Submit an Academic Petition or Appeal

Petition Letter: Queen’s University

Faculty of Health Sciences

Bachelor of Health Sciences (Honors) Program

Attention: Dr. Jenn Stephenson

Dear Dr. Stephenson,

RE: Petition Late Drop Without Academic Penalty for Course PHGY170 (Fall, 2023).

My request is to petition a late drop without academic penalty, as I was unable to drop the course online. Specifically, I am petitioning for a late drop without academic penalty for course PHGY170 (Fall, 2023).

I have been struggling this semester due to these extenuating circumstances and it has impacted my performance, ability to study and negatively impacted my mental health.

Currently I live abroad and play on a junior hockey team. I had been helping to care for my grandmother with severe dementia/Alzheimer’s these past few years and my family wanted for me to take this opportunity to be with my peers.
I signed up to be billeted with a family, and was supposed to have a private room and access to wifi. Further, I re-took 1 course for the fall semester, to improve my overall grade and ensure that I could manage the workload between hockey and schooling. I advised the General Manager that I was attending university and he was supportive. Unfortunately, the original billeting accommodations fell through shortly before the season started. I was informed 16 out-of-town team-members would be boarding at a temporary campground (previously abandoned) in rural California. In addition, 8 team-members roomed with me in a small cabin, without air conditioning, or basic safety features. I decided to continue with the course since the team management confirmed that a quiet study area would be available onsite, with internet.

Everything was going fairly well until September 25th, where circumstances suddenly changed. We had to move out, unexpectedly, to a hotel the next day. Myself and a couple of team-mates were stranded during this move and we had to find a ride to the hotel where we were being relocated to. Thankfully a teammate’s parent from California came to our aid, since we didn’t have a car. When we arrived at the hotel, the parents of my teammate dropped us off, except for their son, as they didn’t feel comfortable with their son staying at that hotel. I found out shortly afterwards that the hotel often temporarily housed the homeless, and there were incidents at the hotel related to mental health and drug use. None of the team’s management stayed with us at the hotel. Initially, I was advised that our stay would only be a few days while new accommodations were secured, but then later I was advised that we had to stay a few more weeks. I started to get really stressed out because I was in an environment where I feared for my safety and also started to get concerned about it affecting my schooling. While at the hotel, I was had difficulty submitting assignments on time due to the lack of availability of secure internet and a suitable place to work on my course since I shared a room with 3 other team-mates. I also had no ability to travel to find a suitable environment and internet to study. I reached out to my professor, who would not consider any accommodations for me and told me to reach out to my department. I had also called into my department, however, was unable to reach anyone over the phone. I eventually got a hold of an Examinations and Academic Considerations Coordinator, Kate, who began to help me navigate my circumstances. She requested initially that I try to work with my instructor, but advised her that the instructor would not help me. I also tried to set up an appointment online with Dr. Linden but didn’t hear anything back.

Our last night spent at the hotel, a woman was raped and defiled in the room next to us and some of us heard it. This was a devastating experience and I was horrified to find this out. We relocated to another temporary location after my team's management got concerned about the ongoing hazardous environment we were exposed to at the hotel. This included disturbances, drug use, and mental-health crisis. One evening, a man was yelling out that he was going to kill people and put them through a woodchipper. I felt helpless and violated being in this environment.

At this point, I started to get depressed about the decision to come to California. My circumstances didn’t improve when I relocated to a temporary rental house, as I initially slept on the floor, had significant internet issues and found it difficult to study since there were 16 boys in a 3 bedroom house. Eventually a 2nd rental house was secured. I continued with my studies during the month of October, thinking it would help me move forward from these traumatic events, but realized that it became too difficult to focus on my studies. It was upsetting having no control over my circumstances and felt overwhelmed by everything.

At this point, I didn’t feel like I was getting the support needed from my professor or hockey team and became too late to drop the course. Eventually, Kate got me connected with an Advisor who thought it best that I appeal to drop the course without academic penalty, given the circumstances. My circumstances have improved and I am living in a rental home in a safe neighborhood with access to Wi-Fi and a place to study. I also have obtained a number for my families benefits EAP services for future counseling and have sought support from my family. As I will only be in California until mid-February, I am confident that I will be able to take future courses, especially when I am back home.

I hope you approve my request to petition a late drop without academic penalty for the course PHGY170 (Fall, 2023). I have included a letter from the General Manager, which includes his contact information.

Please accept this letter attached in support of my request.

Please let me know if you require any additional information.

Thank you for your support.

Kind regards,
Ethan May
Student # 20306763