Decision Letter
Submission Number: 10774
Decision Date: July 10, 2023
Associate Dean: Jenn Stephenson, Ph.D.
Student Name: Melissa Adamson
Student Email: 21ma150@queensu.ca
Course: BIOL102
Term: Summer
Year: 2023
Category: Drop a course after the academic deadline
Course: ANAT 100
Term: Summer
Year: 2023
Category: Drop a course after the academic deadline
Course: MATH 121
Term: Summer
Year: 2023
Category: Drop a course after the academic deadline
Course: PATH 120
Term: Summer
Year: 2023
Category: Drop a course after the academic deadline
Dear Melissa:
I have read with interest your petition to drop BIOL 102, ANAT 100, MATH 121, PATH 120 (S 2023), taking note of the circumstance 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, based on your documentation, you do not leave the country until September 7th, so that departure does not impact your ability to complete these courses. Additionally, you have been warned in previous petition decision letters to drop courses by the drop deadlines. And finally, you registered an excessive course load during the condensed summer term in spite of the Faculty suggestion that a student register in only two courses during summer term.
Let me once again remind 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, or unforeseen circumstances have arisen, 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
Melissa, as you may know, if you repeat a low-grade course, the lower grade will be excluded from your GPA and the higher grade will be included.
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)
20336041Adamson
Decision Date: July 10, 2023
Associate Dean: Jenn Stephenson, Ph.D.
Student Name: Melissa Adamson
Student Email: 21ma150@queensu.ca
Course: BIOL102
Term: Summer
Year: 2023
Category: Drop a course after the academic deadline
Course: ANAT 100
Term: Summer
Year: 2023
Category: Drop a course after the academic deadline
Course: MATH 121
Term: Summer
Year: 2023
Category: Drop a course after the academic deadline
Course: PATH 120
Term: Summer
Year: 2023
Category: Drop a course after the academic deadline
Dear Melissa:
I have read with interest your petition to drop BIOL 102, ANAT 100, MATH 121, PATH 120 (S 2023), taking note of the circumstance 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, based on your documentation, you do not leave the country until September 7th, so that departure does not impact your ability to complete these courses. Additionally, you have been warned in previous petition decision letters to drop courses by the drop deadlines. And finally, you registered an excessive course load during the condensed summer term in spite of the Faculty suggestion that a student register in only two courses during summer term.
Let me once again remind 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, or unforeseen circumstances have arisen, 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
Melissa, as you may know, if you repeat a low-grade course, the lower grade will be excluded from your GPA and the higher grade will be included.
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)
20336041Adamson
Generated July 10, 2023 at 9:28:39 AM.