Petition Letter
Dear Dean Atkinson,
I am appealing to drop BCHM 315 (Fall, 2021), as well as the request for credit standing in MICR 360 (Fall, 2021) and ANAT 312 (Fall, 2021). While my grades in all of the aforementioned courses were impacted, my primary concern is my failing grade received in BCHM 315.
Confounding extenuating circumstances, beyond my control, including a escalating unsafe living environment, acute and chronic physical illness, and the unforeseen critical illness and death of a relative, led to negative psychological and physical impacts to my academic performance. At the deadline to drop classes, November 1st, the living situation along with my physical health were worsening but had not peaked, and I believed I could manage these external stressors alongside my academics. From the duration of late October continuing until the end of the term, my student residence was an unsafe living environment which included verbal and cyber harassment from another housemate. After a month of struggling with the mental health stress, avoiding our home and frequent disruptions to my studies including deliberate disruption around my second BCHM midterm on November 10th, this surmounted in a physical altercation between her and another housemate on November 29th. At this time we sought guidance from our landlord who intervened and ensured her official move out as of January 2nd, 2022. Simultaneously, my acute physical health suffered throughout that month, requiring me to seek medical assessment on November 19th and 25th and eventually treatment. Due to the direct toll this took on my course commitments, I also received academic consideration for due dates from November 25th December 1st. I also began seeing a naturopathic doctor to address other health concerns affecting my daily functioning. Furthermore, on Nov 23rd, I was notified of my uncle's critical health emergency to which lead to his passing on Dec 7th, 2021. The funeral then occurred December 15th, 2021, 2 days prior to the commencement of my final exams. Unfortunately, the combined prolonged effects of my living environment and physical illness, severely hindered my ability to completely devote my focus and efforts towards my classes. My subsequent grades in these courses were also predominantly impacted due to travelling home in the uncertainty of the exam timeline and grieving the loss of my uncle whilst still attempting to study for my final exams. I opted not to defer my examinations as at the time I was already troubled about the outcome of my fall semester courses and was concerned that deferring my exams until January would cause continued stress throughout this waiting period and ultimately deter academic success in my winter semester classes. My other courses, FREN 150 and REPD 372, did not have final examinations and in the last 4 weeks of the semester required only small project completion. My REPD 372 course did have a final research paper during this timeline, which the class was collectively given an extended deadline and I personally received an extra day following this for submission. Following my compounding extenuating circumstances, I have taken various steps to aid in my achievement of academic success going forward. As of January 14th 2022, I have met and have continued contact with an academic advisor who assisted me in creating a balanced and achievable plan to retake BCHM 315 and its subsequent BCHM 316, along with fulfilling the remainder of my degree requirements to successfully graduate at the end of the next academic year. Pertaining to the aftermath of the previous living situation as well as the grieving process related to the loss of my family member, I have sought healthcare and have a personal support system in place.
Thank you in advance for your consideration. I am looking forward to the adjudication and moving forward with my academic endeavours.
Sincerely,
Julia McGregor
I am appealing to drop BCHM 315 (Fall, 2021), as well as the request for credit standing in MICR 360 (Fall, 2021) and ANAT 312 (Fall, 2021). While my grades in all of the aforementioned courses were impacted, my primary concern is my failing grade received in BCHM 315.
Confounding extenuating circumstances, beyond my control, including a escalating unsafe living environment, acute and chronic physical illness, and the unforeseen critical illness and death of a relative, led to negative psychological and physical impacts to my academic performance. At the deadline to drop classes, November 1st, the living situation along with my physical health were worsening but had not peaked, and I believed I could manage these external stressors alongside my academics. From the duration of late October continuing until the end of the term, my student residence was an unsafe living environment which included verbal and cyber harassment from another housemate. After a month of struggling with the mental health stress, avoiding our home and frequent disruptions to my studies including deliberate disruption around my second BCHM midterm on November 10th, this surmounted in a physical altercation between her and another housemate on November 29th. At this time we sought guidance from our landlord who intervened and ensured her official move out as of January 2nd, 2022. Simultaneously, my acute physical health suffered throughout that month, requiring me to seek medical assessment on November 19th and 25th and eventually treatment. Due to the direct toll this took on my course commitments, I also received academic consideration for due dates from November 25th December 1st. I also began seeing a naturopathic doctor to address other health concerns affecting my daily functioning. Furthermore, on Nov 23rd, I was notified of my uncle's critical health emergency to which lead to his passing on Dec 7th, 2021. The funeral then occurred December 15th, 2021, 2 days prior to the commencement of my final exams. Unfortunately, the combined prolonged effects of my living environment and physical illness, severely hindered my ability to completely devote my focus and efforts towards my classes. My subsequent grades in these courses were also predominantly impacted due to travelling home in the uncertainty of the exam timeline and grieving the loss of my uncle whilst still attempting to study for my final exams. I opted not to defer my examinations as at the time I was already troubled about the outcome of my fall semester courses and was concerned that deferring my exams until January would cause continued stress throughout this waiting period and ultimately deter academic success in my winter semester classes. My other courses, FREN 150 and REPD 372, did not have final examinations and in the last 4 weeks of the semester required only small project completion. My REPD 372 course did have a final research paper during this timeline, which the class was collectively given an extended deadline and I personally received an extra day following this for submission. Following my compounding extenuating circumstances, I have taken various steps to aid in my achievement of academic success going forward. As of January 14th 2022, I have met and have continued contact with an academic advisor who assisted me in creating a balanced and achievable plan to retake BCHM 315 and its subsequent BCHM 316, along with fulfilling the remainder of my degree requirements to successfully graduate at the end of the next academic year. Pertaining to the aftermath of the previous living situation as well as the grieving process related to the loss of my family member, I have sought healthcare and have a personal support system in place.
Thank you in advance for your consideration. I am looking forward to the adjudication and moving forward with my academic endeavours.
Sincerely,
Julia McGregor