Petition Letter
Dr. Johanne Bénard
Associate Dean (Admission & Recruitment) and Associate Dean (Studies)
Student Services, First Floor Dunning Hall
Dear Dr. Bénard,
I am writing to appeal to drop ENGL 306 (2016-2017) and the faculty's subsequent decision requiring me to withdraw from my studies at Queen's University for the 2017-2018 academic year. In the winter semester of the 2015-2016 academic year, I began experiencing academic difficulties due to familial conflict and instability that triggered a clinical depressive episode. This episode impacted my day-to-day functioning, such that it disrupted my class attendance in addition to making coursework difficult to complete due to poor concentration and fatigue. Furthermore, my ongoing familial circumstances made it logistically difficult to access counselling and comprehensive medical treatment for my depression on a continuous basis. Consequently, I received a failing grade in two courses in the winter semester and one course in the summer semester. This meant that going into my third year of study, I had a low cumulative GPA, and was placed on academic probation.
However, I have made and continue to make gains in my coping skills and academic abilities and achievement, partially accomplished through having sought counselling in the spring and summer of 2016. In addition, the familial circumstances that triggered my depressive episode and interfered with my capacity to seek treatment have resolved and I have made personal adjustments to increase my independence and ensure future access to and continuity of psychological and medical treatment. These gains unfortunately have not sufficiently compensated for the poor grades I received when I suffered my depressive episode nor were they able to fully address the difficulties with class attendance I experienced that left me unable to pass ENGL306 past the deadline to drop the course. However, it would be unwise to follow through on the faculty's request that I withdraw from my studies for the coming year. Not only would it detract from the academic and motivational momentum I have currently established, it would indeed jeopardize my future academic career due to the resulting logistical and financial complications I would experience.
I have already taken and plan to take further action to ensure my academic success in what would be my final year of study. Firstly, I sought medical care from a physician who prescribed me a medication for my psychiatric condition, which I am presently taking. Secondly, I have sought and received a diagnosis from a clinical psychologist of depression with recurring episodes. This diagnosis is helpful to me in two ways (1) I will be able to disclose this diagnosis to the counsellor I will continue to see in Kingston, improving her ability to address the difficulties and challenges I experience in our counselling sessions (2) I will be able to register with Accessibility Services, which would allow me access to any academic accommodations needed to support my academic pursuits. Finally, I plan to retake two courses that I had previously failed in the 2017 fall semester- ARTH 226 and ENGL281. Improving my grades in these two courses and removing the ENGL 306 failing grade would serve to significantly improve my cumulative GPA.
Sincerely,
Thalia Tavares
Associate Dean (Admission & Recruitment) and Associate Dean (Studies)
Student Services, First Floor Dunning Hall
Dear Dr. Bénard,
I am writing to appeal to drop ENGL 306 (2016-2017) and the faculty's subsequent decision requiring me to withdraw from my studies at Queen's University for the 2017-2018 academic year. In the winter semester of the 2015-2016 academic year, I began experiencing academic difficulties due to familial conflict and instability that triggered a clinical depressive episode. This episode impacted my day-to-day functioning, such that it disrupted my class attendance in addition to making coursework difficult to complete due to poor concentration and fatigue. Furthermore, my ongoing familial circumstances made it logistically difficult to access counselling and comprehensive medical treatment for my depression on a continuous basis. Consequently, I received a failing grade in two courses in the winter semester and one course in the summer semester. This meant that going into my third year of study, I had a low cumulative GPA, and was placed on academic probation.
However, I have made and continue to make gains in my coping skills and academic abilities and achievement, partially accomplished through having sought counselling in the spring and summer of 2016. In addition, the familial circumstances that triggered my depressive episode and interfered with my capacity to seek treatment have resolved and I have made personal adjustments to increase my independence and ensure future access to and continuity of psychological and medical treatment. These gains unfortunately have not sufficiently compensated for the poor grades I received when I suffered my depressive episode nor were they able to fully address the difficulties with class attendance I experienced that left me unable to pass ENGL306 past the deadline to drop the course. However, it would be unwise to follow through on the faculty's request that I withdraw from my studies for the coming year. Not only would it detract from the academic and motivational momentum I have currently established, it would indeed jeopardize my future academic career due to the resulting logistical and financial complications I would experience.
I have already taken and plan to take further action to ensure my academic success in what would be my final year of study. Firstly, I sought medical care from a physician who prescribed me a medication for my psychiatric condition, which I am presently taking. Secondly, I have sought and received a diagnosis from a clinical psychologist of depression with recurring episodes. This diagnosis is helpful to me in two ways (1) I will be able to disclose this diagnosis to the counsellor I will continue to see in Kingston, improving her ability to address the difficulties and challenges I experience in our counselling sessions (2) I will be able to register with Accessibility Services, which would allow me access to any academic accommodations needed to support my academic pursuits. Finally, I plan to retake two courses that I had previously failed in the 2017 fall semester- ARTH 226 and ENGL281. Improving my grades in these two courses and removing the ENGL 306 failing grade would serve to significantly improve my cumulative GPA.
Sincerely,
Thalia Tavares