Petition Letter
To Whom It May Concern,
My name is Sara Steckly and I am appealing to drop both LAW 204 (Fall, 2021) and BIOL 205 (Fall, 2021) due to extenuating circumstances that were beyond my control. These circumstances began seriously affecting my studies during the Winter 2021 semester, but at that time I was able to scrape by. Unfortunately, this fall I was no longer able to avoid their profound effects. Primarily, I was rendered incapable of keeping up with course work. It got to a point where the shame, humiliation and frustration from my inability to perform lead me into a severe depression. This depressive episode resulted in severe weight loss, insomnia and a complete emotional withdrawal from friends and family, which further fueled my inability to complete school work. Even still, it took me a few weeks until I finally was able to seek help from a medical professional. Unfortunately, after I sought help I was filled with a sense of optimism which fooled me into thinking that my circumstances were now entirely resolved and I may return to normal. This mindset is why I did not seek academic help earlier. Ultimately while operating under the false pretenses of complete resolution, I realized that things were not resuming as normal, and I once again began to feel defeated?? particularly because at this point it was so late into the semester that I felt entirely helpless. I was encouraged by my doctor to seek guidance from the school, which is why I am now writing this appeal.
It is important to note, that while my circumstances affected all of my courses, I am only appealing to drop LAW 204 (Fall, 2021) and BIOL 205 (Fall, 2021) as I was still able to drop DEVS 100 (Fall/Winter, 2021-22). As for BIOL 243 (Fall, 2021) I was able to complete the course work to a satisfactory degree due to the fact that a member of my support system was also enrolled in the course and had the patience to aid me in managing course-related tasks. She held me accountable for attending lectures and tutorials, and was able to motivate me by slowly guiding me through the course material. Evidently, this is neither a realistic nor sustainable solution, which is why I am working with multiple professionals who are able to provide me with long-term management and support. As I am in the early stages of treatment, I do not have a definitive plan, however in the short-term, my plan is to take a reduced course load for next semester. A lessened work-load coupled with continued professional monitoring will allow me to make the personal adjustments needed for my future academic success.
Thank you in advance for your consideration.
Sincerely,
Sara Steckly
My name is Sara Steckly and I am appealing to drop both LAW 204 (Fall, 2021) and BIOL 205 (Fall, 2021) due to extenuating circumstances that were beyond my control. These circumstances began seriously affecting my studies during the Winter 2021 semester, but at that time I was able to scrape by. Unfortunately, this fall I was no longer able to avoid their profound effects. Primarily, I was rendered incapable of keeping up with course work. It got to a point where the shame, humiliation and frustration from my inability to perform lead me into a severe depression. This depressive episode resulted in severe weight loss, insomnia and a complete emotional withdrawal from friends and family, which further fueled my inability to complete school work. Even still, it took me a few weeks until I finally was able to seek help from a medical professional. Unfortunately, after I sought help I was filled with a sense of optimism which fooled me into thinking that my circumstances were now entirely resolved and I may return to normal. This mindset is why I did not seek academic help earlier. Ultimately while operating under the false pretenses of complete resolution, I realized that things were not resuming as normal, and I once again began to feel defeated?? particularly because at this point it was so late into the semester that I felt entirely helpless. I was encouraged by my doctor to seek guidance from the school, which is why I am now writing this appeal.
It is important to note, that while my circumstances affected all of my courses, I am only appealing to drop LAW 204 (Fall, 2021) and BIOL 205 (Fall, 2021) as I was still able to drop DEVS 100 (Fall/Winter, 2021-22). As for BIOL 243 (Fall, 2021) I was able to complete the course work to a satisfactory degree due to the fact that a member of my support system was also enrolled in the course and had the patience to aid me in managing course-related tasks. She held me accountable for attending lectures and tutorials, and was able to motivate me by slowly guiding me through the course material. Evidently, this is neither a realistic nor sustainable solution, which is why I am working with multiple professionals who are able to provide me with long-term management and support. As I am in the early stages of treatment, I do not have a definitive plan, however in the short-term, my plan is to take a reduced course load for next semester. A lessened work-load coupled with continued professional monitoring will allow me to make the personal adjustments needed for my future academic success.
Thank you in advance for your consideration.
Sincerely,
Sara Steckly