Submit an Academic Petition or Appeal

Petition Letter: Dear Dean Stephenson,

I am petitioning to be granted credit standing (CR) status in two of my Fall 2023 classes due to extenuating circumstances from mid-November 2023 to the end of January 2024. The classes in which I am petitioning to be granted credit standing (CR) status are BIOL 205 and PSYC 271. In both of these classes, I have a final grade of a C-, which is applicable for credit standing. Credit standing (CR) status is the right path for me due to the extenuating circumstances I faced for a significant portion of my Fall 2023 semester.

My extenuating circumstances were caused by a chronic, subacute condition that did not respond to over-the-counter painkillers and needed a surgical procedure to correct. This condition started on November 5th, 2023. This condition caused frequent, distressing attacks, as well as chronic pain that significantly degraded my quality of life. This chronic pain included
symptoms such as frequent diarrhea and urination, sweating, acute stomach pain, nausea, vomiting, and difficulty breathing. These difficulties inhibited me from submitting assignments, attending lectures, and studying for final projects and finals. I visited the Kingston General Hospital Emergency Department (November 5th) and the Hôtel Dieu Hospital Urgent Care (November 15th) to address this extenuating circumstance for diagnoses and paperwork. I obtained a signed Verification of Extenuating Circumstances form from a medical professional at the CDK Family Medicine and Walk-In Clinic. I also emailed academic accommodation services and my professors/department accommodation figures to stay transparent about my health and remain accountable for my work and progress within my classes. I was not able to obtain timely surgical healthcare within Kingston (despite having OHIP coverage) and had to fly back home to Tucson, Arizona in the United States in early December. On December 11th, I had the previously mentioned surgical procedure and recovered enough to fly back to Kingston by January 7th. I had to study for my final exams while recovering from this surgery and then sat these finals only a few days after flying back to Kingston.

Despite my circumstances, I have finished ~100% of BIOL 205 and PSYC 271 coursework and completed all necessary learning outcomes. Unfortunately, my extenuating circumstances prevented me from studying for my final exams. When I completed these two final exams in the deferred exam week in January, I was still within the academic consideration window granted (from November 5th to January 27th). Before the final exams, according to Queen's Official Grading Scale, I had a 76% in PSYC 271 (B) and a 72% in BIOL 205 (B-). After the final exams, I had a C- (60-62.9%) grade in both PSYC 271 and BIOL 205 because of the final exams. I was not well during these finals, and because of that, my performance suffered and caused damage to my overall grades in these classes. Therefore, I request credit standing (CR) status in these two classes (BIOL 205 and PSYC 271).

Should my petition be granted, my plan for achieving academic success is to continue my studies at Queen's University without worrying about my low class grades for Fall 2023. I am enrolled at Queen's University for my Winter 2024 semester and back on track. My long-term goal is to complete my Honours Bachelor of Science degree. I am sincerely passionate about my biology and psychology specialization major and look forward to more years of expanding my horizons. Overall, I want to put my difficult Fall 2023 semester behind me and look forward to a future of success.
Due to these extenuating circumstances, I humbly petition for credit standing (CR) status within my BIOL 205 and PSYC 271 classes.

I appreciate your consideration,

Emmeline Close