Petition Letter
Dear Dr. Benard,
I am appealing to waive the 21 day or one term deadline in order to have the opportunity to have a late appeal for obtaining credit standing (CR) in a few of my courses. I believe that due to a combination of both personal and family related extenuating circumstances and the advice from my home department, I was not able to carry out the appeals process by the formal appeal deadline.
The first extenuating circumstance that prevented me from being able to carry out the appeals process within the formal deadline was being diagnosed late with a chronic panic disorder. During the period of my requested appeal (1st-2nd year), I was struggling with high levels of anxiety and extreme panic attacks in a variety of settings which not only impacted my academic performance but also my personal ambition. Unfortunately, for the most part I struggled with this alone. It was not until my 4th year that I was given a diagnosis by Sunnybrook hospital and referred to a cognitive behavioral therapy professional. Through therapy, I was able to combat my anxiety which allowed me to have clarity and motivation to rectify my mistakes from the past. Therefore due to the fact that I did not know what I was dealing with and the fact that I was not in the right mental frame of mind, I was unable to carry out the appeals process by the formal deadline.
The second extenuating circumstance that prevented me from being able to carry out the appeals process within the formal deadline was dealing with my mom¿¿s diagnosis of vulvar cancer. After making large strides in therapy and having newly found clarity in both my professional and personal life, my mom was diagnosed with severe vulvar cancer. This led me to having to stay at home for the first 2-3 weeks of the fall semester in order to take care of her and spend time with her before she began her chemotherapy. This new pressure led to increased levels of anxiety and panic attacks during the fall semester to the point where I felt overwhelmed by the prospects of finishing near the top of my class, getting a good job and managing the familial challenges I was facing. Therefore due to the fact that I was incredibly overwhelmed during the summer/fall semester I was unable to carry out the appeals process by the formal deadline
Finally, I think it should be noted that upon learning about the appeals process (late in the fall semester) I sought out my home department for academic counsel. The department outlined to me that due to the high level of pressure in my personal life it would be best to focus on completing my academic studies to the best of my ability and obtain solid employment before tackling a formal academic appeal. After consulting Ms. MacAllister, I understand that this was not ideal as the process should be started upon discovery, however I was not aware of this at the time and merely wished to make sure I was able to finish my studies in good standing. Now that I have a more comprehensive understanding of the process I am doing everything within my power to complete it in a timely and diligent manner.
In conclusion, due to the personal extenuating circumstances of my anxiety disorder and my mother¿¿s illness and with the advice of my home department I was unable to complete the appeals process by the formal deadline. I believe that now that I am a stronger person both academically, professionally and personally that I will be able to share my experiences throughout the appeals process and manage the deadlines in a diligent manner. I would like to thank you in advance for taking the time to consider my appeal and I look forward to your decision. If you require any additional information or documentation to what I have provided please do not hesitate to ask.
Best Regards,
Christopher S. Tuszynski
I am appealing to waive the 21 day or one term deadline in order to have the opportunity to have a late appeal for obtaining credit standing (CR) in a few of my courses. I believe that due to a combination of both personal and family related extenuating circumstances and the advice from my home department, I was not able to carry out the appeals process by the formal appeal deadline.
The first extenuating circumstance that prevented me from being able to carry out the appeals process within the formal deadline was being diagnosed late with a chronic panic disorder. During the period of my requested appeal (1st-2nd year), I was struggling with high levels of anxiety and extreme panic attacks in a variety of settings which not only impacted my academic performance but also my personal ambition. Unfortunately, for the most part I struggled with this alone. It was not until my 4th year that I was given a diagnosis by Sunnybrook hospital and referred to a cognitive behavioral therapy professional. Through therapy, I was able to combat my anxiety which allowed me to have clarity and motivation to rectify my mistakes from the past. Therefore due to the fact that I did not know what I was dealing with and the fact that I was not in the right mental frame of mind, I was unable to carry out the appeals process by the formal deadline.
The second extenuating circumstance that prevented me from being able to carry out the appeals process within the formal deadline was dealing with my mom¿¿s diagnosis of vulvar cancer. After making large strides in therapy and having newly found clarity in both my professional and personal life, my mom was diagnosed with severe vulvar cancer. This led me to having to stay at home for the first 2-3 weeks of the fall semester in order to take care of her and spend time with her before she began her chemotherapy. This new pressure led to increased levels of anxiety and panic attacks during the fall semester to the point where I felt overwhelmed by the prospects of finishing near the top of my class, getting a good job and managing the familial challenges I was facing. Therefore due to the fact that I was incredibly overwhelmed during the summer/fall semester I was unable to carry out the appeals process by the formal deadline
Finally, I think it should be noted that upon learning about the appeals process (late in the fall semester) I sought out my home department for academic counsel. The department outlined to me that due to the high level of pressure in my personal life it would be best to focus on completing my academic studies to the best of my ability and obtain solid employment before tackling a formal academic appeal. After consulting Ms. MacAllister, I understand that this was not ideal as the process should be started upon discovery, however I was not aware of this at the time and merely wished to make sure I was able to finish my studies in good standing. Now that I have a more comprehensive understanding of the process I am doing everything within my power to complete it in a timely and diligent manner.
In conclusion, due to the personal extenuating circumstances of my anxiety disorder and my mother¿¿s illness and with the advice of my home department I was unable to complete the appeals process by the formal deadline. I believe that now that I am a stronger person both academically, professionally and personally that I will be able to share my experiences throughout the appeals process and manage the deadlines in a diligent manner. I would like to thank you in advance for taking the time to consider my appeal and I look forward to your decision. If you require any additional information or documentation to what I have provided please do not hesitate to ask.
Best Regards,
Christopher S. Tuszynski