Decision Letter
Submission Number: 10336
Decision Date: June 26, 2023
Associate Dean:
Student Name: Katharine Kanters
Student Email: 19kyek@queensu.ca
Course: ENGL 200
Term: Fall/Winter
Year: 2023
Category: Request aegrotat (AG) standing in a course or courses
Instructor: Leslie Ritchie
Dear Katharine:
On June 20, the Board of Studies reviewed your appeal of Associate Dean (Academic) Jenn Stephenson’s decision to deny your request to receive Aegrotat Standing (AG) for ENGL 200 (Fall/Winter 2022-2023). Board members present that day were Johanne Bénard (Chair), Elizabeth Goodyear-Grant (Faculty member), Yael Schlick (Faculty member), and Amaiya Walters (Student representative). As you are aware, you also attended a portion of the meeting along with the Associate Dean (Academic), Jenn Stephenson. Pamela Briand (Arts and Science resource staff) was also present.
After you and Dr. Stephenson left the meeting, the Board thoroughly considered the information from the oral statements along with all written submissions contained in the file, including a physician’s note dated May 30th. At this meeting and after careful thought and deliberation, we voted to uphold the Associate Dean’s decision to deny your request to receive Aegrotat Standing (AG) for ENGL 200 (Fall/Winter 2022-2023), finding it reasonable in light of the Faculty’s regulations and your academic record. However, we support the Associate Dean’s decision to offer you an incomplete grade (IN) for the course and allow you to complete the outstanding course requirements.
In your letter to the Board, you assert that the first ground for this appeal was that the Associate Dean was biased and was subject to ableist attitudes that make her unwilling to support disabled students. The Board did not find any evidence in the file that the Associate Dean was inhibited in her ability or willingness to support students with disabilities with ableist thinking. The second ground for this appeal was that her decision was unreasonable. The Board also looked at all the documentation in your file and did not find it unreasonable to ask you to complete all required work in ENGL 200 to earn the credit, with the provision of Incomplete standing (IN).
The Board recognizes the severity of your extenuating circumstances and truly sympathizes with your situation. We would like to thank you for attending the meeting. We know that was not easy. Although the committee upheld the dean’s decision, your presence at the meeting did enable committee members to better understand your perspective. We also encourage you to continue to seek support from your doctors and from your QSAS advisor and we want to assure you that every effort was made to explore all aspects of your appeal through discussion of your file.
If you wish to appeal this decision, you may appeal to the University Student Appeal Board (USAB). Grounds for appeal are listed in Section E of the Student Academic Appeals Policy (SAAP) at https://www.queensu.ca/secretariat/policies/senate/student-academic-appeals-policy and the Rules of Procedure for University Student Appeal Board (USAB) can be found at https://www.queensu.ca/secretariat/policies/senate/student-appeals-rights-discipline-policy/rules-procedure-usab. Appeals to USAB must be submitted within two weeks of this decision. For additional information on USAB, please visit https://www.queensu.ca/ombuds/appeal-process/university-student-appeal-board.
On behalf of the Board of Studies, I would like to wish you every success as you pursue your educational and career goals.
Sincerely,
Johanne Bénard
Chair, Board of Studies
20201058 Katharine Kanters
Decision Date: June 26, 2023
Associate Dean:
Student Name: Katharine Kanters
Student Email: 19kyek@queensu.ca
Course: ENGL 200
Term: Fall/Winter
Year: 2023
Category: Request aegrotat (AG) standing in a course or courses
Instructor: Leslie Ritchie
Dear Katharine:
On June 20, the Board of Studies reviewed your appeal of Associate Dean (Academic) Jenn Stephenson’s decision to deny your request to receive Aegrotat Standing (AG) for ENGL 200 (Fall/Winter 2022-2023). Board members present that day were Johanne Bénard (Chair), Elizabeth Goodyear-Grant (Faculty member), Yael Schlick (Faculty member), and Amaiya Walters (Student representative). As you are aware, you also attended a portion of the meeting along with the Associate Dean (Academic), Jenn Stephenson. Pamela Briand (Arts and Science resource staff) was also present.
After you and Dr. Stephenson left the meeting, the Board thoroughly considered the information from the oral statements along with all written submissions contained in the file, including a physician’s note dated May 30th. At this meeting and after careful thought and deliberation, we voted to uphold the Associate Dean’s decision to deny your request to receive Aegrotat Standing (AG) for ENGL 200 (Fall/Winter 2022-2023), finding it reasonable in light of the Faculty’s regulations and your academic record. However, we support the Associate Dean’s decision to offer you an incomplete grade (IN) for the course and allow you to complete the outstanding course requirements.
In your letter to the Board, you assert that the first ground for this appeal was that the Associate Dean was biased and was subject to ableist attitudes that make her unwilling to support disabled students. The Board did not find any evidence in the file that the Associate Dean was inhibited in her ability or willingness to support students with disabilities with ableist thinking. The second ground for this appeal was that her decision was unreasonable. The Board also looked at all the documentation in your file and did not find it unreasonable to ask you to complete all required work in ENGL 200 to earn the credit, with the provision of Incomplete standing (IN).
The Board recognizes the severity of your extenuating circumstances and truly sympathizes with your situation. We would like to thank you for attending the meeting. We know that was not easy. Although the committee upheld the dean’s decision, your presence at the meeting did enable committee members to better understand your perspective. We also encourage you to continue to seek support from your doctors and from your QSAS advisor and we want to assure you that every effort was made to explore all aspects of your appeal through discussion of your file.
If you wish to appeal this decision, you may appeal to the University Student Appeal Board (USAB). Grounds for appeal are listed in Section E of the Student Academic Appeals Policy (SAAP) at https://www.queensu.ca/secretariat/policies/senate/student-academic-appeals-policy and the Rules of Procedure for University Student Appeal Board (USAB) can be found at https://www.queensu.ca/secretariat/policies/senate/student-appeals-rights-discipline-policy/rules-procedure-usab. Appeals to USAB must be submitted within two weeks of this decision. For additional information on USAB, please visit https://www.queensu.ca/ombuds/appeal-process/university-student-appeal-board.
On behalf of the Board of Studies, I would like to wish you every success as you pursue your educational and career goals.
Sincerely,
Johanne Bénard
Chair, Board of Studies
20201058 Katharine Kanters
Generated June 26, 2023 at 1:58:16 PM.