Submit an Academic Petition or Appeal

Petition Letter: I hope this message finds you well. I am writing to formally request for a late withdrawal from three courses in the Fall term. Unfortunately, unforeseen personal struggles have significantly impacted my ability to fulfill my academic commitments within the established drop date.

Before and after submitting my first-year appeal, I got support from Barbara Lotan at the Human Rights and Equity office, sharing my experience with sexual assault and how it had affected me. I had hoped to move forward after the appeal was granted and navigate my academic responsibilities successfully. However, these challenges persist, affecting both my mental well-being and academic performance.

My second year at Queens went very well and so going into third year I was hopeful my hardships had passed me. This is when I relapsed even worse than my first-year struggles. Feeling myself slipping again - I dropped a course at the start of the year and kept trying to pursue my obligations as a student. I didn’t recognize at the time how deeply I was struggling and instead I ignored the signs and kept pushing.

Since my first appeal, I have actively engaged with the Sexual Assault Centre in Kingston and sought academic advising from Kerri Andrews in student services, particularly during this academic year. Despite these proactive measures, I find myself in a position where the struggles have interlinked, making it clear that I should have taken some time for myself after my first year before immersing myself back into the academic environment.

In acknowledgment of the need for a significant pause to focus on my well-being, I have chosen to withdraw from Winter term classes, ensuring I do not repeat my mistakes. This decision is aimed at affording myself the time and space required to fully regain my footing before re-entering into academic life.

I’ve realized that my struggles at Queen's are intertwined, and it has become evident that I have been pushing myself beyond my own capabilities. The support and facilities offered at Queen's have been extremely valuable, but I now recognize the necessity to shift my focus inward and address my own well-being.

I express sincere gratitude for your understanding and consideration of this request. I refrained from dropping the courses in October, genuinely believing in my capacity to succeed and fulfill my academic commitments. I thought I would be able to pull myself together, and then days weeks and months had passed me by. Unfortunately, I have come to realize I was wrong, and I should have taken a step back before finding myself in this current situation.

Over Christmas break I had very long and hard conversations with my parents on how I wanted to proceed in not only this appeal request but also in my overall journey. This request comes from a genuine place of constant struggle and pain over the past two and a half years. Now more than ever I am taking the necessary steps to navigate through these challenges and emerge stronger on the other side. Instead of sugar coating the surface levels, I am starting at the core of my being so that I never find myself in this place again.

I appreciate your consideration and understanding during this challenging time. If there are any additional materials or documentation required to support this request, please let me know.

Thank you for your time and attention to this matter regarding the late withdrawal from these three courses.