Decision Letter
Submission Number: 10714
Decision Date: June 28, 2023
Associate Dean: Jenn Stephenson, Ph.D.
Student Name: Dhannya Malik
Student Email: 22dm19@queensu.ca
Course: CISC 101
Term: Summer
Year: 2023
Category: Drop a course after the academic deadline
Dear Dhannya:
I have read with interest your petition to drop CISC 101 (S 2023), taking note of the challenges you outlined. 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. 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 you made the decision to not drop the course prior to the drop date, even though you met with Student Wellness Services prior to the drop deadline regarding the anxiety you were experiencing related to this course. In the future, I encourage you to carefully evaluate your progress in a course prior to the drop deadline, 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 drop deadline. The drop deadlines, as 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 service. 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
Dhannya, I am concerned that you continue to attempt CISC 101 and suggest that you speak with an Academic Advisor and consider other Plan options if computing is outside of your comfort zone. I encourage you to continue to work with Student Wellness Services in the future if you continue to feel overwhelmed and to consider taking advantage of the services available at Student Academic Success Services (SASS) if you feel the support available in that office would also be helpful.
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).
Sincerely,
Jenn Stephenson, Ph.D.
Associate Dean (Academic)
20368075Malik
Decision Date: June 28, 2023
Associate Dean: Jenn Stephenson, Ph.D.
Student Name: Dhannya Malik
Student Email: 22dm19@queensu.ca
Course: CISC 101
Term: Summer
Year: 2023
Category: Drop a course after the academic deadline
Dear Dhannya:
I have read with interest your petition to drop CISC 101 (S 2023), taking note of the challenges you outlined. 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. 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 you made the decision to not drop the course prior to the drop date, even though you met with Student Wellness Services prior to the drop deadline regarding the anxiety you were experiencing related to this course. In the future, I encourage you to carefully evaluate your progress in a course prior to the drop deadline, 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 drop deadline. The drop deadlines, as 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 service. 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
Dhannya, I am concerned that you continue to attempt CISC 101 and suggest that you speak with an Academic Advisor and consider other Plan options if computing is outside of your comfort zone. I encourage you to continue to work with Student Wellness Services in the future if you continue to feel overwhelmed and to consider taking advantage of the services available at Student Academic Success Services (SASS) if you feel the support available in that office would also be helpful.
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).
Sincerely,
Jenn Stephenson, Ph.D.
Associate Dean (Academic)
20368075Malik
Generated June 28, 2023 at 10:13:50 AM.