Decision Letter
Submission Number: 11398
Decision Date: January 29, 2024
Associate Dean: Jenn Stephenson, Ph.D.
Student Name: Zehan Wang
Student Email: 19zw37@queensu.ca
Dear Zehan Wang:
I have carefully considered your petition to take more than 6.0 units of courses on a Letter of Permission during this 2023/2024 academic year, specifically your request to take 6.0 units of electives at Soochow University during the 2024 Winter term. After reviewing your file, I have decided to deny your request.
As you know, Regulation 14.4 indicates that “the last two years of the Honours degree are taken in the Faculty of Arts and Science at Queen’s.” The Academic Petitions and Appeals Regulation 3.3.1.7 at queensu.ca/academic-calendar/arts-science/appeal-regulations/ stress that petition requests to complete any part of the third or fourth year at another University must directly address how this is necessary due to extenuating circumstances or an exceptional academic opportunity. Extenuating circumstances normally involve a significant physical or psychological event that is beyond a student’s control and debilitating to their academic performance. 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 circumstances beyond their control.
I am sympathetic to your situation and understand that this is a difficult decision, however, I want you to know that I considered this request very thoroughly. In making this decision, I reviewed your Petition Letter and the information that you supplied the petition office in an email dated January 17, 2024.
I recognize that you are interested in Soochow University as their exam schedule is different from that at Queen’s University however, I have denied this request as your petition did not suggest that taking elective courses through this institution is an exceptional opportunity.
Zehan, I want to remind you that you are currently enrolled in 18.0 units of courses through Queen’s and that you are meeting your final degree requirements with these courses. Congratulations! If you haven’t done so already, please apply to graduate in SOLUS.
If you wish to appeal the Associate Dean’s decision to the Board of Studies, information and deadlines can be found at 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 queensu.ca/ombuds/appeal-process/procedural-fairness and guidance on policy and procedure by visiting their website at queensu.ca/ombuds/.
Sincerely,
Jenn Stephenson, Ph.D.
Associate Dean (Academic)
Decision Date: January 29, 2024
Associate Dean: Jenn Stephenson, Ph.D.
Student Name: Zehan Wang
Student Email: 19zw37@queensu.ca
Dear Zehan Wang:
I have carefully considered your petition to take more than 6.0 units of courses on a Letter of Permission during this 2023/2024 academic year, specifically your request to take 6.0 units of electives at Soochow University during the 2024 Winter term. After reviewing your file, I have decided to deny your request.
As you know, Regulation 14.4 indicates that “the last two years of the Honours degree are taken in the Faculty of Arts and Science at Queen’s.” The Academic Petitions and Appeals Regulation 3.3.1.7 at queensu.ca/academic-calendar/arts-science/appeal-regulations/ stress that petition requests to complete any part of the third or fourth year at another University must directly address how this is necessary due to extenuating circumstances or an exceptional academic opportunity. Extenuating circumstances normally involve a significant physical or psychological event that is beyond a student’s control and debilitating to their academic performance. 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 circumstances beyond their control.
I am sympathetic to your situation and understand that this is a difficult decision, however, I want you to know that I considered this request very thoroughly. In making this decision, I reviewed your Petition Letter and the information that you supplied the petition office in an email dated January 17, 2024.
I recognize that you are interested in Soochow University as their exam schedule is different from that at Queen’s University however, I have denied this request as your petition did not suggest that taking elective courses through this institution is an exceptional opportunity.
Zehan, I want to remind you that you are currently enrolled in 18.0 units of courses through Queen’s and that you are meeting your final degree requirements with these courses. Congratulations! If you haven’t done so already, please apply to graduate in SOLUS.
If you wish to appeal the Associate Dean’s decision to the Board of Studies, information and deadlines can be found at 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 queensu.ca/ombuds/appeal-process/procedural-fairness and guidance on policy and procedure by visiting their website at queensu.ca/ombuds/.
Sincerely,
Jenn Stephenson, Ph.D.
Associate Dean (Academic)
Generated January 29, 2024 at 11:17:46 AM.