Submit an Academic Petition or Appeal

Petition Letter: To whom this may concern,
I hope this letter finds you well. My name is Josie Doering, and I am writing to petition for permission to drop the BCHM317 course beyond the designated drop date due to extenuating circumstances that significantly impacted my academic performance. I am a fourth-year student at Queen’s University (Student Number: 20223990) and am graduating in June of 2024 with a Bachelor of Science Honours Degree. During the time I was enrolled in BCHM317, I encountered a series of unforeseen challenges which caused an overwhelming impact on my ability to effectively engage with the course material. I faced a prolonged physical illness of persistent respiratory illness that spanned nearly two months. This illness, including strep throat and other related illness/complications severely compromised my ability to attend classes, complete assignments, and participate in the course requirements. I have included medical documentation verifying my diagnosis of strep throat.

During the first few weeks of this course, I lost my family dog of 14 years. Coping with the grief and emotional stress associated with this loss was very difficult and impeded my capacity to concentrate on academics. I also experienced an unexpected medical emergency that necessitated urgent care at the Kingston Hotel Dieu Urgent Care Centre. This is a very personal issue, which I have a difficult time talking about and disclosing with others, but I feel as though this incident significantly disrupted my academic routine. I was diagnosed with a virus and prescribed a regiment of medications, including Tylenol 3 and antivirals, which induced fatigue and nausea during the course of their treatment. The recovery process for this issue spanned nearly two weeks, during which I was unable to engage with my coursework, nor go to class as it was difficult and painful to walk.

My health challenges persisted into the winter semester, where I encountered a urinary tract infection that required multiple rounds of ineffective antibiotics (which can be seen in the documents attached from my shopper’s pharmacy prescription history) before ultimately responding to treatment prescribed by my family physician. The cumulative effects of these health setbacks, coupled with the emotional toll of personal loss, created a large barrier to my academic progress.

During this period, I was also a part of the Queen’s University Talent Transfer Rowing Team, which i was very excited for as I hadn’t been able to play sports or feel like a part of a team since high school, during which time I participated in nearly every sport and sports on club teams outside of high school. Due to my illnesses, and the loss of my pet, I found it very difficult to attend practices and maintain the required workout plan and time requirements. I unfortunately had to make the decision to quit the rowing team as my illness caused me to miss too many practices, regatta’s (competitions), and training sessions. I also was working at Shopper’s Drug Mart as a Pharmacist Assistant during this time and was released because I was unable to make shifts due to the illnesses I was encountering.

Despite my efforts to preserve through these difficulties, I found myself unable to keep up with the academic requirements of BCHM317 and the other courses I was taking during this entire academic year. I was trying to manage my health while also trying to follow up with coursework which became very overwhelming, and I recognise that my decision to maintain enrolled in BCHM317, despite my interest and efforts to catch up in the course, was an error in judgement.

Reflecting on this challenging period, I acknowledge that my circumstances were far more complex than I initially perceived, and I regret not recognizing the need to prioritize my well-being and academic success by withdrawing from the course earlier. I remain committed to my academic career and have since demonstrated significant improvement in my performance across the previous semesters.

In conclusion, I respectfully request your understanding and consideration in granting my petition to drop BCHM317 past the drop date. I assure you that the extenuating circumstances outlined had a profound impact on my academics during this period. I am more than willing to provide any additional documentation or information that may assist you in evaluating my petition. Thank you for your time and attention to this matter.

Best regards,

Josie Doering.