Petition Letter
Dear Dr. Hugh Horton,
I am a first year Master¿¿s student enrolled in Experimental Medicine here at Queen¿¿s University, and recently completed my undergraduate studies last year in Life Science. I am appealing to waive the 21-day deadline for an Academic Appeal I wish to submit for grades I received in my Pharmacology Undergraduate Research Project (PHAR 499).
Before considering an official Academic Appeal, I attempted to resolve my grade within the Department of Biomedical and Molecular Sciences (DBMS) by contacting Dr. James Brien (PHAR 499 Course Coordinator) and Dr. Michael Kawaja (Associate Dean of Life Sciences).
In May 2014 I received a final grade of 75.82 (B). The final mark is based on the sum of the marks for my first oral presentation (10 of final mark: 8.33), second oral presentation (20 of final mark: 16.46), poster presentation (5 of final mark: 5.0), written report (35 of final mark: 25.03), and laboratory performance (30 of final mark: 21.00). After receiving these grades I was specifically concerned with my written report and laboratory performance, and therefore contacted Dr. Brien to meet and discuss the marks. I met with Dr. Brien and Dr. Louise Winn (Associate Head of the Department of Biomedical and Molecular Sciences) on May 12th 2014. During this meeting I was given the opportunity to explain why I thought my marks should have been higher in the two categories, with specific focus on my laboratory performance, as I experienced many problems with my supervisors Dr. Brian Bennett and Yohan D¿¿Souza (PhD graduate). My final written report was not accessible until mid-June; therefore I could not argue the grade I received at the time of the meeting. After the meeting Dr. Brien and Dr. Winn spoke with Dr. Bennett and decided that my laboratory performance grade would be increased from 21.00/30 to 22.50/30, resulting in an increase in my final grade from a B to a B. Unfortunately this increase was not reflective of my laboratory performance throughout the year. I followed up with Dr. Brien on May 21st 2014 to inquire about the magnitude of my grade increase (only 1.50 marks) and if further changes could be made. Dr. Brien notified Dr. Winn and Dr. Terence Ozolins (Undergraduate Chair of Pharmacology and Toxicology) but nothing else was done to change my grade.
After waiting a month with no reply to my concern of the upgraded mark, I contacted Dr. Michael Kawaja (Associate Dean of Life Sciences) on June 21st 2014. He offered to call me and discuss the situation in the first week of July, however the call was postponed until July 28th as he was away from Queen¿¿s. I expressed my concerns of the situation and we scheduled a meeting for September 3rd 2014. At that time Dr. Kawaja offered to speak with Dr. Brien and check if anything else could be done to adjust the mark, but the updated grade was final.
Over the past months I have been attempting to resolve my PHAR 499 grade issues through the DBMS. For reasons beyond my control, this process has extended well beyond the 21-day grace period required to file an Academic Appeal. After exhausting all other resources to correct my grade, I hope to have the 21-day deadline waived so that I may rightfully file an official Academic Appeal. I have waited a long time to resolve this matter and hope to get the situation moving forward as soon as possible.
Sincerely,
Matt Sangoi
I am a first year Master¿¿s student enrolled in Experimental Medicine here at Queen¿¿s University, and recently completed my undergraduate studies last year in Life Science. I am appealing to waive the 21-day deadline for an Academic Appeal I wish to submit for grades I received in my Pharmacology Undergraduate Research Project (PHAR 499).
Before considering an official Academic Appeal, I attempted to resolve my grade within the Department of Biomedical and Molecular Sciences (DBMS) by contacting Dr. James Brien (PHAR 499 Course Coordinator) and Dr. Michael Kawaja (Associate Dean of Life Sciences).
In May 2014 I received a final grade of 75.82 (B). The final mark is based on the sum of the marks for my first oral presentation (10 of final mark: 8.33), second oral presentation (20 of final mark: 16.46), poster presentation (5 of final mark: 5.0), written report (35 of final mark: 25.03), and laboratory performance (30 of final mark: 21.00). After receiving these grades I was specifically concerned with my written report and laboratory performance, and therefore contacted Dr. Brien to meet and discuss the marks. I met with Dr. Brien and Dr. Louise Winn (Associate Head of the Department of Biomedical and Molecular Sciences) on May 12th 2014. During this meeting I was given the opportunity to explain why I thought my marks should have been higher in the two categories, with specific focus on my laboratory performance, as I experienced many problems with my supervisors Dr. Brian Bennett and Yohan D¿¿Souza (PhD graduate). My final written report was not accessible until mid-June; therefore I could not argue the grade I received at the time of the meeting. After the meeting Dr. Brien and Dr. Winn spoke with Dr. Bennett and decided that my laboratory performance grade would be increased from 21.00/30 to 22.50/30, resulting in an increase in my final grade from a B to a B. Unfortunately this increase was not reflective of my laboratory performance throughout the year. I followed up with Dr. Brien on May 21st 2014 to inquire about the magnitude of my grade increase (only 1.50 marks) and if further changes could be made. Dr. Brien notified Dr. Winn and Dr. Terence Ozolins (Undergraduate Chair of Pharmacology and Toxicology) but nothing else was done to change my grade.
After waiting a month with no reply to my concern of the upgraded mark, I contacted Dr. Michael Kawaja (Associate Dean of Life Sciences) on June 21st 2014. He offered to call me and discuss the situation in the first week of July, however the call was postponed until July 28th as he was away from Queen¿¿s. I expressed my concerns of the situation and we scheduled a meeting for September 3rd 2014. At that time Dr. Kawaja offered to speak with Dr. Brien and check if anything else could be done to adjust the mark, but the updated grade was final.
Over the past months I have been attempting to resolve my PHAR 499 grade issues through the DBMS. For reasons beyond my control, this process has extended well beyond the 21-day grace period required to file an Academic Appeal. After exhausting all other resources to correct my grade, I hope to have the 21-day deadline waived so that I may rightfully file an official Academic Appeal. I have waited a long time to resolve this matter and hope to get the situation moving forward as soon as possible.
Sincerely,
Matt Sangoi