Decision Letter
Submission Number: 14124
Decision Date: April 30, 2026
Associate Dean: Dorit Naaman (Associate Dean Academic)
Student Name: Mia Dewdney
Student Email: 22lrl2@queensu.ca
Dear Mia Dewdney:
I have carefully considered your petition request to waive the petition deadline for adding a Winter 2025 course after the academic deadline. While I’m unable to grant this request, I want to assure you that I’ve taken your circumstances into account as part of this decision.
I understand that you were enrolled in this course during the 2025 Winter term and that you dropped it on April 4, 2025. It is also my understanding that you are now seeking to complete the outstanding work in the course in order to request Credit Standing.
This request was reviewed under Academic Petitions and Appeals Regulation 1.7.1.5. which governs requests to complete outstanding coursework through an incomplete grade. This regulation indicates that such requests are normally considered only when a student has participated actively in the class, completed the majority of the required work, and was prevented from completing only one or two remaining elements due to an unexpected extenuating circumstance beyond their control. This regulation also suggests that students who have been unable to complete the majority of the work in a class should consider dropping the class rather than requesting an extension of the deadline to submit incomplete work.
I understand how the PSAC Local 901 strike and labour disruption affected this course, and recognize that the lack of regular feedback during the term was particularly challenging. I also acknowledge your registration with Queen’s Student Accessibility Services and appreciate you sharing how these circumstances affected your decision-making at the time. I recognize that you dropped POLS 112 in good faith based on the information available to you and that learning later about possible academic options was frustrating.
After careful review, I appreciate the documentation that you submitted confirming the passing of your grandparent during the 2025 Winter term. I extend my sincere condolences for your loss and recognize that this circumstance would understandably have affected your ability to take academic matters forward at that time. This documentation has been considered in relation to the timing of your request. However, information provided by the course instructor confirms that at the time the course was dropped, approximately 10% of the coursework had been completed. As a result, even if this petition had been submitted earlier, you would not have met the requirements for either Credit Standing or an opportunity to complete the outstanding work through an incomplete grade, as the majority of the course was incomplete. For these reasons, I cannot grant this request.
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”). Appeals to the Board of Studies must be submitted within 10 business days of the date of this decision. 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.
While I hope that you never again encounter circumstances like the PSAC Local 901 strike during your studies, even in normal times it’s good practice to familiarize yourself with the services offered by the University to help students succeed. I encourage you to continue working with an academic advisor to discuss your academic progress and to explore strategies that may support you moving forward.
Sincerely,
Dorit Naaman, Ph.D.
Associate Dean (Academics)
Decision Date: April 30, 2026
Associate Dean: Dorit Naaman (Associate Dean Academic)
Student Name: Mia Dewdney
Student Email: 22lrl2@queensu.ca
Dear Mia Dewdney:
I have carefully considered your petition request to waive the petition deadline for adding a Winter 2025 course after the academic deadline. While I’m unable to grant this request, I want to assure you that I’ve taken your circumstances into account as part of this decision.
I understand that you were enrolled in this course during the 2025 Winter term and that you dropped it on April 4, 2025. It is also my understanding that you are now seeking to complete the outstanding work in the course in order to request Credit Standing.
This request was reviewed under Academic Petitions and Appeals Regulation 1.7.1.5. which governs requests to complete outstanding coursework through an incomplete grade. This regulation indicates that such requests are normally considered only when a student has participated actively in the class, completed the majority of the required work, and was prevented from completing only one or two remaining elements due to an unexpected extenuating circumstance beyond their control. This regulation also suggests that students who have been unable to complete the majority of the work in a class should consider dropping the class rather than requesting an extension of the deadline to submit incomplete work.
I understand how the PSAC Local 901 strike and labour disruption affected this course, and recognize that the lack of regular feedback during the term was particularly challenging. I also acknowledge your registration with Queen’s Student Accessibility Services and appreciate you sharing how these circumstances affected your decision-making at the time. I recognize that you dropped POLS 112 in good faith based on the information available to you and that learning later about possible academic options was frustrating.
After careful review, I appreciate the documentation that you submitted confirming the passing of your grandparent during the 2025 Winter term. I extend my sincere condolences for your loss and recognize that this circumstance would understandably have affected your ability to take academic matters forward at that time. This documentation has been considered in relation to the timing of your request. However, information provided by the course instructor confirms that at the time the course was dropped, approximately 10% of the coursework had been completed. As a result, even if this petition had been submitted earlier, you would not have met the requirements for either Credit Standing or an opportunity to complete the outstanding work through an incomplete grade, as the majority of the course was incomplete. For these reasons, I cannot grant this request.
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”). Appeals to the Board of Studies must be submitted within 10 business days of the date of this decision. 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.
While I hope that you never again encounter circumstances like the PSAC Local 901 strike during your studies, even in normal times it’s good practice to familiarize yourself with the services offered by the University to help students succeed. I encourage you to continue working with an academic advisor to discuss your academic progress and to explore strategies that may support you moving forward.
Sincerely,
Dorit Naaman, Ph.D.
Associate Dean (Academics)
Generated April 30, 2026 at 10:10:49 AM.