Submit an Academic Petition or Appeal

Petition Letter: My name is Robertta Lavoie, and I am a second-year student in Concurrent Education. I am petitioning for a re-grade on an assignment, Winter Term Short-Assignment in ENGL 200 with Professor E. Hanson.

My TA initially graded my assignment and gave me a mark of 65%. Wilde left very constructive feedback so that I can apply their opinions to improve my future work. However, Professor Hanson then gave me a grade of 45% and left this degrading comment on my assignment in OnQ: What on earth do these articles have to do with the course, or the final essay? You read something, so I haven't given you 0 but I have to fail this because it doesn't address the assignment in any way.

This comment left me in tears and feeling very disappointed. I re-read the assignment instructions and do not believe that I deserve a grade of 45%. The assignment was to find two articles that related to the theme or question I would answer in the essay to be due two weeks later. For each article, I had to write a summary paragraph, and then a critical comment and what illuminated me and why.

The topic of my essay was how Catherine Morland from Northanger Abbey and Maisie from What Maisie Knew became educated. Hence, I found two articles that highlighted the importance and effects of education in real life.

Additionally, how am I to improve my work with overall feedback such as that? Instead of leaving a note with ideas on how to improve, I have been extremely unsettled and upset the past few days. No student let alone person should ever be addressed in that manner.

I had stopped going to that lecture in about mid February after I noticed her behaviour in class. Professor Hanson spoke poorly of Dr. Straker and how he instructed the first term of the course. Dr. Straker is a phenomenal professor; yet, she voiced to the class that she did not believe his quizzes were actual quizzes and ridiculed his teaching manner. As well, in January I was still on very strong medications for my severe health issues. These medications prevented me from sleeping at night, so come 08:30 for class, I was exhausted. I would happen to doze off during lecture - which I do take responsibility for - due to my exhaustion only to be awoken by Professor Hanson yelling and staring me down. I was doing my very best to attend lectures but due to my health obstacles, I found it difficult to stay awake. This happened on several occasions, and I did not appreciate the humiliation. Therefore, I no longer attended her lectures.

I am a strong English student, and have been doing very well in the course thus far. I am appalled that any instructor would denigrate their students in that way. I hope my voice is heard about the unfortunate behaviour and grading by Professor Hanson.

Sincerely,

Robertta Lavoie
20271416.