Petition Letter
Dear Associate Dean,
I hope this letter finds you well. I am writing to formally submit an academic petition to request permission to drop the course CLST 205, which I was enrolled in during the Summer 2023 term, from my transcript. I understand that the course drop deadline has passed, so I would like to express my extenuating circumstances that I believe warrant an exception to the late course drop policy.
As documented by the Queen's Student Accessibility Services (QSAS), I am a student with learning disabilities that significantly affect various aspects of my daily life, behavioural habits, learning styles, and academic practices. My most recent psychoeducational report highlights the substantial challenges I face, particularly in terms of planning, organizing, and effectively managing both current and future task demands. These challenges can be attributed, in part, to my below-average executive functioning and underdeveloped working memory skills, as emphasized in Dr. Stern’s assessment. Specifically, these areas of concern impact my abilities to initiate work independently without reminders, monitor my work, and retain information essential for task completion. The manifestation of my inattentiveness, compounded by additional neurological deficits, becomes especially apparent when faced with the responsibility of managing current and future task demands.
In the summer term, I was accepted from the waitlist to join CLST 205 on short notice. However, a sudden job offer that I could not decline presented unexpected time conflicts. Accepting the opportunity entailed untraditional working hours and the assignment of a new email for work-related communications, unintentionally causing me to be logged out of my Queen’s University email account. Unfortunately, this unintentional change halted my access to crucial course-related emails, depriving me of important reminders and notifications regarding my CLST 205 course progress.
With consideration to my QSAS profile, which highlights my deficits, coupled with the conflicting time commitments stated above, the absence of email reminders became a pivotal factor affecting my ability to stay on top of the course requirements. My learning profile, exacerbated by the abrupt change in email access, significantly hindered my capacity to sufficiently and effectively organize, manage and complete all necessary tasks. Consequently, the halt in email reminders led me to unknowingly overlook the impending deadlines and commitments associated with the successful completion of CLST 205.
Moreover, throughout the summer term I faced challenges concerning my mental well-being. I encountered mental health struggles that not only affected my ability to focus on day-to-day tasks but also posed challenges to meeting academic responsibilities. These circumstances prompted me to seek the help of a therapist. It is crucial to note that this period of compromised mental health coincided with the initiation of my temporary medication, Accutane, which I began on May 1st, 2023. Recognizing the extensive list of potential neuropsychiatric side effects associated with Accutane, I quickly realized that this medication was likely the root cause of my altered mental state. Since then, I have completed my required six months of Accutane treatment, regained a healthy and stable mental state, and concluded my course of treatment with my therapist. To affirm the resolution of my therapy treatment, I have provided the invoice for my last therapy session as a supporting document.
Regrettably, the combination of these challenging circumstances played a collective role in my inability to successfully complete CLST 205. I only became aware of this incomplete/failure status when logging back into my Queen’s student email as I began the course selection process for the Fall 2023 term in late August. Recognizing the severity of this situation, I have chosen to initiate this petition to address the circumstances that led to my academic setback. As this unsettling realization was brought to light during the course selection process, I have opted to enroll in an additional sixth course – above the recommended five courses per semester – as a strategic measure to compensate the lost credit. However, the impact of the CLST 205 failure remains detrimental to my transcript and overall GPA.
In light of the debilitating circumstances I have brought to your attention, I kindly seek your favourable consideration of my petition and request permission to drop CLST 205 past the course drop deadline. While I understand the importance of adhering to university policies, I firmly believe that my unique combination of events and circumstances justifies an exception in this case as they led to my inability to complete the course within the specified timeframe.
I have provided some necessary documents to support my claims, and I am available to offer any additional information needed to support my petition. I greatly appreciate your understanding and consideration of my situation. Thank you for taking your valuable time and attention to assist me in this matter. I look forward to hearing back and finding a resolution that allows me to reach my academic potential at Queen's University.
Best Regards,
Maya Brennan
I hope this letter finds you well. I am writing to formally submit an academic petition to request permission to drop the course CLST 205, which I was enrolled in during the Summer 2023 term, from my transcript. I understand that the course drop deadline has passed, so I would like to express my extenuating circumstances that I believe warrant an exception to the late course drop policy.
As documented by the Queen's Student Accessibility Services (QSAS), I am a student with learning disabilities that significantly affect various aspects of my daily life, behavioural habits, learning styles, and academic practices. My most recent psychoeducational report highlights the substantial challenges I face, particularly in terms of planning, organizing, and effectively managing both current and future task demands. These challenges can be attributed, in part, to my below-average executive functioning and underdeveloped working memory skills, as emphasized in Dr. Stern’s assessment. Specifically, these areas of concern impact my abilities to initiate work independently without reminders, monitor my work, and retain information essential for task completion. The manifestation of my inattentiveness, compounded by additional neurological deficits, becomes especially apparent when faced with the responsibility of managing current and future task demands.
In the summer term, I was accepted from the waitlist to join CLST 205 on short notice. However, a sudden job offer that I could not decline presented unexpected time conflicts. Accepting the opportunity entailed untraditional working hours and the assignment of a new email for work-related communications, unintentionally causing me to be logged out of my Queen’s University email account. Unfortunately, this unintentional change halted my access to crucial course-related emails, depriving me of important reminders and notifications regarding my CLST 205 course progress.
With consideration to my QSAS profile, which highlights my deficits, coupled with the conflicting time commitments stated above, the absence of email reminders became a pivotal factor affecting my ability to stay on top of the course requirements. My learning profile, exacerbated by the abrupt change in email access, significantly hindered my capacity to sufficiently and effectively organize, manage and complete all necessary tasks. Consequently, the halt in email reminders led me to unknowingly overlook the impending deadlines and commitments associated with the successful completion of CLST 205.
Moreover, throughout the summer term I faced challenges concerning my mental well-being. I encountered mental health struggles that not only affected my ability to focus on day-to-day tasks but also posed challenges to meeting academic responsibilities. These circumstances prompted me to seek the help of a therapist. It is crucial to note that this period of compromised mental health coincided with the initiation of my temporary medication, Accutane, which I began on May 1st, 2023. Recognizing the extensive list of potential neuropsychiatric side effects associated with Accutane, I quickly realized that this medication was likely the root cause of my altered mental state. Since then, I have completed my required six months of Accutane treatment, regained a healthy and stable mental state, and concluded my course of treatment with my therapist. To affirm the resolution of my therapy treatment, I have provided the invoice for my last therapy session as a supporting document.
Regrettably, the combination of these challenging circumstances played a collective role in my inability to successfully complete CLST 205. I only became aware of this incomplete/failure status when logging back into my Queen’s student email as I began the course selection process for the Fall 2023 term in late August. Recognizing the severity of this situation, I have chosen to initiate this petition to address the circumstances that led to my academic setback. As this unsettling realization was brought to light during the course selection process, I have opted to enroll in an additional sixth course – above the recommended five courses per semester – as a strategic measure to compensate the lost credit. However, the impact of the CLST 205 failure remains detrimental to my transcript and overall GPA.
In light of the debilitating circumstances I have brought to your attention, I kindly seek your favourable consideration of my petition and request permission to drop CLST 205 past the course drop deadline. While I understand the importance of adhering to university policies, I firmly believe that my unique combination of events and circumstances justifies an exception in this case as they led to my inability to complete the course within the specified timeframe.
I have provided some necessary documents to support my claims, and I am available to offer any additional information needed to support my petition. I greatly appreciate your understanding and consideration of my situation. Thank you for taking your valuable time and attention to assist me in this matter. I look forward to hearing back and finding a resolution that allows me to reach my academic potential at Queen's University.
Best Regards,
Maya Brennan