Submit an Academic Petition or Appeal

Petition Letter: Gia Kotadia
Student Number: 20395580
22wvh@queensu.ca
289-242-2789
2180 Golden Briar Trail
Oakville, ON L6H 4T9

Associate Dean of Studies
Queen’s University
99 University Ave
Kingston, ON K7L 3N6

To the Associate Dean of Studies,

I am a first-year student in the Arts & Science program appealing to request Credit Standing in BIOL 103 (Winter 2024), CHEM 112 (Full Year), and MATH 121 (Full Year) as well as a Late Drop in ASTR 101 (Winter 2024).

I would like to request these credit standings and late drop as a result of extenuating circumstances beyond my control due to an unforeseen physical injury that negatively impacted my ability to perform academically in the above courses. At the start of the Winter semester, I experienced a slip-and-fall injury at Leggett Hall in which I fractured two bones in my right ankle and tore a ligament which required me to take time away from school to undergo surgery and heal/rehabilitate my injured ankle. I had to move back home, about three and a half hours away from Kingston and Queen’s University, which made it impossible for me to attend in-person lectures and labs for approximately two months, from January 20th, 2024 to March 12th, 2024. Although I applied for extenuating circumstances during the ordeal, it was still extremely difficult for me to understand important concepts discussed in live lectures which I had no access to, attend labs in which experimental learning took place, and complete certain assignments to the best of my abilities. In addition to this, I was also prescribed heavy medication including opioids, which affected my ability to focus and concentrate on my coursework, and my decision-making abilities to withdraw from any courses. Since my injury took place at the beginning of the semester, I was under the impression that I would be able to heal and come back within a shorter period of time. Unfortunately, I had to undergo surgery and the healing process took a little over two months, nearly half the semester and, ultimately, my academics suffered negatively. I was quite overwhelmed with the amount of workload and missed concepts taught in the in-person lectures that I had no access to, and I had to take ongoing appointments with my therapist for academic anxiety and concerns to perform well academically. Since I am a first-year student, my understanding was limited as to how many courses I should take, and after my accident, my judgement and objectivity were severely affected due to prescribed medications and my overwhelmed mental state, resulting in me not withdrawing from courses before the deadline. I have not requested credit standing for PSYC 100 and PHIL 151, as I was able to receive a grade higher than a ‘C’ in those courses, because of the teaching structure and access to recorded lectures and notes from professors.

Currently, I am continuing to attend physiotherapy in order to strengthen my ankle and resume my physical abilities as per normal. I am also attending regular sessions with my therapist to work on my academic anxiety revolving around my performance this past winter term so that I can be at my best physically as well as mentally to make an informed decision to either take a break for the Fall semester and return for the Winter semester. I am hoping to be able to recover and return to my studies in a timely manner with support of my parents and professionals. I have been meeting with academic counselors for guidance on how to move forward with my academic plan come next year, so that with their guidance I can make up credits and return to my studies.
I have attached supporting documentation of my medical records pertaining to my injury, including my surgeon’s notes and other pertaining medical documentations, which reflects what I have discussed so far.

I am asking for credit standings in three courses and a late drop in one course as a result of extenuating circumstances out of my control, as I believe my physical injury truly had negatively impacted my mental health and ability to succeed academically in my First Year at Queen’s University. After working hard to regain my physical strength with my physiotherapist, meeting with academic and guidance counselors to carefully consider my next steps to continue my education, and working with my therapist to improve my mental health and well-being, I believe that I will be able to overcome these circumstances for my next academic semester and I am optimistic that you will be able to approve my petition.

Sincerely,
Gia Kotadia.