Decision Letter
Submission Number: 10622
Decision Date: June 28, 2023
Associate Dean: Jenn Stephenson, Ph.D.
Student Name: Isabelle Rigny
Student Email: 21ipr@queensu.ca
Course: GNDS 120
Term: Fall
Year: 2022
Category: Drop a course after the academic deadline
Course: ENGL 100
Term: Fall/Winter
Year: 2023
Category: Drop a course after the academic deadline
Course: GNDS 125
Term: Winter
Year: 2023
Category: Drop a course after the academic deadline
Course: HIST 109
Term: Winter
Year: 2023
Category: Drop a course after the academic deadline
Course: PHIL 151
Term: Fall
Year: 2022
Category: Request credit (CR) standing in a course or courses
Instructor: Mark Smith
Course: POLS 110
Term: Fall/Winter
Year: 2023
Category: Request credit (CR) standing in a course or courses
Instructor: Johnathan Rose
Course: SOCY 122
Term: Fall/Winter
Year: 2023
Category: Request credit (CR) standing in a course or courses
Instructor: Golshan Gloriz
Dear Isabelle,
I was sorry to read of the challenges you outlined in your petition letter, and I have carefully considered your request to waive the Faculty ruling that you be “Required to Withdraw for One Year” and drop GNDS 120 (F 2022); ENGL 100 (FW 2022/23); GNDS 125, HIST 109 (W 2023) as well as receive credit standing in PHIL 151 (F 2022); POLS 110, SOCY 122 (FW 2022/23). After reviewing your file, I have decided the following:
• Grant your request to drop GNDS 120 (F 2022); ENGL 100 (FW 2022/23); GNDS 125, HIST 109 (W 2023) after the academic deadline.
• Grant your request for credit standing in POLS 110 (FW 2022/23).
o The late drops and credit in POLS 110 will remove the Faculty’s ruling that you be Required to Withdraw and you may now resume your studies.
• Deny your request for credit standing in PHIL 151 (F 2022) and SOCY 122 (FW 2022/23).
As you know, Academic Regulation 10.3.2. states that, "Credit standing in a course is reserved for situations in which a student, who has completed all of the work in the course including the final examination, and achieved a passing grade in the course, but because of illness or other extenuating circumstances beyond their control, earned a substantially lower grade than might have been expected, normally a grade of C or lower.” Credit standing is only granted in cases where there are well documented and unforeseen extenuating circumstances outside of a student’s control, often which took place after the drop date deadline. 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 information I received from the instructors of PHIL 151 and SOCY 122 indicated that you had not completed all the course work in these courses (in SOCY 122 you did not submit the Film Essay assignment and in PHIL 151, you submitted one of two required papers, and two of five discussion participation assignments).
Going forward, I encourage you to continue to work with your health-care professional and discuss with your counsellor whether registering with Queen’s Student Accessibility Services (QSAS) would be helpful since a QSAS Advisor can help you manage the impacts of your health on your academics. Students should also carefully evaluate the impact of their circumstances on their classes during week 7 of the term. If they have fallen behind in a course or find the material too difficult, they should drop the course by the week 8 drop deadline. 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.
As you continue in your course of study it is your responsibility to take steps for the successful completion of your program and maintain a GPA consistent with the requirements of your plan. These are some strategies that I strongly encourage you to consider:
• Choose courses carefully and reflect on your program choice. Were you in the right set of courses last year based on your interests and aptitudes?
• Repeating lower graded courses may be a good strategy to raise your GPA since the lower graded attempt would be excluded from your GPA and the higher graded attempt would be included.
• Seek out the advice necessary to improve your academic performance. The Arts and Science Faculty Office is located in Dunning Hall (main floor). You can book an appointment with an Academic Advisor online at queensu.ca/artsci/undergrad-students/student-services/academic-advising or by phone 613-533-2470. Academic advising may also be available through your Plan Department.
• Student Academic Success Services (SASS) sass.queensu.ca/ in Stauffer Library provides a range of services, including workshops designed to improve study skills and develop strategies for meeting the demands of academic life.
• The Student Wellness Services Centre queensu.ca/studentwellness/ located in Mitchell Hall, is available to all Queen’s students. SWS offers counselling as well as individual consultation to aid in coping with difficulties of a more personal nature.
• Academic Consideration is a process for the university community to provide a compassionate response to assist students experiencing a short-term extenuating circumstance. You can familiarize yourself with your consideration options at: queensu.ca/artsci/accommodations.
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 queensu.ca/ombuds/appeal-process/procedural-fairness and guidance on policy and procedure by visiting their website at queensu.ca/ombuds/.
I wish you success in your studies next year.
Yours sincerely,
Jenn Stephenson, Ph.D.
Associate Dean (Academic)
20340542Rigney
Decision Date: June 28, 2023
Associate Dean: Jenn Stephenson, Ph.D.
Student Name: Isabelle Rigny
Student Email: 21ipr@queensu.ca
Course: GNDS 120
Term: Fall
Year: 2022
Category: Drop a course after the academic deadline
Course: ENGL 100
Term: Fall/Winter
Year: 2023
Category: Drop a course after the academic deadline
Course: GNDS 125
Term: Winter
Year: 2023
Category: Drop a course after the academic deadline
Course: HIST 109
Term: Winter
Year: 2023
Category: Drop a course after the academic deadline
Course: PHIL 151
Term: Fall
Year: 2022
Category: Request credit (CR) standing in a course or courses
Instructor: Mark Smith
Course: POLS 110
Term: Fall/Winter
Year: 2023
Category: Request credit (CR) standing in a course or courses
Instructor: Johnathan Rose
Course: SOCY 122
Term: Fall/Winter
Year: 2023
Category: Request credit (CR) standing in a course or courses
Instructor: Golshan Gloriz
Dear Isabelle,
I was sorry to read of the challenges you outlined in your petition letter, and I have carefully considered your request to waive the Faculty ruling that you be “Required to Withdraw for One Year” and drop GNDS 120 (F 2022); ENGL 100 (FW 2022/23); GNDS 125, HIST 109 (W 2023) as well as receive credit standing in PHIL 151 (F 2022); POLS 110, SOCY 122 (FW 2022/23). After reviewing your file, I have decided the following:
• Grant your request to drop GNDS 120 (F 2022); ENGL 100 (FW 2022/23); GNDS 125, HIST 109 (W 2023) after the academic deadline.
• Grant your request for credit standing in POLS 110 (FW 2022/23).
o The late drops and credit in POLS 110 will remove the Faculty’s ruling that you be Required to Withdraw and you may now resume your studies.
• Deny your request for credit standing in PHIL 151 (F 2022) and SOCY 122 (FW 2022/23).
As you know, Academic Regulation 10.3.2. states that, "Credit standing in a course is reserved for situations in which a student, who has completed all of the work in the course including the final examination, and achieved a passing grade in the course, but because of illness or other extenuating circumstances beyond their control, earned a substantially lower grade than might have been expected, normally a grade of C or lower.” Credit standing is only granted in cases where there are well documented and unforeseen extenuating circumstances outside of a student’s control, often which took place after the drop date deadline. 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 information I received from the instructors of PHIL 151 and SOCY 122 indicated that you had not completed all the course work in these courses (in SOCY 122 you did not submit the Film Essay assignment and in PHIL 151, you submitted one of two required papers, and two of five discussion participation assignments).
Going forward, I encourage you to continue to work with your health-care professional and discuss with your counsellor whether registering with Queen’s Student Accessibility Services (QSAS) would be helpful since a QSAS Advisor can help you manage the impacts of your health on your academics. Students should also carefully evaluate the impact of their circumstances on their classes during week 7 of the term. If they have fallen behind in a course or find the material too difficult, they should drop the course by the week 8 drop deadline. 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.
As you continue in your course of study it is your responsibility to take steps for the successful completion of your program and maintain a GPA consistent with the requirements of your plan. These are some strategies that I strongly encourage you to consider:
• Choose courses carefully and reflect on your program choice. Were you in the right set of courses last year based on your interests and aptitudes?
• Repeating lower graded courses may be a good strategy to raise your GPA since the lower graded attempt would be excluded from your GPA and the higher graded attempt would be included.
• Seek out the advice necessary to improve your academic performance. The Arts and Science Faculty Office is located in Dunning Hall (main floor). You can book an appointment with an Academic Advisor online at queensu.ca/artsci/undergrad-students/student-services/academic-advising or by phone 613-533-2470. Academic advising may also be available through your Plan Department.
• Student Academic Success Services (SASS) sass.queensu.ca/ in Stauffer Library provides a range of services, including workshops designed to improve study skills and develop strategies for meeting the demands of academic life.
• The Student Wellness Services Centre queensu.ca/studentwellness/ located in Mitchell Hall, is available to all Queen’s students. SWS offers counselling as well as individual consultation to aid in coping with difficulties of a more personal nature.
• Academic Consideration is a process for the university community to provide a compassionate response to assist students experiencing a short-term extenuating circumstance. You can familiarize yourself with your consideration options at: queensu.ca/artsci/accommodations.
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 queensu.ca/ombuds/appeal-process/procedural-fairness and guidance on policy and procedure by visiting their website at queensu.ca/ombuds/.
I wish you success in your studies next year.
Yours sincerely,
Jenn Stephenson, Ph.D.
Associate Dean (Academic)
20340542Rigney
Generated June 28, 2023 at 8:56:19 AM.