Petition Letter
Dear Associate Dean (Studies),
I am a second year Biology major appealing for the consideration of an aegrotat standing in my BIOL 201 course by the removal of my midterm mark. I am applying for the consideration of an aegrotat grade after writing the midterm because of misguidance of whether I was eligible to apply for an aegrotat grade prior to writing my midterm exam. Before writing the midterm, I had received a negative response from an academic advisor, Ms. Phillips, as to whether my situation would warrant an aegrotat grade. However, weeks after writing my midterm, I was informed by two other advisors that should I have pursued an aegrotat standing, it would likely have been accepted.
I have been ill for three weeks during the Fall semester and have been hospitalized for two out of these three weeks. My hospitalization and pancreatitis illness debilitated my health and made it difficult to catch up on my studies and focus after being released from the hospital. In addition, it took several weeks to fully recover from being ill as I experienced periodic medical problems over the following weeks. Stress from my studies exacerbated my medical symptoms. As a result, I decided to take three instead of five courses during the fall semester to make it easier to catch up on the material I missed. The other courses I have taken were BIOL 201, BIOL 205, and CLST 205. My hospitalization during weeks 2 and 3 of the semester impacted my psychological health as well, as I had also been hospitalized for an entire month during the summer with a terminal autoimmune disease. I have never been hospitalized prior to this year and I was mentally overwhelmed by so many health problems arising at once. It has affected my ability to be motivated and to focus in my courses. I have been receiving counselling from Health Counselling and Disability Services to treat my depression, anxiety, and arising sleeping problems.
Out of my three courses, my BIOL 201 course was most difficult to catch up in as my midterm occurred the soonest, less than two weeks after I was released from the hospital. I was informed by an advisor that writing the exam was my only realistic option. I was informed that I was eligible to write a deferred exam a week or so later but I declined to do so as it would interfere with exam times and major assignments due dates in my other two courses. For example, within a week from the normal exam date, I had another midterm exam as well as a lab exam in BIOL 201. As a result, I decided to write the midterm even though I missed exactly 70 percent of the lectures prior to writing the midterm and I received a poor grade of 36 on the exam as a result. After writing my BIOL 201 midterm exam, I had contacted other advisors via phone appointments, Ms. Butts and Ms. Blake, who both informed me that my extenuating circumstance would have likely allowed me to be considered for an aegrotat standing had I applied earlier, as well as that I may potentially apply for a credit standing in the future instead.
Due to my poor midterm mark, I have received a B grade. While it is not a grade that would warrant applying for a credit standing, I calculated that I would have received an A grade if I had not written the midterm and this upsets me deeply as it is bringing down my GPA significantly; I have received A grades in my other two courses respectively. My concern is that I believe that I could have applied and possibly been accepted an aegrotat grade had I not been outright told by the advisor that my request for an aegrotat standing would not be accepted in my situation. I would truly appreciate it if I were granted an aegrotat standing in my BIOL 201 course for this reason.
Please contact me if you require additional documentation or clarification regarding this appeal.
Thank you,
Prama Roy
I am a second year Biology major appealing for the consideration of an aegrotat standing in my BIOL 201 course by the removal of my midterm mark. I am applying for the consideration of an aegrotat grade after writing the midterm because of misguidance of whether I was eligible to apply for an aegrotat grade prior to writing my midterm exam. Before writing the midterm, I had received a negative response from an academic advisor, Ms. Phillips, as to whether my situation would warrant an aegrotat grade. However, weeks after writing my midterm, I was informed by two other advisors that should I have pursued an aegrotat standing, it would likely have been accepted.
I have been ill for three weeks during the Fall semester and have been hospitalized for two out of these three weeks. My hospitalization and pancreatitis illness debilitated my health and made it difficult to catch up on my studies and focus after being released from the hospital. In addition, it took several weeks to fully recover from being ill as I experienced periodic medical problems over the following weeks. Stress from my studies exacerbated my medical symptoms. As a result, I decided to take three instead of five courses during the fall semester to make it easier to catch up on the material I missed. The other courses I have taken were BIOL 201, BIOL 205, and CLST 205. My hospitalization during weeks 2 and 3 of the semester impacted my psychological health as well, as I had also been hospitalized for an entire month during the summer with a terminal autoimmune disease. I have never been hospitalized prior to this year and I was mentally overwhelmed by so many health problems arising at once. It has affected my ability to be motivated and to focus in my courses. I have been receiving counselling from Health Counselling and Disability Services to treat my depression, anxiety, and arising sleeping problems.
Out of my three courses, my BIOL 201 course was most difficult to catch up in as my midterm occurred the soonest, less than two weeks after I was released from the hospital. I was informed by an advisor that writing the exam was my only realistic option. I was informed that I was eligible to write a deferred exam a week or so later but I declined to do so as it would interfere with exam times and major assignments due dates in my other two courses. For example, within a week from the normal exam date, I had another midterm exam as well as a lab exam in BIOL 201. As a result, I decided to write the midterm even though I missed exactly 70 percent of the lectures prior to writing the midterm and I received a poor grade of 36 on the exam as a result. After writing my BIOL 201 midterm exam, I had contacted other advisors via phone appointments, Ms. Butts and Ms. Blake, who both informed me that my extenuating circumstance would have likely allowed me to be considered for an aegrotat standing had I applied earlier, as well as that I may potentially apply for a credit standing in the future instead.
Due to my poor midterm mark, I have received a B grade. While it is not a grade that would warrant applying for a credit standing, I calculated that I would have received an A grade if I had not written the midterm and this upsets me deeply as it is bringing down my GPA significantly; I have received A grades in my other two courses respectively. My concern is that I believe that I could have applied and possibly been accepted an aegrotat grade had I not been outright told by the advisor that my request for an aegrotat standing would not be accepted in my situation. I would truly appreciate it if I were granted an aegrotat standing in my BIOL 201 course for this reason.
Please contact me if you require additional documentation or clarification regarding this appeal.
Thank you,
Prama Roy