Submit an Academic Petition or Appeal

Petition Letter: To the Associate Dean of Queens University,
My name is Lauren Smyth (20214596) and I am petitioning to drop five classes that I was enrolled in between January 2023 and August 2023. These classes are DEVS 221, DEVS 240, RELS 226, GLPH 271 and HIST 252.
During these classes, I was experiencing an overwhelming episode of depression and anxiety that prevented me from completing assignments and exams from these classes. Due to these circumstances, I received a failing grade in these classes as I completed only a few assessments from each of these classes or did not participate in these classes at all.
I have been struggling with anxiety and depression since I was 12 years old, and these diagnoses have unfortunately worsened since I began university at Queens in 2021. I have previously received accommodations for these conditions and was registered with QSAS. I was able to cope with these conditions through QSAS and a strong support system in my first year and the first semester of my second year. In the second semester of my second year, these mental conditions worsened, and I completely shut down. These conditions prevented me from attending classes, completing assignments, checking emails and contacting professors. As you can see from my previous academic records, this behaviour is completely out of character for me as I have always been a driven student with a strong work ethic.
I attempted to receive treatment for these illnesses through a local doctor and received extensions for uncompleted assignments. Unfortunately, my condition continued to worsen and became unmanageable around February 2023. The stress of these conditions was evidently impacting my ability to work. This stress only worsened my condition, and this was exacerbated by how I no longer had a strong support system at home or in Kingston. My support system had been impacted by conflicts with roommates and an illness within my family that my parents were focused on. I felt that there was no one to assist me with my issues at this time and therefore stopped making attempts to receive treatment. It should also be noted that these conditions impacted my physical health as well as I was skipping meals, not exercising, staying inside, sleeping excessively and having little to no contact with friends or family. I was experiencing symptoms of fatigue, loneliness, suicidal thoughts, and hopelessness that made schoolwork virtually impossible to complete. I did drop two courses from my course load which are, DEVS 250 AND HIST 207, to attempt to overcome these feelings yet that did nothing to motivate me to complete assignments in my three remaining classes. I eventually lost all motivation to do any more assignments due to these mental conditions and stopped participating in classes entirely around March 2023. I did enroll in classes over the summer to attempt to salvage my status at Queens University yet was unable to participate in these classes due to the severity of my mental condition.
I am currently undergoing treatment for my mental health through a team of doctors, psychiatrists, counsellors and the support of my friends and family. I reached out for help around September 10th and decided I was unable to enroll in classes at Queens University for the fall semester. If this petition is granted, I would be interested in enrolling in online classes so I can complete my winter semester online and under the care of my family. These would allow me to continue my degree while I receive treatment during this sensitive time. I will also be seeking a transfer to a school that is closer to my parent’s home so I can continue to undergo treatment for these mental conditions.
These past months have been an extremely difficult period and I hope to resolve my academic standing by petitioning for the dropping of these grades. By doing this, I will be able to continue towards completing my Bachelor of Arts degree.
Thanks,
Lauren Smyth