Decision Letter
Submission Number: 12440
Decision Date: December 9, 2024
Associate Dean: Jenn Stephenson, Ph.D.
Student Name: Alessia Battisti
Student Email: 21amb43@queensu.ca
Course: PHAR 100
Term: Fall
Year: 2023
Category: Drop a course after the academic deadline
Instructor: Turner,Mandy Elizabeth, Nakatsu,Nicole
Course: PHYS 115
Term: Fall
Year: 2023
Category: Drop a course after the academic deadline
Instructor: Topper,Anne
Course: MATH 121
Term: Fall/Winter
Year: 2024
Category: Drop a course after the academic deadline
Instructor: Li,Ping
Course: BIOL 243
Term: Fall
Year: 2023
Category: Drop a course after the academic deadline
Instructor: Yakimowski,Sarah
Course: CHEM 281
Term: Fall
Year: 2023
Category: Drop a course after the academic deadline
Instructor: Carran,John
Course: BIOL 103
Term: Winter
Year: 2024
Category: Drop a course after the academic deadline
Instructor: Eckert,Christopher G, Moyes,Christopher D, Choudhury,Baharul
Course: BCHM 218
Term: Winter
Year: 2024
Category: Drop a course after the academic deadline
Instructor: Li,Ping
Course: PHGY 215
Term: Winter
Year: 2024
Category: Drop a course after the academic deadline
Instructor: Ward,Christopher
Dear Alessia:
Thank you for your petition request to drop PHAR 100, PHYS 115, BIOL 243, CHEM 281 (F23), BIOL 103, BCHM 218, PHGY 215 (W24) and MATH 121 (FW23/24) after the academic deadline and to waive the requirement to withdraw for 1 year. I have carefully reviewed your request and the supporting documentation that you supplied, and while I’m unable to grant your petition, I want to assure you that I’ve taken your circumstances into account as part of this decision.
A requirement to withdraw is invoked when students experience ongoing or extreme academic difficulties. The ruling is not intended to be punitive, rather it is designed to provide the student with time away from the university to reflect on and remedy the factors impeding their academic success. 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. 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 recognize the circumstances that you wrote about in your petition letter and understand that you weren’t successful in completing classes during the 2023 Fall and 2024 Winter terms. However, as your petition did not include documentation to suggest unexpected impacts on your academic performance in the courses that you are petitioning from the 2023/2024 academic year, I cannot grant this request.
That said, I understand the challenges you have faced, and I do recognize the academic impact of the extenuating circumstances that you experienced during the 2022/2023 academic year as confirmed within the documentation that you supplied. As a result, I will allow you to drop PHYS 115 (F22), ANAT 100, BIOL 103 (W23) and MATH 121 (FW22/23) after the academic deadline. Your grades in these courses will be replaced with a DR notation on your transcript.
While it is clear that you have experienced a few difficult years at university and that you are eager to continue taking classes. My sincere hope is that you will take this opportunity away from school to make some changes and continue to access the support you need to achieve future academic success. Keep in mind that you will be eligible to return to the university for the 2025 Summer term.
Upon your return, we hope that you will take advantage of the support services available to you at Queen's. It will be your responsibility to take steps for the successful completion of your
program and to maintain a GPA consistent with the requirements of your plan. These are some strategies that I strongly encourage you to consider:
· Choose courses carefully. As you know, achieving a higher grade in a repeated course will improve your GPA. This course of action will help to ensure you will be in good academic standing and not at risk of being required to withdraw for three years.
· Reflect on your program choice. Are you in the right plan for your interests and aptitudes? Your Academic Advisement Report in SOLUS will allow you to see your remaining requirements and help you plan out future courses. You can read about the other program/plan options that may interest you in the Academic Calendar at queensu.ca/academic-calendar/arts-science/schools-departments-programs/.
· Seek out the advice necessary to improve your academic performance. The Arts and Science Faculty Office is located in Dunning Hall (main floor). You can also book an appointment with an Academic Advisor online at queensu.ca/artsci/undergrad-students/student-services/academic-advising or by phone 613-533-2470. Academic advising may also be available through your Plan Department. · Student Academic Success Services (SASS) sass.queensu.ca/ in Stauffer Library provides a range of services, including workshops designed to improve study skills and develop strategies for meeting the demands of academic life. · The Student Wellness Services Centre queensu.ca/studentwellness/ located in Mitchell Hall, is available to all Queen’s students. SWS offers counselling as well as individual consultation to aid in coping with difficulties of a more personal nature.
· Academic Consideration is a process for the university community to provide a compassionate response to assist students experiencing a short-term extenuating circumstance. You can familiarize yourself with your consideration options at: queensu.ca/artsci/accommodations.
If you are concerned with the impact that failed courses have on your GPA, I would suggest that you consider repeating them upon your return to studies. 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.
Additionally, if you wish to appeal this decision, you are welcome to submit an appeal to the Board of Studies. Information on the appeal process and deadlines is available at queensu.ca/artsci/undergraduate/student-services/academic-petitions-and-appeals (click on “Second Level”). The Office of the University Ombudsperson offers guidance on student rights and procedural fairness at queensu.ca/ombuds/appeal-process/procedural-fairness, and they are also available to support you at queensu.ca/ombuds.
I hope that you continue to seek out the support and resources available to you, and I wish you the best in navigating your next steps.
Warm regards,
Jenn Stephenson, Ph.D.
Associate Dean (Academic)
Decision Date: December 9, 2024
Associate Dean: Jenn Stephenson, Ph.D.
Student Name: Alessia Battisti
Student Email: 21amb43@queensu.ca
Course: PHAR 100
Term: Fall
Year: 2023
Category: Drop a course after the academic deadline
Instructor: Turner,Mandy Elizabeth, Nakatsu,Nicole
Course: PHYS 115
Term: Fall
Year: 2023
Category: Drop a course after the academic deadline
Instructor: Topper,Anne
Course: MATH 121
Term: Fall/Winter
Year: 2024
Category: Drop a course after the academic deadline
Instructor: Li,Ping
Course: BIOL 243
Term: Fall
Year: 2023
Category: Drop a course after the academic deadline
Instructor: Yakimowski,Sarah
Course: CHEM 281
Term: Fall
Year: 2023
Category: Drop a course after the academic deadline
Instructor: Carran,John
Course: BIOL 103
Term: Winter
Year: 2024
Category: Drop a course after the academic deadline
Instructor: Eckert,Christopher G, Moyes,Christopher D, Choudhury,Baharul
Course: BCHM 218
Term: Winter
Year: 2024
Category: Drop a course after the academic deadline
Instructor: Li,Ping
Course: PHGY 215
Term: Winter
Year: 2024
Category: Drop a course after the academic deadline
Instructor: Ward,Christopher
Dear Alessia:
Thank you for your petition request to drop PHAR 100, PHYS 115, BIOL 243, CHEM 281 (F23), BIOL 103, BCHM 218, PHGY 215 (W24) and MATH 121 (FW23/24) after the academic deadline and to waive the requirement to withdraw for 1 year. I have carefully reviewed your request and the supporting documentation that you supplied, and while I’m unable to grant your petition, I want to assure you that I’ve taken your circumstances into account as part of this decision.
A requirement to withdraw is invoked when students experience ongoing or extreme academic difficulties. The ruling is not intended to be punitive, rather it is designed to provide the student with time away from the university to reflect on and remedy the factors impeding their academic success. 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. 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 recognize the circumstances that you wrote about in your petition letter and understand that you weren’t successful in completing classes during the 2023 Fall and 2024 Winter terms. However, as your petition did not include documentation to suggest unexpected impacts on your academic performance in the courses that you are petitioning from the 2023/2024 academic year, I cannot grant this request.
That said, I understand the challenges you have faced, and I do recognize the academic impact of the extenuating circumstances that you experienced during the 2022/2023 academic year as confirmed within the documentation that you supplied. As a result, I will allow you to drop PHYS 115 (F22), ANAT 100, BIOL 103 (W23) and MATH 121 (FW22/23) after the academic deadline. Your grades in these courses will be replaced with a DR notation on your transcript.
While it is clear that you have experienced a few difficult years at university and that you are eager to continue taking classes. My sincere hope is that you will take this opportunity away from school to make some changes and continue to access the support you need to achieve future academic success. Keep in mind that you will be eligible to return to the university for the 2025 Summer term.
Upon your return, we hope that you will take advantage of the support services available to you at Queen's. It will be your responsibility to take steps for the successful completion of your
program and to maintain a GPA consistent with the requirements of your plan. These are some strategies that I strongly encourage you to consider:
· Choose courses carefully. As you know, achieving a higher grade in a repeated course will improve your GPA. This course of action will help to ensure you will be in good academic standing and not at risk of being required to withdraw for three years.
· Reflect on your program choice. Are you in the right plan for your interests and aptitudes? Your Academic Advisement Report in SOLUS will allow you to see your remaining requirements and help you plan out future courses. You can read about the other program/plan options that may interest you in the Academic Calendar at queensu.ca/academic-calendar/arts-science/schools-departments-programs/.
· Seek out the advice necessary to improve your academic performance. The Arts and Science Faculty Office is located in Dunning Hall (main floor). You can also book an appointment with an Academic Advisor online at queensu.ca/artsci/undergrad-students/student-services/academic-advising or by phone 613-533-2470. Academic advising may also be available through your Plan Department. · Student Academic Success Services (SASS) sass.queensu.ca/ in Stauffer Library provides a range of services, including workshops designed to improve study skills and develop strategies for meeting the demands of academic life. · The Student Wellness Services Centre queensu.ca/studentwellness/ located in Mitchell Hall, is available to all Queen’s students. SWS offers counselling as well as individual consultation to aid in coping with difficulties of a more personal nature.
· Academic Consideration is a process for the university community to provide a compassionate response to assist students experiencing a short-term extenuating circumstance. You can familiarize yourself with your consideration options at: queensu.ca/artsci/accommodations.
If you are concerned with the impact that failed courses have on your GPA, I would suggest that you consider repeating them upon your return to studies. 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.
Additionally, if you wish to appeal this decision, you are welcome to submit an appeal to the Board of Studies. Information on the appeal process and deadlines is available at queensu.ca/artsci/undergraduate/student-services/academic-petitions-and-appeals (click on “Second Level”). The Office of the University Ombudsperson offers guidance on student rights and procedural fairness at queensu.ca/ombuds/appeal-process/procedural-fairness, and they are also available to support you at queensu.ca/ombuds.
I hope that you continue to seek out the support and resources available to you, and I wish you the best in navigating your next steps.
Warm regards,
Jenn Stephenson, Ph.D.
Associate Dean (Academic)
Generated December 9, 2024 at 11:59:53 AM.