Petition Letter
Dear Queen¿¿s University,
Re: Appeal of my academic standing as a Queen¿¿s Interest Student
My name is Slater Doggett. During the last school year, I was an Interest Student enrolled in Non-Degree Distance Studies taking the online course: Math 121 ¿¿ Differential and Integral Calculus, under the direction of Professor Ableson. This was my first course at Queen¿¿s and also the first time I had ever taken an online course, which was a very different experience for me. I was also playing Major Jr. A hockey in Kingston for the Kingston Frontenacs of the Ontario Hockey League. Playing OHL hockey is a full time commitment with an extremely rigorous schedule. I admit that I found it challenging to balance the huge time commitment of practice, training, games, travel, community service and personal appearances required by the hockey team with the required time commitment of the online course. Perhaps I bit off more than I could chew by taking a 6 unit Calculus course. In hindsight, I think I would been better of f choosing a slightly less challenging course given that I needed to achieve a 60 (c-) in order to continue as an ¿¿Interest Student¿. I did pass the course with a D-, which does not meet the required C- to continue as an Interest Student. I feel very strongly that I could have achieved the required C- had it not been for my overwhelming hockey schedule.
I understand that to be considered for this appeal, there has to be an outside source that was out of my control that made it difficult for me to get the minimum GPA required to continue at Queen¿¿s. The reason I am going through the appeal process and not pursuing my academic endeavors at another institution is because there were circumstances out of my control that made it challenging to perform well. Playing hockey for the Kingston Frontenacs consisted of a rigorous schedule that included ¿¿two-a-day¿ workouts and practices during the week, 3 games every weekend with a morning skate prior to the game and what made time management the most difficult was long road trips all over Ontario, Michigan and Pennsylvania including cities such as Erie, Saginaw, Plymouth, Sault Ste. Marie, Sudbury and North Bay. This schedule made it extremely difficult to meet the academic demand that this course required and that would have even been a challenge with a more lenient schedule. What I believe made this course the most difficult was the timing of the two final examinations. For the winter exam, I had to request an alternate exam date because our team was on a road trip during the scheduled exam date. Unfortunately the alternate exam was not to my benefit due to having played 2 games in the 2 days prior to the date of the exam. The spring exam was even worse, as my team was in the midst of playoffs which made studying next to impossible with such a busy schedule playing an intense playoff game every other day in alternating cities and having a practice on the days in between. As each exam was worth 30 of my final mark, they were the most critical evaluations of the course. The team did provide me with a tutor, which I utilized as much as possible, but in the end, I just didn¿¿t have enough time to prepare for the exams the way I would have if I did not play hockey in the OHL. Again, I know that I could have done much better on the exams had I been afforded the time to prepare properly.
Please find attached, a letter from Darren Keily, Director of Hockey Operations and Assistant General Manager, confirming the rigorous schedule of an OHL hockey team.
In closing, am interested in attending Queen¿¿s full time in the near future. In addition, I am interested in playing for the Queen¿¿s Golden Gaels hockey team. In speaking with Brett Gibson ¿¿ Head Coach ¿¿ he felt that it was important for me to regain my status as an active ¿¿Interest Student¿.
As such, please consider my appeal to be reinstated as an Interest Student in order that I may continue my studies at Queen¿¿s.
Sincerely,
Slater Doggett
Student ID: 10122423
Re: Appeal of my academic standing as a Queen¿¿s Interest Student
My name is Slater Doggett. During the last school year, I was an Interest Student enrolled in Non-Degree Distance Studies taking the online course: Math 121 ¿¿ Differential and Integral Calculus, under the direction of Professor Ableson. This was my first course at Queen¿¿s and also the first time I had ever taken an online course, which was a very different experience for me. I was also playing Major Jr. A hockey in Kingston for the Kingston Frontenacs of the Ontario Hockey League. Playing OHL hockey is a full time commitment with an extremely rigorous schedule. I admit that I found it challenging to balance the huge time commitment of practice, training, games, travel, community service and personal appearances required by the hockey team with the required time commitment of the online course. Perhaps I bit off more than I could chew by taking a 6 unit Calculus course. In hindsight, I think I would been better of f choosing a slightly less challenging course given that I needed to achieve a 60 (c-) in order to continue as an ¿¿Interest Student¿. I did pass the course with a D-, which does not meet the required C- to continue as an Interest Student. I feel very strongly that I could have achieved the required C- had it not been for my overwhelming hockey schedule.
I understand that to be considered for this appeal, there has to be an outside source that was out of my control that made it difficult for me to get the minimum GPA required to continue at Queen¿¿s. The reason I am going through the appeal process and not pursuing my academic endeavors at another institution is because there were circumstances out of my control that made it challenging to perform well. Playing hockey for the Kingston Frontenacs consisted of a rigorous schedule that included ¿¿two-a-day¿ workouts and practices during the week, 3 games every weekend with a morning skate prior to the game and what made time management the most difficult was long road trips all over Ontario, Michigan and Pennsylvania including cities such as Erie, Saginaw, Plymouth, Sault Ste. Marie, Sudbury and North Bay. This schedule made it extremely difficult to meet the academic demand that this course required and that would have even been a challenge with a more lenient schedule. What I believe made this course the most difficult was the timing of the two final examinations. For the winter exam, I had to request an alternate exam date because our team was on a road trip during the scheduled exam date. Unfortunately the alternate exam was not to my benefit due to having played 2 games in the 2 days prior to the date of the exam. The spring exam was even worse, as my team was in the midst of playoffs which made studying next to impossible with such a busy schedule playing an intense playoff game every other day in alternating cities and having a practice on the days in between. As each exam was worth 30 of my final mark, they were the most critical evaluations of the course. The team did provide me with a tutor, which I utilized as much as possible, but in the end, I just didn¿¿t have enough time to prepare for the exams the way I would have if I did not play hockey in the OHL. Again, I know that I could have done much better on the exams had I been afforded the time to prepare properly.
Please find attached, a letter from Darren Keily, Director of Hockey Operations and Assistant General Manager, confirming the rigorous schedule of an OHL hockey team.
In closing, am interested in attending Queen¿¿s full time in the near future. In addition, I am interested in playing for the Queen¿¿s Golden Gaels hockey team. In speaking with Brett Gibson ¿¿ Head Coach ¿¿ he felt that it was important for me to regain my status as an active ¿¿Interest Student¿.
As such, please consider my appeal to be reinstated as an Interest Student in order that I may continue my studies at Queen¿¿s.
Sincerely,
Slater Doggett
Student ID: 10122423