Submit an Academic Petition or Appeal

Petition Letter: Dear Dr. Stephenson,

My name is Kendra Shillington and I am an Arts & Science Online (ASO) undergraduate student who is majoring in Psychology. I have completed 66 credits, with 24 units remaining until the completion of my undergraduate degree. Of the 66 credits, I have 27 completed toward my major, leaving me three remaining.

I am writing to you under the advice of my academic advisor to petition for the removal of some failed courses from my transcript based on extenuating circumstances. The courses are listed below:

RELS131 A&B (Winter 2024)
PSYC221 (Fall 2022)
ARTH120 (Summer 2019)
ENGL100B (Winter 2019)
ENIN240 (Winter 2019)
WRIT240 (Winter 2019)

I have had a number of significant life events occur since 2019 that have impacted my ability to focus on and complete course work. Namely, I have given birth to two children (both during the pandemic), begun a new job, gotten married, and purchased a new house. Looking back, I certainly should have taken a break from school as I navigated being a new mother and wife on top of new employment, but I very ambitiously (and quite naively!) told myself that I could handle it all. I continued to enroll in and pay for courses each term in hopes that it would kickstart my focus, and I was nervous that taking a break would mean that I would never return to studies. I specifically thought that maternity leave would be a great opportunity to complete courses, and was decidedly proven wrong.

I will be the first to admit that I did not prioritize course work during this time, as I gravely underestimated my capacity to balance all of the new pieces of my life. I found it difficult to complete course work while also prioritizing my family and new job. While I am happy to say that both of my little boys are thriving (if quite a handful!), and that I am succeeding in my employment, unfortunately the coursework was the piece of my life that was consistently deprioritized as the impact of not completing it rested solely on me, instead of my family or work.

Finishing my degree has been an important personal goal of mine for years, and I remain committed to seeing it through; I want to set an example for my children not only on the importance of education, but also on the importance of committing to your goals. I value post-secondary education, and as you can see by my grades prior to Winter 2019 I am very capable of succeeding in coursework. I recognize that I am nearing the criteria for academic probation, and am hopeful that in removing these courses I will be able to complete the remainder of my credits without restrictions. I aim to re-start coursework in Fall 2024 with your approval.

In order to ensure that I am successful in completing my remaining requirements, I plan to implement a number of strategies. I have spoken to my husband and family, and let them know that this will be a personal priority of mine moving forward. I have their full support, and have arranged for scheduled childcare with the express purpose of giving myself some breathing room to focus on school. In addition, I am working with my sister (who holds multiple degrees and works in post-secondary) to create an action plan that ensures I am able to meet my academic goals. This action plan includes weekly accountability meetings where we will review course requirements and ensure that I am on track. I am prepared to engage in tutoring or other academic supports, as well as to continue meeting with my academic advisor to come up with a sustainable plan that sees me finishing my degree in a timely manner.

I sincerely appreciate your time and attention to my request. I want to reiterate my commitment to finishing my degree, and assure you that I have put multiple strategies in place to ensure that I am able to do so. Thank you for your consideration.

Sincerely,

Kendra Shillington