Decision Letter
Submission Number: 10540
Decision Date: September 22, 2023
Associate Dean:
Student Name: Aanandini Bambawale
Student Email: aanandini.bambawale@queensu.ca
Dear Aanandini,
On Thursday, 21 September, the Board of Studies reviewed your appeal of Associate Dean (Academic) Jenn Stephenson’s decision to deny your petition for an extension of an incomplete grade in SPAN 111 (Winter 2021), DEVS 358 (Fall 2021), and DEVS 340 (Winter 2022). Board members present at the meeting were Scott-Morgan Straker (Chair), Karine Bertrand (Faculty member), Stephanie Dickey (Faculty member), and Christopher Moyes (Faculty member). No student representative was available, so three Faculty members attended instead of the usual two, a provision to which you and the Associate Dean (Academic) both assented. You attended a portion of the meeting, along with 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 carefully considered the information from the oral statements along with the written submissions contained in your file.
First, the Board acknowledges the challenges you have had in dealing with the support and administrative systems at Queen’s. You were given advice that contradicts Academic Regulation 10.3.4 (about eligibility for IN grades) and 10.6 (about when a petition is necessary to change a grade); the Board regrets the advice you were given and understands your frustration. However, the Board cannot overlook these Academic Regulations. The Board’s role is limited to assessing whether, in view of the documentation provided, Associate Dean Stephenson’s decision in the case of the three courses involved in the appeal was reasonable. In her memo dated 11 September, Associate Dean Stephenson emphasized that these three courses do not meet the criteria for an incomplete grade as stated in Academic Regulation 10.3.4 (which specifies that only one or two elements of the course work have not been completed), and the Board concurs: the Board therefore upholds the Associate Dean’s decision to deny your appeal.
However, Associate Dean Stephenson stated more than once at the Board meeting that you deserve a remedy, and the Board concurs with that too. The Board therefore recommend the following:
1. That you consider Associate Dean Stephenson’s proposal in her 11 September memo that your grade in SPAN 111 (the basis for which cannot now be determined) be changed to an F, and that you subsequently be granted a late drop. Since you currently have a passing grade in that course, we urge you to consider the consequences of this change carefully. If you were to accept the drop for this course, you would also lose the 3.0 units earned.
2. Associate Dean Stephenson stated that you deserve a remedy, and during the meeting recommended that a more appropriate remedy would be to allow you to drop the courses. The Board agrees with this recommendation to offer a late drop in the case of DEVS 358 and 340.
In April 2021, the Queen’s University Senate released a new appeals policy, which you can read here: https://www.queensu.ca/secretariat/policies/senate/student-academic-appeals-policy. According to this policy, this is the last step in the appeal process for this matter, since your ability to progress to the next level is not affected by this decision.
I understand that this decision comes as a disappointment. Nevertheless, on behalf of the Board of Studies I want to congratulate you on achieving a Bachelor of Arts in Global Development, and I wish you success as you pursue your academic goals.
Sincerely,
Scott-Morgan Straker
Chair, Board of Studies
Decision Date: September 22, 2023
Associate Dean:
Student Name: Aanandini Bambawale
Student Email: aanandini.bambawale@queensu.ca
Dear Aanandini,
On Thursday, 21 September, the Board of Studies reviewed your appeal of Associate Dean (Academic) Jenn Stephenson’s decision to deny your petition for an extension of an incomplete grade in SPAN 111 (Winter 2021), DEVS 358 (Fall 2021), and DEVS 340 (Winter 2022). Board members present at the meeting were Scott-Morgan Straker (Chair), Karine Bertrand (Faculty member), Stephanie Dickey (Faculty member), and Christopher Moyes (Faculty member). No student representative was available, so three Faculty members attended instead of the usual two, a provision to which you and the Associate Dean (Academic) both assented. You attended a portion of the meeting, along with 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 carefully considered the information from the oral statements along with the written submissions contained in your file.
First, the Board acknowledges the challenges you have had in dealing with the support and administrative systems at Queen’s. You were given advice that contradicts Academic Regulation 10.3.4 (about eligibility for IN grades) and 10.6 (about when a petition is necessary to change a grade); the Board regrets the advice you were given and understands your frustration. However, the Board cannot overlook these Academic Regulations. The Board’s role is limited to assessing whether, in view of the documentation provided, Associate Dean Stephenson’s decision in the case of the three courses involved in the appeal was reasonable. In her memo dated 11 September, Associate Dean Stephenson emphasized that these three courses do not meet the criteria for an incomplete grade as stated in Academic Regulation 10.3.4 (which specifies that only one or two elements of the course work have not been completed), and the Board concurs: the Board therefore upholds the Associate Dean’s decision to deny your appeal.
However, Associate Dean Stephenson stated more than once at the Board meeting that you deserve a remedy, and the Board concurs with that too. The Board therefore recommend the following:
1. That you consider Associate Dean Stephenson’s proposal in her 11 September memo that your grade in SPAN 111 (the basis for which cannot now be determined) be changed to an F, and that you subsequently be granted a late drop. Since you currently have a passing grade in that course, we urge you to consider the consequences of this change carefully. If you were to accept the drop for this course, you would also lose the 3.0 units earned.
2. Associate Dean Stephenson stated that you deserve a remedy, and during the meeting recommended that a more appropriate remedy would be to allow you to drop the courses. The Board agrees with this recommendation to offer a late drop in the case of DEVS 358 and 340.
In April 2021, the Queen’s University Senate released a new appeals policy, which you can read here: https://www.queensu.ca/secretariat/policies/senate/student-academic-appeals-policy. According to this policy, this is the last step in the appeal process for this matter, since your ability to progress to the next level is not affected by this decision.
I understand that this decision comes as a disappointment. Nevertheless, on behalf of the Board of Studies I want to congratulate you on achieving a Bachelor of Arts in Global Development, and I wish you success as you pursue your academic goals.
Sincerely,
Scott-Morgan Straker
Chair, Board of Studies
Generated September 22, 2023 at 11:05:21 AM.