Petition Letter
To the Associate Dean (Studies):
I am appealing to request aegrotat grades for two of my current courses: PSYC302 and PSYC370.
I have been physically ill since the fall of 2014. My condition has drastically decreased my physical and mental energy. It has been very difficult for me to physically go to class and lab meetings, have enough physical and mental energy to study and complete schoolwork, in addition to affecting my ability to function in most other aspects of my life. The nature of my illness forced me to drop all of my classes last year (Fall 2014 to Winter 2015), as I was not able to complete them and could not keep up with learning the material. Luckily, my condition seemed to improve during last semester (Fall 2015); although I still required extensive accommodations and support, I was able to succeed in my academics. Unfortunately, the seriousness of my condition increased again this semester, particularly over the last month, and my ability to function in school has drastically decreased again. As a result of my experience with illness, I have also developed mental health issues, which have also become serious in the last month and further impair my functioning. Therefore, I am making this request so that I may still receive grades for these courses while also reducing my workload as much as possible, for the sake of my current low functioning, and finishing my degree as soon as possible for the sake of my fragile physical and mental health.
Given the set-up and material of my two other current courses, PSYC231 (Personality Psych) and PSYC351 (Social & Emotional Development), I feel that I am able to complete the courses without requesting and aegrotat grade (I have already completed 231 and will be writing my 351 final). Both courses are assessed with midterms and exams only. Preparation for the exams entails reading over notes and memorizing, which is much more feasible for me and less time-consuming than my remaining assessments in the other two classes. For PSYC302 (Advanced Statistics), the remaining assessment is the final; given the nature of this material, preparation for this exam is extensive and needs to be done well in advance. Given the severity of my situation the last month, I have not been able to adequately prepare for this exam, and writing this exam will likely result in a mark that does not reflect my actual knowledge and abilities which I have demonstrated in the remainder of the assessments. For PSYC370 (Brain & Behaviour II), I will have completed 70 of the course following the final exam on April 14th, and I request an aegrotat grade based on this 70. This course is difficult and highly detailed, and my instructor kindly accommodated me by moving two of my papers (the remaining 30) to the end of April, which has allowed me to gradually prepare for the final exam over the course of the semester. However, given the severity of my situation now and the time-consuming, cognitively-demanding nature of writing papers, it will be difficult for me to complete the two remaining papers, and doing so will not allow me to finish as soon as possible.
If it were any other semester I would request deferrals for these remaining assessments, but this is supposed to be my last semester; I have already had to extend my degree by a full year due to this issue that I have no control over. I have (and will have) completed the majority of the assessments for these courses in the face of being sick, and am ready to finish my degree and move home to focus on my health. Thank you for considering this appeal.
I am appealing to request aegrotat grades for two of my current courses: PSYC302 and PSYC370.
I have been physically ill since the fall of 2014. My condition has drastically decreased my physical and mental energy. It has been very difficult for me to physically go to class and lab meetings, have enough physical and mental energy to study and complete schoolwork, in addition to affecting my ability to function in most other aspects of my life. The nature of my illness forced me to drop all of my classes last year (Fall 2014 to Winter 2015), as I was not able to complete them and could not keep up with learning the material. Luckily, my condition seemed to improve during last semester (Fall 2015); although I still required extensive accommodations and support, I was able to succeed in my academics. Unfortunately, the seriousness of my condition increased again this semester, particularly over the last month, and my ability to function in school has drastically decreased again. As a result of my experience with illness, I have also developed mental health issues, which have also become serious in the last month and further impair my functioning. Therefore, I am making this request so that I may still receive grades for these courses while also reducing my workload as much as possible, for the sake of my current low functioning, and finishing my degree as soon as possible for the sake of my fragile physical and mental health.
Given the set-up and material of my two other current courses, PSYC231 (Personality Psych) and PSYC351 (Social & Emotional Development), I feel that I am able to complete the courses without requesting and aegrotat grade (I have already completed 231 and will be writing my 351 final). Both courses are assessed with midterms and exams only. Preparation for the exams entails reading over notes and memorizing, which is much more feasible for me and less time-consuming than my remaining assessments in the other two classes. For PSYC302 (Advanced Statistics), the remaining assessment is the final; given the nature of this material, preparation for this exam is extensive and needs to be done well in advance. Given the severity of my situation the last month, I have not been able to adequately prepare for this exam, and writing this exam will likely result in a mark that does not reflect my actual knowledge and abilities which I have demonstrated in the remainder of the assessments. For PSYC370 (Brain & Behaviour II), I will have completed 70 of the course following the final exam on April 14th, and I request an aegrotat grade based on this 70. This course is difficult and highly detailed, and my instructor kindly accommodated me by moving two of my papers (the remaining 30) to the end of April, which has allowed me to gradually prepare for the final exam over the course of the semester. However, given the severity of my situation now and the time-consuming, cognitively-demanding nature of writing papers, it will be difficult for me to complete the two remaining papers, and doing so will not allow me to finish as soon as possible.
If it were any other semester I would request deferrals for these remaining assessments, but this is supposed to be my last semester; I have already had to extend my degree by a full year due to this issue that I have no control over. I have (and will have) completed the majority of the assessments for these courses in the face of being sick, and am ready to finish my degree and move home to focus on my health. Thank you for considering this appeal.