Submit an Academic Petition or Appeal

Petition Letter: Dear Associate Dean Jenn Stephenson,
I hope this letter finds you well. I am writing to petition for the waiver of my one-year withdrawal requirement, and I appreciate your consideration of my request.
At the beginning of this year, I experienced significant personal losses that greatly affected my academic performance. Both of my grandparents, who raised me, passed away in China, and I was unable to see them one last time. Additionally, my mother developed back problems from caring for them. These events had a profound impact on me, leading to severe emotional distress and a sense of loss that disrupted my daily life, including my studies, eating, and sleeping patterns.
During the Winter 2024 semester, I enrolled in six courses, which was an overly ambitious decision given my emotional state. The combination of my grief and the heavy course load resulted in poor grades. After returning to China, I was diagnosed with erosive gastritis and duodenal erosion, conditions exacerbated by irregular sleep patterns and stress, causing frequent stomach pain throughout the academic year. However, not managing my time well is entirely my own fault, including being trapped in sadness for a long time.
This summer, after extensive discussions with my parents and friends, I successfully adjusted my mindset and enrolled in a physics course. I completely understand that my depression mainly stems from losing a sense of control over my life. The loss or illness of loved ones only makes me feel more helpless. Studying diligently and following a plan have helped me regain control over my life rhythm, and I really enjoy this feeling. For the summer course, I have been diligently taking detailed notes and annotations for each chapter, summarizing my questions weekly, and discussing them with my teaching assistant. To ensure a thorough understanding, I have also been creating and solving additional problems on my own.
Last semester, I was always reluctant to initiate conversations with others because I feared my English was not fluent enough or that my accent would be ridiculed. But now that I have actively started engaging with people, I realize that no one does that. It's natural for me not to be a native English speaker, and the more I speak, the more fluent I become.
Regaining a sense of control over my daily life has been crucial for my recovery. I now start each day with a well-defined plan to manage my time effectively. This new routine has helped me overcome my depression and insomnia, which were not only due to grief but also a loss of control over my life.
In the previous letter I sent to you, I have attached a detailed academic plan for the next semester, my medical records, notes from the summer physics course, and some of the grades from the summer courses to demonstrate my capability.
Thank you very much for taking the time to read this letter and consider my request.
Best regards,
Yuyan Wang
20212092