procedural-fairness and guidance on policy and procedure by visiting their website at https://www.queensu.ca/ombuds/.
Sincerely,
Jenn Stephenson, Ph.D.
Associate Dean (Academic)
20215128Wright
Generated May 24, 2023 at 8:25:12 AM.