Manage Appeals
Petition Type: New
ID: 1141
Submitted: May 29, 2015 at 6:05:27 PM
First Name: Cameron
Last Name: Russell
Student Number: 10113279
Email: 13cr12@queensu.ca
Degree Program: BAH
Plan: HIST
Level of Study: 2
Petition Categories
Petition Categories: Waive the 21-day or one term deadline
Petition Letter
Petition Letter: Dear Associate Dean,
I am appealing to waive the deadline for appeals. I am a British international student; I met with Haley Everson at the end of last semester with the intention of submitting an appeal as a result of an ongoing illness and an additional physical condition.
Unfortunately, I had a fairly serious accident injuring my knee just before seeing Haley, and was hospitalised. Despite the appearance and belief that I had recovered, I came home to immediately see a medical specialist, which revealed serious and urgent structural issues, for which I now have two major surgeries planned on the 11th June and a potential third later down the line. As a result, and also related to the aforementioned mental issue, for which I have spoken to both counselling and disability services on multiple occasions (Mary and Lee have both offered to submit supporting letters), I have been totally incapacitated for the past few weeks with a deterioration in my ability to concentrate, my levels of pain, and my mobility, as well as having to travel ridiculously frequently to London to see various surgeons and specialists. Moreover, while it may seem negligent that I failed to appeal immediately for the courses from first semester, naturally I was hospitalised for the vast majority of the christmas break, the details of which I will inclose shortly.
Unfortunately up to the surgery and in the following weeks I have and will be heavily medicated, and will struggle to submit anything before July, but it should be noted that once I heal it should be a slow, but hopefully full, recovery. I have attached the details of my surgery and an ongoing medical condition from last year that has contributed to the issue (and was subject to an academic appeal last year), but if necessary have details of my myriad of various appointments, referrals and hospital admissions, although I will struggle to get them scanned in my current capacity.
Apologies for the delay and for the rushed feeling of this appeal, I'm still struggling to do much,
Cameron
I am appealing to waive the deadline for appeals. I am a British international student; I met with Haley Everson at the end of last semester with the intention of submitting an appeal as a result of an ongoing illness and an additional physical condition.
Unfortunately, I had a fairly serious accident injuring my knee just before seeing Haley, and was hospitalised. Despite the appearance and belief that I had recovered, I came home to immediately see a medical specialist, which revealed serious and urgent structural issues, for which I now have two major surgeries planned on the 11th June and a potential third later down the line. As a result, and also related to the aforementioned mental issue, for which I have spoken to both counselling and disability services on multiple occasions (Mary and Lee have both offered to submit supporting letters), I have been totally incapacitated for the past few weeks with a deterioration in my ability to concentrate, my levels of pain, and my mobility, as well as having to travel ridiculously frequently to London to see various surgeons and specialists. Moreover, while it may seem negligent that I failed to appeal immediately for the courses from first semester, naturally I was hospitalised for the vast majority of the christmas break, the details of which I will inclose shortly.
Unfortunately up to the surgery and in the following weeks I have and will be heavily medicated, and will struggle to submit anything before July, but it should be noted that once I heal it should be a slow, but hopefully full, recovery. I have attached the details of my surgery and an ongoing medical condition from last year that has contributed to the issue (and was subject to an academic appeal last year), but if necessary have details of my myriad of various appointments, referrals and hospital admissions, although I will struggle to get them scanned in my current capacity.
Apologies for the delay and for the rushed feeling of this appeal, I'm still struggling to do much,
Cameron
Documentation
Professional Letter: Russell Cameron 27-05-2015 Admission In patient 000076421.PDF
Document: Medical Documentation-2.pdf
Document: Medical-0.pdf
Decision Letters
Amendment to Appeal 1141
Relevant Petition: 1141
First Name: Cameron
Last Name: Russell
Student Number: 10113279
Email: 13cr12@queensu.ca
Degree Program: BAH
Plan: HIST
Level of Study: 2
Petition Categories
Petition Categories: Drop a course after the academic deadline, Request aegrotat (AG) standing in a course or courses
Code: HIST 201
Term: Fall
Year: 2014
Petition Category: Request aegrotat (AG) standing in a course or courses
Instructor's Name: Andrew Jainchill
Code: HIST 208
Term: Fall
Year: 2014
Petition Category: Drop a course after the academic deadline
Code: HIST 218
Term: Fall
Year: 2014
Petition Category: Request aegrotat (AG) standing in a course or courses
Instructor's Name: Richard Greenfield
Code: HIST 315
Term: Fall/Winter
Year: 2015
Petition Category: Drop a course after the academic deadline
Code: HIST 241
Term: Winter
Year: 2015
Petition Category: Request aegrotat (AG) standing in a course or courses
Instructor's Name: James Carson
Petition Letter
Petition Letter: Dear Associate Dean,
Apologies, both for interrupting your holiday and for the length of this email. Naturally, if I had more time I would have written a shorter letter. I am writing to appeal for an aegrotat in HIST 201, HIST 218 and HIST 241 and a late drop of HIST 208 and HIST 315.
Essentially, in my first year at Queen's I suffered from severe back and neck pain, and collapsed on multiple occasions, consequently being taken to hospital a shocking number of times. The summer of 2014 I was then the subject of an intensive review in London, turning up a prior injury in a ski accident when I was 13 to have actually fractured my neck in two places, leading to severe and permanent damage to my nervous system and leaving me with chronic pain. This is an issue that I have dealt with over the past 12 months, including with a minor procedure last summer, and have substantially improved upon.
Unfortunately in the Fall semester of this year, I was further diagnosed as having been suffering for years with schizophrenia, a misdiagnosis very recently changed to something more akin to PTSD. This was an on going struggle the entire year, especially with the initial misdiagnosis and a massive degree of medicating for a teenager, and the deaths of two close family members. I have since made major headway in dealing with the issue, and will have come to a position by the commencement of the new academic year where I am mentally stable and, by and large, free from mental illness.
Naturally, to make things slightly more difficult, I was involved in two minor accidents at the end of the winter semester, which have fairly seriously damaged my legs. On the 11th June I had a several hour operation on my left knee, which was successful, and for which I will hopefully fully recover over the next year. I also face the progressively higher possibility of another operation on my right ankle, which could not be performed on at the same time for obvious reasons. I am currently on crutches and major painkillers, and will in all likelihood not be walking for several months, but it is a mechanical problem that can, hopefully, be fully overcome.
To be blunt, my academic standing is appalling. My family have phenomenally high standards; my uncle was accepted to Yale at the age of 15, my mother was one of the first American students to study in Beijing, my brother is hoping to be the youngest Briton to ever climb Everest next year, and so on. I had a major knee operation aged 16, and ever since I have failed to live up their expectations and, more importantly, to my potential. This has in part been due to apathy and indifference, my difficulties making it easy to put academic work on the back foot, but an element of one mindedness in my approach to tackling one problem at a time has certainly affected my and lifestyle. This is no longer an issue. I will conclude any mental issues over the summer and push myself to be in a position where my physical recovery and exercise are not a hindrance to me in the future, and I intend to dedicate myself to my work over the coming years. Throughout the last year I have been in constant contact with Mary Acreman in Queen's Counselling, Lee Fisher-Goodchild in Disability Services, and, briefly with Mike Condra in Counselling and Haley Everson in Academic Advising; all of whom can vouch on my behalf and confirm anything that I have said. Mary and Lee in particular have offered to do so. Also, if necessary, I am happy to supply any specific documentation that may be required. I have a lot of ground to make up, and a lot to prove, but every difficulty I have faced, I have dealt with in a dedicated, passionate, and intelligent manner; a manner that I will bring to my studies.
Yours faithfully,
Cameron Russell
Apologies, both for interrupting your holiday and for the length of this email. Naturally, if I had more time I would have written a shorter letter. I am writing to appeal for an aegrotat in HIST 201, HIST 218 and HIST 241 and a late drop of HIST 208 and HIST 315.
Essentially, in my first year at Queen's I suffered from severe back and neck pain, and collapsed on multiple occasions, consequently being taken to hospital a shocking number of times. The summer of 2014 I was then the subject of an intensive review in London, turning up a prior injury in a ski accident when I was 13 to have actually fractured my neck in two places, leading to severe and permanent damage to my nervous system and leaving me with chronic pain. This is an issue that I have dealt with over the past 12 months, including with a minor procedure last summer, and have substantially improved upon.
Unfortunately in the Fall semester of this year, I was further diagnosed as having been suffering for years with schizophrenia, a misdiagnosis very recently changed to something more akin to PTSD. This was an on going struggle the entire year, especially with the initial misdiagnosis and a massive degree of medicating for a teenager, and the deaths of two close family members. I have since made major headway in dealing with the issue, and will have come to a position by the commencement of the new academic year where I am mentally stable and, by and large, free from mental illness.
Naturally, to make things slightly more difficult, I was involved in two minor accidents at the end of the winter semester, which have fairly seriously damaged my legs. On the 11th June I had a several hour operation on my left knee, which was successful, and for which I will hopefully fully recover over the next year. I also face the progressively higher possibility of another operation on my right ankle, which could not be performed on at the same time for obvious reasons. I am currently on crutches and major painkillers, and will in all likelihood not be walking for several months, but it is a mechanical problem that can, hopefully, be fully overcome.
To be blunt, my academic standing is appalling. My family have phenomenally high standards; my uncle was accepted to Yale at the age of 15, my mother was one of the first American students to study in Beijing, my brother is hoping to be the youngest Briton to ever climb Everest next year, and so on. I had a major knee operation aged 16, and ever since I have failed to live up their expectations and, more importantly, to my potential. This has in part been due to apathy and indifference, my difficulties making it easy to put academic work on the back foot, but an element of one mindedness in my approach to tackling one problem at a time has certainly affected my and lifestyle. This is no longer an issue. I will conclude any mental issues over the summer and push myself to be in a position where my physical recovery and exercise are not a hindrance to me in the future, and I intend to dedicate myself to my work over the coming years. Throughout the last year I have been in constant contact with Mary Acreman in Queen's Counselling, Lee Fisher-Goodchild in Disability Services, and, briefly with Mike Condra in Counselling and Haley Everson in Academic Advising; all of whom can vouch on my behalf and confirm anything that I have said. Mary and Lee in particular have offered to do so. Also, if necessary, I am happy to supply any specific documentation that may be required. I have a lot of ground to make up, and a lot to prove, but every difficulty I have faced, I have dealt with in a dedicated, passionate, and intelligent manner; a manner that I will bring to my studies.
Yours faithfully,
Cameron Russell
Documentation
Professional Letter Detail: Not sure what is required