Submit an Academic Petition or Appeal

Appeal Letter: Dear Board of Studies,

I am appealing Associate Dean Jenn Stephenson’s decision to deny my appeal to extend my incomplete grade for HIST 473 (Fall, 2023) on the grounds that the Associate Dean in my opinion did not make a reasonable decision in my appeal.

Referencing the Associate Dean’s decision letter, she stated, “According to Academic Petition and Appeal regulation 3.3.1.5. Normally such requests are considered if the student has participated actively in the class and only one or two elements of the course work have not been completed due to extenuating circumstances beyond the student’s control.” I am not sure why this appeal regulation was mentioned, as I did actively participate in the class, attending the majority of the weekly seminars while speaking frequently during class. In addition, two elements of the course work were not completed due to extenuating circumstances beyond my control. Therefore, I qualify for an incomplete grade according to Appeal regulation 3.3.1.5.

Associate Dean Stephenson also stated in her decision letter, “Students with extenuating circumstances who have been unable to complete the majority of the work in a class should consider a petition to drop a class after the deadline rather than an extension of the deadline to submit incomplete work.” Under section 1.2 of Contexts for Appeals in the Faculty of Arts and Science, 1.2.2. Procedural Fairness states that Procedural fairness or natural justice holds that: (2) “Student must have access to the information being considered.” Having noted this, when I was appealing to Associate Dean Stephenson regarding an extension of my incomplete grade, I was unaware that I had not completed the ‘majority’ of coursework. The Associate Dean stated in her decision letter, “I recognize that you were able to complete one oral presentation in this course during the 2023 Fall term and the instructor has confirmed that you did receive some marks for in class participation and attendance. However, I have denied this request as the instructor of the course has confirmed that 55% of the course work is outstanding. As the majority of the graded components in HIST 473 (F23) were not completed during the term, you are not eligible for an Extension of an Incomplete Grade in the course.” From the coursework I completed and the fact that my request for an incomplete grade was granted by Professor Haidarali on December 21, 2023, I was under the impression that I had completed the majority of the coursework and therefore was eligible for an extension of the incomplete grade. Therefore, throughout this process, including originally requesting an incomplete grade and recently petitioning to extend the incomplete grade, I did not have access to the information being considered per 1.2.2. Procedural Fairness.

I would also like to note the severity of my disabilities and the significant impact they have had on my academic performance. Despite trying my absolute best to manage my disability through consulting my family physician, two psychiatrists, a psychologist, a rheumatologist and a physiotherapist, seeking assistance from QSAS, and taking full responsibility for my academic progress, I have experienced great difficulty during my academic tenure at Queens due to circumstances largely beyond my control. Due to my diagnoses’, my ability to focus on coursework and complete assignments is compromised. Again, I state I have been doing my very best to manage my disabilities and to complete my coursework. I would also like to state that the extenuating circumstances I experienced which led me to request an incomplete grade in the first place are ongoing, hence my petition to extend the incomplete grade.

I have provided documentation in my original appeal; however, I will provide updated documentation from my family physician in the near future. My apologies for not attaching it to this letter, however, he has been out of the office for the last three weeks.

My academic plan remains to complete my BAH and to continue forward to graduate with my BED and fulfill my lifelong dream to be a teacher.

As for my future plan regarding my extenuating circumstances and my ability to manage them, my family physician has referred me to a psychiatrist in the hopes that they will be able to make more informed decisions regarding my treatment plan. It is my family physician and I’s goal that this consultation will properly adjust my treatment and allow me to manage my disability and continue my schooling in the same manner as I began during my first year at Queens.

Sincerely,
Evan Huys