Submit an Academic Petition or Appeal

Petition Letter: Appeal letter

I am appealing to drop course FILM 240, Winter 2023.

I base this request on extenuating circumstances due to a severe mental health issue.
My health issue had over a weeklong build up, a week-long hospitalization and ongoing treatment and recuperation that I require additional accommodation for.

I am in my fourth year of Global Development Studies and attempting a certificate in Law. I have achieved Dean's Honour list each year. As well, I was on the executive of Queens commerce and engineering environmental (CEEC) club for four years actively contributing to Queens student life.

I began struggling with my sleep and mental health before reading week. I returned home to rest and then came back to Queens. As my film course was an elective, not required as part of my program, I chose not to focus as much on that course and prioritize my required courses. Due to the drop date being before my hospital stay, I was not expecting to be needing to drop the course. My mom was with me for the week at the hospital and can provide additional details if necessary.

I will have to repeat my elective in the fall online. But I would ask that you allow FILM 240 to be dropped. I plan to take it or another online elective in the fall to complete my degree.

Due to my health issues persisting after the hospital, my goal was to prioritize courses which were mandatory for my degree during this period of stress. Due to this I was not able maintain the same level of commitment to my elective course even though I attempted to.

After leaving the hospital, I attempted to attend as many classes as I could. Because of the medication changes I underwent, and am still going through, in addition to continued sleep disturbance, I am still not functioning at 100%. I am committed to doing everything to fully recover while attending to my final assignments.

My first priority is my long-term health and allowing myself to heal properly. Another key goal is to save whatever I can of my semester. I intend to do my best to maintain my Dean's Honour list standing, so that is why I am looking for the option to late drop the course.

While in the hospital, I did apply for academic consideration. After being released, I met with Mitchell Vossenberg on Monday March 20th and provided a letter from the attending physician while hospitalized. That letter invited Queens staff to inquire further but this was not done. I was granted only 3 days total of my hospital stay. After meeting a second time on Monday March 27th, I was told I was meeting with the wrong department. I was then referred to QSAS, as a student with existing accommodations due to pre-existing ADHD. I met with Ellen Babb on Wednesday April 5th where I supplied a second letter from the psychiatrist and therapist who I have been seeing weekly since my hospital discharge. I was again referred to an academic advisor and was due to meet on Thursday April 6th. This meeting was cancelled an hour prior, and I was able to get an emergency meeting that same day with a different academic advisor at 3 pm. She outlined this process for me and promised to help me get the answers to my requests so that I can prioritize and focus. Throughout the last month, I was told by staff that the process was inefficient. It has also added a lot of uncertainty and stress and time away from my studies in a time where I had reduced energy and focus.


Thank you for consideration of my requests to drop my course without penalty.

Sincerely,

Sarah Van Trigt