Submit an Academic Petition or Appeal

Submission Number: 11863
Decision Date: June 24, 2024
Associate Dean: Jenn Stephenson, Ph.D.
Student Name: Annie Tian
Student Email: 21at91@queensu.ca

Course: Biol102
Term: Fall
Year: 2022
Category: Request credit (CR) standing in a course or courses
Instructor: Sharon Regan, Vincent Dicenzo

Course: PSYC100
Term: Fall/Winter
Year: 2022
Category: Request credit (CR) standing in a course or courses
Instructor: Kyla Elizabeth Mayne

Course: MATH121
Term: Summer
Year: 2023
Category: Request credit (CR) standing in a course or courses
Instructor: Ping Li

Course: CHEM112
Term: Fall/Winter
Year: 2022
Category: Request credit (CR) standing in a course or courses
Instructor: Kevin Stamplecoskie

Course: PHYS115
Term: Fall
Year: 2023
Category: Request credit (CR) standing in a course or courses
Instructor: Anne Topper

Course: CHEM281
Term: Fall
Year: 2023
Category: Request credit (CR) standing in a course or courses
Instructor: John Carran

Course: BCHM218
Term: Fall
Year: 2023
Category: Request credit (CR) standing in a course or courses
Instructor: John Allingham, Mark Ormiston

Course: Stat263
Term: Winter
Year: 2023
Category: Request credit (CR) standing in a course or courses
Instructor: Charles Molson

Course: Chem282
Term: Winter
Year: 2023
Category: Request credit (CR) standing in a course or courses
Instructor: John Carran

Dear Annie:

I have carefully considered your Petition request for Credit Standing in BIOL 102 (F 2022); PSYC 100, CHEM 112 (FW 2022/23); MATH 121 (S 2023); PHYS 115, CHEM 281, BCHM 218 (F 2023); and STAT 263, CHEM 282 (W 2024). After reviewing your file, I have decided to deny your request.

The Academic Petitions and Appeals Regulation 1.1 at queensu.ca/academic-calendar/arts-science/appeal-regulations/ stress that petitions and appeals are only granted where there are significantly extenuating circumstances, which would merit the waiving of a particular Faculty regulation or decision. 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, the documentation that you supplied and your academic transcript.

I acknowledge that your documentation notes that you have experienced reoccurring anxiety which has impacted your life, and I am sorry to have read that. I am however concerned that your condition has been ongoing and chronic in nature, and that you have had been unable to manage your condition alongside your academics for that timeframe.

Additionally, many of your instructors report failing midterms and final exams, so I am not confident that your mastery of the course material warrants changing your grades to Credit standing.

If you are concerned with the impact that these courses have on your GPA, I would suggest that you consider repeating them in a future term. When repeating the exact same course code, both attempts will appear on your transcript however, only the higher grade will be included within the calculation of your cumulative GPA. Going forward, I encourage you to pause and evaluate your progress in your courses during week 7 of the term, and if you have fallen behind or are not pleased with your progress in your courses at that point, you should drop courses by the week 8 drop deadline. Carrying a reduced course load may help you find continued success in your future course attempts.

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/.

Annie, I am pleased to see your progress in Winter term 2024 and hope that your success will continue.

Sincerely,

Jenn Stephenson, Ph.D.
Associate Dean (Academic)