Submit an Academic Petition or Appeal

Petition Letter: Ashley Jay - Letter of Appeal
Queen’s University - 20180561 - 19aej1@queensu.ca

To: Associate Dean
Date: May 27th, 2023

Subject: Letter of Appeal for F22 & W23 courses

Request:
I am appealing the Faculty to drop the following courses;
- SOCY 225 (F22)
- SOCY 301(F22)
- SOCY 235 (W23)
- SOCY 276 (W23)
- SOCY 309 (W23)

Explanation of Extenuating Circumstances:

I am requesting such an appeal on the grounds that I have dealt with extenuating circumstances that have resulted in my failure to complete the five courses outlined above. These extenuating circumstances involve mental health issues and a new diagnosis that came about in the Winter of 2023. My third and fourth year at Queen’s University were extremely difficult for me mentally as I not only experienced difficult challenges in my personal life that negatively impacted my health and wellness but was not equipped with the tools to handle everything on my own. In the Fall of 2021 I went through a difficult experience that dramatically impacted my mental health and overall well-being ultimately leading to a downfall in my personal and academic life. The emotional distress this event caused hovered over me throughout all of my third year and into my fourth year. I started to seek new treatment for my mental health in the Winter (2023) of my fourth year and was advised to seek a new diagnosis and treatment as I may have been misdiagnosed. This process involved a lot of my time and the results further helped me understand how to handle my issues. While I was unable to complete my courses as it was difficult to manage a full course load, I still managed to complete my fourth year with 2 courses from each semester. My main issue during this time was being able to complete work on time and when I did submit, some professors refused to mark my assignments ultimately resulting in my failures. I also want to add that during this time I actively sought out treatment from personal therapy, student wellness connections, medication, and hospital visits.
I failed to drop the courses earlier than week 8 as my extenuating circumstances became dramatically worse overtime. I underestimated the amount of work I was able to take on as I was struggling with pride and embarrassment and did not want to fail myself but rather just push through it. This only worsened my state. I also did not disclose any of my struggles to my housemates and friends as I was extremely embarrassed of what I was going through and essentially suffered through this time in silence.
I have struggled with mental health issues the majority of my life but was able to manage well with support from doctors and family. My first and second year at Queen’s
University, I definitely experienced struggles being alone in a new environment but was able to complete full course loads and utilize accommodations from QSAS as well as my professors to earn full credits. While my circumstances are ongoing, a specific event that occurred in October 2021 brought immense struggles which shed light on a new diagnosis that came about in March of 2023 that dramatically changed the way I handled my mental health.

Future Plan:

Moving forward, I plan to move out of my student house and go back home to live with my family while I finish my fifth and final year of studies online from home. Moving home and being supported by my family will help immensely with my struggles and provide me with a space to mentally prepare myself for finishing my schooling while mentally improving myself. I plan on returning to class in the Fall of 2023 and taking the summer off to focus on myself and take steps to ensure I am able to function successfully. I will also be seeing mental health professionals that I will have access to when I am home to ensure my progression. Moving forward, I am hopeful that I will be able to take care of myself and successfully finish my degree.

Kind Regards,
Ashley Jay 20180561