Petition Letter
To whom it may concern,
I am asking to drop SOCY300 and SOCY309 from my Winter 2022 transcript. My Fs in these classes are the result of a flare-up of my significant mental health condition, which impacted me from the start of the Winter 2022 term and lasted until December 2022.
Before the start of the Winter 2022 term, I was working 14 hours a day, every day, over the holiday season. In addition to managing my mental health condition, I was working overtime and in a precarious housing situation (homelessness). I was also involved with an emotionally abusive partner. At the time, my mental health condition affected my ability to properly estimate the workload that I could complete, which lead to me taking 6 classes that semester in addition to working full-time as an educator. My condition flared up significantly approximately two weeks into the Winter 2022 term, where I was in a debilitating state that left me unable to complete most of my coursework. The switch from online to in-person classes also significantly impacted my ability to attend class and participate in coursework, since online school was much more accommodating to my disability. This flare-up slowed down my ability to complete my assignments and set me weeks behind in my classes. While some profs allowed me the accommodations necessary to complete my work, others provided limited accommodations and I faced barriers to communicating with these professors as they were not as receptive to accommodating my unique circumstances. This explains my strong performance in SOCY310, LLCU395, and SOCY211. I couldn??t complete most of my coursework until the Summer term, when my symptoms started to resign. By that time, my professor for SOCY300 and SOCY309 had already transferred to a different university, and the ARTF125 course on OnQ had closed.
I was only diagnosed in 2021, and so navigating the treatment and management of my disability has provided many challenges. My condition, when severe, affects my ability to concentrate, attend class, engage and participate, communicate with professors, complete and submit assignments, and study. All these components were affected during the Winter 2022 term. I experienced a significant amount of distress and shame during this time resulting from my inability to complete these tasks, which exacerbated the effects of my mental health condition.
Throughout the Winter 2022 term, I was constantly seeking support from my mental health team. These supports, combined with sufficient accommodations from my professors in SOCY310, SOCY211, and LLCU395, allowed me to complete these courses to the best of my ability. I met bi-weekly with my psychiatrist throughout the semester. I met weekly with my crisis counsellor, Laurie Hooke, from Student Wellness Services throughout the term. I met weekly throughout the Summer term, when I was finishing the classes that I passed, with my counsellor Sevda Akili (Laurie was away). I also met with my QSAS advisor, Christina Cardelus, to discuss how I could manage my condition in the future while in university in order to be successful. I also met with an official from Queen??s Student Academic Success Services, who provided me with several tips for studying and writing so that I can overcome the impacts of my disability while in school. I was also enrolled in two group therapy sessions as part of Student Wellness Services during the Winter term; one of which was Managing Powerful Emotions.
In addition to these supports, I also took measures to look after my mental health during my flare-up, which included maintaining a consistent routine, eating regular meals, getting exercise, and expressing my emotions in healthy ways. I took medical leave during the Fall 2022 semester, which allowed me to continue receiving support from my mental health team while gaining the coping mechanisms and strategies necessary to excel in an academic environment, and simultaneously saving enough money that I could pay to attend Queen??s this semester. Education is my utmost priority, and I am determined to be a successful student despite my disability.
I would greatly appreciate if these circumstances can be taken into consideration regarding dropping SOCY300 and SOCY309 from my transcript. Since undergoing my flare-up during Winter 2022, I have fully recovered and am taking classes at the university again. I am incredibly passionate about learning, and as I plan to attend graduate studies, these classes will impact my acceptance into my desired program as well as my ability to receive funding. I hope that this letter demonstrates in full the severity of my circumstances during the Winter 2022 semester, as well as the diligent measures I took to receive support during that time and excel in my other classes, regardless of my circumstances.
Sincerely,
Catherine Rose
Student ID20153401
I am asking to drop SOCY300 and SOCY309 from my Winter 2022 transcript. My Fs in these classes are the result of a flare-up of my significant mental health condition, which impacted me from the start of the Winter 2022 term and lasted until December 2022.
Before the start of the Winter 2022 term, I was working 14 hours a day, every day, over the holiday season. In addition to managing my mental health condition, I was working overtime and in a precarious housing situation (homelessness). I was also involved with an emotionally abusive partner. At the time, my mental health condition affected my ability to properly estimate the workload that I could complete, which lead to me taking 6 classes that semester in addition to working full-time as an educator. My condition flared up significantly approximately two weeks into the Winter 2022 term, where I was in a debilitating state that left me unable to complete most of my coursework. The switch from online to in-person classes also significantly impacted my ability to attend class and participate in coursework, since online school was much more accommodating to my disability. This flare-up slowed down my ability to complete my assignments and set me weeks behind in my classes. While some profs allowed me the accommodations necessary to complete my work, others provided limited accommodations and I faced barriers to communicating with these professors as they were not as receptive to accommodating my unique circumstances. This explains my strong performance in SOCY310, LLCU395, and SOCY211. I couldn??t complete most of my coursework until the Summer term, when my symptoms started to resign. By that time, my professor for SOCY300 and SOCY309 had already transferred to a different university, and the ARTF125 course on OnQ had closed.
I was only diagnosed in 2021, and so navigating the treatment and management of my disability has provided many challenges. My condition, when severe, affects my ability to concentrate, attend class, engage and participate, communicate with professors, complete and submit assignments, and study. All these components were affected during the Winter 2022 term. I experienced a significant amount of distress and shame during this time resulting from my inability to complete these tasks, which exacerbated the effects of my mental health condition.
Throughout the Winter 2022 term, I was constantly seeking support from my mental health team. These supports, combined with sufficient accommodations from my professors in SOCY310, SOCY211, and LLCU395, allowed me to complete these courses to the best of my ability. I met bi-weekly with my psychiatrist throughout the semester. I met weekly with my crisis counsellor, Laurie Hooke, from Student Wellness Services throughout the term. I met weekly throughout the Summer term, when I was finishing the classes that I passed, with my counsellor Sevda Akili (Laurie was away). I also met with my QSAS advisor, Christina Cardelus, to discuss how I could manage my condition in the future while in university in order to be successful. I also met with an official from Queen??s Student Academic Success Services, who provided me with several tips for studying and writing so that I can overcome the impacts of my disability while in school. I was also enrolled in two group therapy sessions as part of Student Wellness Services during the Winter term; one of which was Managing Powerful Emotions.
In addition to these supports, I also took measures to look after my mental health during my flare-up, which included maintaining a consistent routine, eating regular meals, getting exercise, and expressing my emotions in healthy ways. I took medical leave during the Fall 2022 semester, which allowed me to continue receiving support from my mental health team while gaining the coping mechanisms and strategies necessary to excel in an academic environment, and simultaneously saving enough money that I could pay to attend Queen??s this semester. Education is my utmost priority, and I am determined to be a successful student despite my disability.
I would greatly appreciate if these circumstances can be taken into consideration regarding dropping SOCY300 and SOCY309 from my transcript. Since undergoing my flare-up during Winter 2022, I have fully recovered and am taking classes at the university again. I am incredibly passionate about learning, and as I plan to attend graduate studies, these classes will impact my acceptance into my desired program as well as my ability to receive funding. I hope that this letter demonstrates in full the severity of my circumstances during the Winter 2022 semester, as well as the diligent measures I took to receive support during that time and excel in my other classes, regardless of my circumstances.
Sincerely,
Catherine Rose
Student ID20153401