Petition Letter
Dear Associate Dean Studies,
I am appealing the faculty¿¿s decision that I must withdraw from Queen¿¿s for a year. My reason for appealing the decision is because of extenuating circumstances that have prevented me from performing well to get released from academic probation.
This past year has been a difficult one as I was diagnosed with PFS (Patello-Femoral Syndrome) in both knees. In the summer, the patella in my right knee became locked out of its place and I was rushed to the emergency rom. I was then referred to a knee specialist in Ottawa to do an MRI and x-ray which later diagnosed me with PFS in both of my knees. To get my knee strength back and rehabilitate my knee after the trauma, I was admitted into a physiotherapy program in Ottawa. During the month of September, I would travel back and forth from Kingston to Ottawa once every 2 or 3 weeks to continue my program. On certain dates, I was not able to get an appointment until Monday as my physiotherapist did not work on Fridays. Due to this, I would not make it back in time for certain lectures specifically the POLS250 and MATH126 lectures in which I received very low grades in. The travel and the rehabilitation of my knee contributed and affected my academic performance as I was unable to focus due to knee pain and discomfort as well as keeping up with my rehab program outside of the sessions. I had to adjust the way I do basic everyday functions because of my knee and the risk of my patella shifting out of its place again. By the time midterms came around, I had missed quite a bit of class and was not prepared to write the midterms resulting in a failure in POLS280, POLS250, and MATH126 midterms as well as handing in the final essay for POLS280 significiantly late.
During winter break, I had found out that my dad had suddenly left the house with little explanation or warning, he then demanded a separation and furthermore a divorce. During the winter semester, I was in a stage of sudden shock and was psychologically challenged to focus on my academics as I felt guilty that my mom and sister were home in Ottawa dealing with everything themselves. Following reading week, winter midterms approached and after being at home during reading week and witnessing my dad¿¿s absence and the way he treated us, I was unable to get any work done and was disheartened. Because of this, I failed the POLS250 and ECON212 midterm drastically making it almost impossible for me to bring up my marks after that. In the middle of January, I did meet with an academic advisor to seek advice and discuss my academic plan and courses I was concerned with. Unfortunately, I was quite disheartened and disappointed with the meeting as the advisor was rather judgemental and stared blankly at me for most of the meeting. When it came time for the POLS250 winter essay, I truly focused on my academics and silenced the distractions happening in my personal life in which I received a B- on the essay. I had gone from failing each component of the course to receiving a B-. This proved to me that I am capable of doing well which is why receiving a second chance would allow me to achieve success.
Should an appeal on the faculty¿¿s decision that I must withdraw from Queen¿¿s be granted, I plan on achieving academic success by retaking courses that I have failed and not achieved success in. I plan on retaking POLS280, ECON212, and POS250 and no longer pursuing a minor in economics. This summer, I am repeating PSYC100 to improve my grade and GPA as I received a D- in first year. The extenuating circumstances that I have gone through this past academic year has helped me grow as a student and as a person altogether. This past year has taught me to reach out and get support when I need it the most. I will begin to seek counselling to deal with my own personal problems but also get help from student services in better ways to study and learn effectively for me to reach my full potential which I know that I am capable of.
Sincerely,
Michelle Le
I am appealing the faculty¿¿s decision that I must withdraw from Queen¿¿s for a year. My reason for appealing the decision is because of extenuating circumstances that have prevented me from performing well to get released from academic probation.
This past year has been a difficult one as I was diagnosed with PFS (Patello-Femoral Syndrome) in both knees. In the summer, the patella in my right knee became locked out of its place and I was rushed to the emergency rom. I was then referred to a knee specialist in Ottawa to do an MRI and x-ray which later diagnosed me with PFS in both of my knees. To get my knee strength back and rehabilitate my knee after the trauma, I was admitted into a physiotherapy program in Ottawa. During the month of September, I would travel back and forth from Kingston to Ottawa once every 2 or 3 weeks to continue my program. On certain dates, I was not able to get an appointment until Monday as my physiotherapist did not work on Fridays. Due to this, I would not make it back in time for certain lectures specifically the POLS250 and MATH126 lectures in which I received very low grades in. The travel and the rehabilitation of my knee contributed and affected my academic performance as I was unable to focus due to knee pain and discomfort as well as keeping up with my rehab program outside of the sessions. I had to adjust the way I do basic everyday functions because of my knee and the risk of my patella shifting out of its place again. By the time midterms came around, I had missed quite a bit of class and was not prepared to write the midterms resulting in a failure in POLS280, POLS250, and MATH126 midterms as well as handing in the final essay for POLS280 significiantly late.
During winter break, I had found out that my dad had suddenly left the house with little explanation or warning, he then demanded a separation and furthermore a divorce. During the winter semester, I was in a stage of sudden shock and was psychologically challenged to focus on my academics as I felt guilty that my mom and sister were home in Ottawa dealing with everything themselves. Following reading week, winter midterms approached and after being at home during reading week and witnessing my dad¿¿s absence and the way he treated us, I was unable to get any work done and was disheartened. Because of this, I failed the POLS250 and ECON212 midterm drastically making it almost impossible for me to bring up my marks after that. In the middle of January, I did meet with an academic advisor to seek advice and discuss my academic plan and courses I was concerned with. Unfortunately, I was quite disheartened and disappointed with the meeting as the advisor was rather judgemental and stared blankly at me for most of the meeting. When it came time for the POLS250 winter essay, I truly focused on my academics and silenced the distractions happening in my personal life in which I received a B- on the essay. I had gone from failing each component of the course to receiving a B-. This proved to me that I am capable of doing well which is why receiving a second chance would allow me to achieve success.
Should an appeal on the faculty¿¿s decision that I must withdraw from Queen¿¿s be granted, I plan on achieving academic success by retaking courses that I have failed and not achieved success in. I plan on retaking POLS280, ECON212, and POS250 and no longer pursuing a minor in economics. This summer, I am repeating PSYC100 to improve my grade and GPA as I received a D- in first year. The extenuating circumstances that I have gone through this past academic year has helped me grow as a student and as a person altogether. This past year has taught me to reach out and get support when I need it the most. I will begin to seek counselling to deal with my own personal problems but also get help from student services in better ways to study and learn effectively for me to reach my full potential which I know that I am capable of.
Sincerely,
Michelle Le