Submit an Academic Petition or Appeal

Petition Letter: Dear Associate Dean,

I am petitioning a late drop for CHEM 223 (Winter, 2023), PHYS 115 (Fall, 2022), PHYS 116 (Winter, 2023), BCHM 315 (Fall, 2022), CISC 101 (Fall, 2022), and MATH 112 (Fall, 2022).

At the beginning of the Fall ’22 semester, I was going through a period of issues related to mental health that stemmed from family problems. This semester was especially heavy in course load as I was trying to switch to another major. The mental health issues also affected my physical health; I was sick every 2-3 weeks. This period was challenging as I had difficulty getting out of bed to do tasks such as eating, going to classes, doing school-related work, keeping up with my friends, and just anything in general. I found it challenging to focus on tasks/assignments and keep up with the course load, and because of this, I did poorly. However, I did submit some assignments on time, but they didn’t accurately reflect my understanding of the course material.

Although it would have been best to drop the courses and lighten up my course load, I just didn’t think that my mental health issues would continue for a long time. As of November 1st, I still thought I could salvage my marks and pass the courses even though my mental health at this point was still at its lowest. However, towards the end of the semester, in December, I was able to meet with a counsellor at the Student Wellness Centre, where I was able to share my concerns. I was advised to meet with a psychologist to understand what was happening. During this meeting, I was given tips on processing my emotions better and advised to speak to a therapist regularly.

Two courses I am petitioning for a late drop were taken during the Winter’23 semester. Although, during this time, I was using the coping mechanisms that were mentioned during my appointment with the psychologist, I was still getting sick quite often and trying to get back into my academic work. I was still struggling with getting out of bed, eating, doing everyday tasks, and keeping myself motivated regularly. I would have a 1-2 weeks period where I could not get anything done. Again, I should have dropped these courses earlier and focused on returning to my routine. During the course drop period in the Winter semester, I was going through my period of not being able to do anything and was just having a difficult time in general with getting things done.

For the future, I am planning on retaking CHEM 223 (Winter, 2023), PHYS 115 (Fall, 2022), PHYS 116 (Winter, 2023), and BCHM 315 (Fall, 2022) during the upcoming school year, where I intend to focus and motivate myself to get the work done entirely. I will also be getting in contact with a therapist to maintain regular meetings to keep everything on track for the school year and meet with QSAS to set up an academic accommodation plan so I can have something set in place in case I need to access the services before it’s too late. In addition, I will also be taking a lighter course load so I can take it slow without getting overwhelmed, as I am still getting back into my academics. Through this, I can complete my Biochemistry degree and finish my academic career.


Kind Regards,
Manmeet Gill