Submit an Academic Petition or Appeal

Petition Letter: I am writing to request a credit standing in Comm 200 for the previous semester. Unfortunately, I
received poor grades in this course due to increasing mental health issues that I faced during the
course of the semester.

As you may be aware, mental health can have a significant impact on a person's ability to perform
academically. Despite my best efforts, I found it challenging to focus on my studies and manage my
time to complete coursework in this period of time. I have never really taken my mental health
seriously but over the second half of this semester, the mounting stress, personal issues, and
problems within my family were too much to handle at once, resulting in my academic performance
being negatively impacted and me making some regrettable decisions in my life.

I am currently receiving treatment for my mental health condition and have made significant
progress. However, the effects of my illness were still evident during the previous semester. I am
grateful for the support provided by the university's mental health resources, which have helped me
manage my issues and make progress towards recovery.

It's difficult for me to put into words just how much I struggled during the previous semester. There
were days where getting out of bed felt like an impossible feat, and I was too anxious and physically
ill to even think about leaving my house. I was dealing with a level of stress and anxiety that was
completely overwhelming, and it made it incredibly hard to focus on my coursework. I was
constantly worried about falling behind, but I just couldn't seem to find the motivation to keep up. As
a result, I found myself struggling to finish assignments on time and keeping up with course work.
Although I was able to manage in my other courses due to the many accommodations in place for
all students, this particular course was very challenging for me.

During the semester, I found that I was given no accommodation regarding major assesments in this
course, despite my requests for support. I felt that this lack of accommodation had a significant
impact on my ability to perform well in the course, particularly as these major assignments would
often coincide with other major assessments for my other classes.

Although I was eventually able to receive accommodations through QSAS for the remainder of the
semester, I was still not given accommodation for the final assignment, despite many failed
attempts to contact the professor and TA’s. Over many tears and two sleepless nights I tried my
hardest to complete the assignment. Fortunately, I was able to do well on the assignment, which is
probably the only reason I have not failed this class.

Looking back, I know that my mental health was at an all-time low during that semester, and it had a
significant impact on my academic performance. I understand that the university has policies in
place regarding academic standing, but I'm hoping that they will take into consideration the
challenges I faced during that time. I'm not making excuses for my performance, but I do believe that
the lack of support I received in that one course had a major impact on my ability to succeed. I'm
hoping that the university can take that into account when considering this request.

Moving forward, I am committed to prioritizing my well-being and implementing strategies to
manage my mental health effectively. I will continue to seek treatment and utilize the resources
available to me, ensuring that I am better equipped to handle any future obstacles. Furthermore, I will
communicate with my professors and seek appropriate accommodations when needed, in order to
maintain a healthy balance between my mental well-being and academic pursuits. It is my sincere
hope that the university will recognize the effort and the growth I have undergone. I am determined
to prove my capabilities and excel in the upcoming year, and I am grateful for any opportunity to
demonstrate my true potential. This has truly been a learning experience. Thank you for your
understanding and consideration.