Submit an Academic Petition or Appeal

Petition Letter: Dear Associate Dean,
Please accept this letter as a request to have my CHEM 281 mark replaced by a credit standing (CR) on my transcript.
I am submitting this petition due to a severe decline in my mental health impediment this semester that affected my academic performance. This past summer on July 21, 2023 I was involved in a very severe car accident. Then, on October 3, my roommates and I were attacked by a man with a knife, who proceeded to chase us and break into our home, and who the police failed to capture. As someone who suffers from severe anxiety, these life threatening events left a traumatic impact on me, and made me more vulnerable and caused a severe decline of my mental health. My academic performance was impacted, preventing me from excelling to my true potential in many of my classes this past semester. My anxiety became so severe that I could not sleep at night, I could not eat as I suffered from severe nausea, and I could not get out of bed most mornings. I felt embarrassed and ashamed asking for help and continued to push through the semester to the best of my ability. During the month of November, my parents realized I was not doing well, and I went to see my family doctor, Dr. Roger Bunn on November 27th, 2023, right before exam season. He recognized that my mental health was declining and recommended that I receive urgent assistance with my anxiety and depression. Throughout the semester my anxiety symptoms such as brain fog, inability to focus, severe nausea, and severe fatigue continued to progress. I should have accessed academic accommodations and help but I did not recognize the severity of my situation at that time, and thought I would be able to overcome my challenges by myself. My anxiety paralyzed me before and during the CHEM 281 exam, as I was unable to deal with my emotions and struggles, preventing me from excelling in the class and applying my knowledge. With the difficulty of the course and my decline in mental health, this turned out to be my lowest grade. I do not believe that this grade accurately represents my academic abilities. As I am a very dedicated, passionate, and determined learner. I have always done well academically, I contribute to my school community as I am involved in many clubs at Queen's University and volunteer in the Kingston Community.
As for the next steps, I will be retaking the course this summer in order to improve my grades. Moreover, I will be restarting counselling, and treatment to help ensure that the circumstances of my mental health do not impact my learning ability again, and I can access the help I need.
Thank you for taking the time to read my letter.
Sincerely,
Munmeet Puar