Manage Appeals
Petition Type: New
ID: 12014
Submitted: June 13, 2024 at 8:55:19 AM
First Name: Keira
Last Name: Cheeseman
Pronoun: she/her
Student Number: 20415477
Email: 22xccr@queensu.ca
Degree Program: BSH
Plan: N/A
Level of Study: 1
Petition Categories
Petition Categories: Waive the requirement to withdraw for one year
Petition Letter
Petition Letter: To Whom It May Concern,
I am writing you today to formally request to waive my requirement to withdraw for the 2024/2025 academic year. I am aware of the significance of this situation, and completely accept responsibility for my actions that resulted in my poor performance over the 2024 Winter Semester. This past year, I was operating under a set of circumstances that were not under my control. I hope to provide you with context for those circumstances as well as how I have prepared myself to re-enter the academic world while holding myself to a high standard.
This past year was completely out of character for me academically, socially, and mental health wise. I was an honour roll student for the entirety of my highschool career, winning various academic awards throughout my four years and graduating as an Ontario Scholar with a French Immersion Certificate. I have always been very passionate about my education; it is a privilege that I value and enjoy. During my many years as an Air Cadet, I became very disciplined and independent, learned how to properly manage my time, and work effectively with others. These are skills that I have re-cultivated over my past few months at home using methods I will later outline.
My family and I were put in many difficult situations over the past year, which caused me to experience mental health problems I had never encountered before. I did not know how to communicate or effectively treat these issues, and it cost me my academic standing. My brother is diagnosed with Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy, a physical disability that worsens over time. This has been the hardest year for him, meaning it has been the hardest year on our family. Additionally, my uncle was diagnosed with terminal cancer and passed very quickly after his diagnosis. His daughter, my cousin, is my best friend. We are extremely close with their family, and watching my uncle deteriorate at a rapid pace and then experiencing the fallout after his death was extremely difficult. The accumulation of all of the heaviness this year caused a strain on my typically wonderful relationship with my family. I could not handle being away from my support system while all of this was going on, and eventually made the decision to return home early and leave my courses incomplete. It is not a decision I am proud of, but I believed it was the best one for me to make at the time for my own wellbeing.
During my time away from school, I made it my mission to better my mental health and relationships so that I could return to my academics with full strength. I began to see a psychologist, who helped me talk through everything I had endured and who continues to provide me with problem-solving skills/strategies on how to resume my positive behaviours. I have also restored routines in my day to day life, as they have always provided me with a sense of balance and structure. My relationships with my family members and friends are stronger than ever after spending lots of quality time together and leaning on each other for support. I can confidently say that I feel like my happy and healthy self again, and the prospect of returning to Queen’s in the fall is extremely exciting to me. Thank you for taking the time to consider my petition. I would be grateful for the opportunity to discuss my situation further and/or provide any additional required information.
Sincerely,
Keira Cheeseman
I am writing you today to formally request to waive my requirement to withdraw for the 2024/2025 academic year. I am aware of the significance of this situation, and completely accept responsibility for my actions that resulted in my poor performance over the 2024 Winter Semester. This past year, I was operating under a set of circumstances that were not under my control. I hope to provide you with context for those circumstances as well as how I have prepared myself to re-enter the academic world while holding myself to a high standard.
This past year was completely out of character for me academically, socially, and mental health wise. I was an honour roll student for the entirety of my highschool career, winning various academic awards throughout my four years and graduating as an Ontario Scholar with a French Immersion Certificate. I have always been very passionate about my education; it is a privilege that I value and enjoy. During my many years as an Air Cadet, I became very disciplined and independent, learned how to properly manage my time, and work effectively with others. These are skills that I have re-cultivated over my past few months at home using methods I will later outline.
My family and I were put in many difficult situations over the past year, which caused me to experience mental health problems I had never encountered before. I did not know how to communicate or effectively treat these issues, and it cost me my academic standing. My brother is diagnosed with Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy, a physical disability that worsens over time. This has been the hardest year for him, meaning it has been the hardest year on our family. Additionally, my uncle was diagnosed with terminal cancer and passed very quickly after his diagnosis. His daughter, my cousin, is my best friend. We are extremely close with their family, and watching my uncle deteriorate at a rapid pace and then experiencing the fallout after his death was extremely difficult. The accumulation of all of the heaviness this year caused a strain on my typically wonderful relationship with my family. I could not handle being away from my support system while all of this was going on, and eventually made the decision to return home early and leave my courses incomplete. It is not a decision I am proud of, but I believed it was the best one for me to make at the time for my own wellbeing.
During my time away from school, I made it my mission to better my mental health and relationships so that I could return to my academics with full strength. I began to see a psychologist, who helped me talk through everything I had endured and who continues to provide me with problem-solving skills/strategies on how to resume my positive behaviours. I have also restored routines in my day to day life, as they have always provided me with a sense of balance and structure. My relationships with my family members and friends are stronger than ever after spending lots of quality time together and leaning on each other for support. I can confidently say that I feel like my happy and healthy self again, and the prospect of returning to Queen’s in the fall is extremely exciting to me. Thank you for taking the time to consider my petition. I would be grateful for the opportunity to discuss my situation further and/or provide any additional required information.
Sincerely,
Keira Cheeseman
Academic Plan
Academic Plan: Academic Plan
1. Course of Study
My lack of success last year was almost entirely due to the circumstances I have outlined in the letter, however, it was also in part because my studies were in a field that I was not interested in. I let others influence my decision to pursue math because it was an area I was gifted in over my years in highschool. Next year, I am choosing a path that I am passionate and excited about. I believe that this will greatly increase my chances of success.
My interest lies in health science, biology, life science, kinesiology, and similar areas. I have always enjoyed taking biology courses, I had just never considered it as a degree path as it was not what I was strongest in. I am aware that some of these plans are in different faculties and it is extremely difficult to get into them as an ArtSci student, and I am perfectly content with choosing biology as my field of study if the others do not work out. This would require me re-taking prerequisite courses such as CHEM 112, and calculus. I enjoyed chemistry and have faith that I would be successful in the course taking it a second time. I also witnessed my peers find success in calculus by attending study groups, tutorials, office hours, and tutoring. I am prepared and equipped to utilise all of these resources to find success in calculus next year. This new path excites me much more than my previous one ever had, and I am hopeful that I can begin in September 2024.
Due to my mental state at the time, I found myself shutting out my peers as well as the learning resources provided to me. I did not attend my tutorials, extra help, office hours, or request help from my peers. I typically have no trouble reaching out to others for assistance, and that is exactly what I plan to do next year. I am excited to participate in study groups with my peers, and to discuss topics with TA’s or professors who are extremely knowledgeable in their field. Utilizing the many resources that Queen’s provides to help me succeed will enhance my experience both academically and socially.
2. Full time vs Part time
I am committed to being a full time student. I know that I am capable of successfully completing the typical courseload of 5 courses a semester. I will not be working during the school year, as I would like to be able to entirely focus on my coursework in order to ensure that next year is successful. I am fortunate enough that financial resources are not an issue for me and they were not a factor in me failing to successfully complete my first year. This means that if I require additional academic support such as tutoring, that is something I am willing to invest my money and my time into. Choosing courses that I am passionate about and that excite me is also going to make being a full time student much easier. My failure was in part due to my program choice, as mentioned previously, and I believe my current course of study is much more in tune with my interests and passions. I am completely confident that I will be able to dedicate 10+ hours a week to my education.
3. Strategies for success
My strategies for success are as follows:
Routines
Creating a strict but achievable daily routine for myself has always been largely effective. Last year, I fell out of my routines and it proved to be detrimental. Now that I am acquainted with Kingston and will be living with friends that I am comfortable and happy with, it will be much easier for me to create solid
routines that I can follow. Scheduling my days makes it possible for me to stay on task, block out time for things such as exercise, socialization, schoolwork, and time alone to recharge.
Continuing to see a counselor
My issues last year were due to mental health problems I did not forsee and did not know how to deal with. Now that I am regularly seeing a counselor and know how to recognize unhealthy behaviour in myself, I can get ahead of any issues I am having and deal with them effectively in the way that best suits my needs. I already feel like a completely different person than I was during second semester. I have taken the time that I needed to get myself back on track, spent said time with my support system at home, and am now feeling ready to leave home again and continue my studies. I have the proper tools to help me get through the year independently, and am looking forward to doing so.
I am extremely excited by the prospect of continuing my Queen’s education as soon as possible, and am prepared to give my education my full attention.
1. Course of Study
My lack of success last year was almost entirely due to the circumstances I have outlined in the letter, however, it was also in part because my studies were in a field that I was not interested in. I let others influence my decision to pursue math because it was an area I was gifted in over my years in highschool. Next year, I am choosing a path that I am passionate and excited about. I believe that this will greatly increase my chances of success.
My interest lies in health science, biology, life science, kinesiology, and similar areas. I have always enjoyed taking biology courses, I had just never considered it as a degree path as it was not what I was strongest in. I am aware that some of these plans are in different faculties and it is extremely difficult to get into them as an ArtSci student, and I am perfectly content with choosing biology as my field of study if the others do not work out. This would require me re-taking prerequisite courses such as CHEM 112, and calculus. I enjoyed chemistry and have faith that I would be successful in the course taking it a second time. I also witnessed my peers find success in calculus by attending study groups, tutorials, office hours, and tutoring. I am prepared and equipped to utilise all of these resources to find success in calculus next year. This new path excites me much more than my previous one ever had, and I am hopeful that I can begin in September 2024.
Due to my mental state at the time, I found myself shutting out my peers as well as the learning resources provided to me. I did not attend my tutorials, extra help, office hours, or request help from my peers. I typically have no trouble reaching out to others for assistance, and that is exactly what I plan to do next year. I am excited to participate in study groups with my peers, and to discuss topics with TA’s or professors who are extremely knowledgeable in their field. Utilizing the many resources that Queen’s provides to help me succeed will enhance my experience both academically and socially.
2. Full time vs Part time
I am committed to being a full time student. I know that I am capable of successfully completing the typical courseload of 5 courses a semester. I will not be working during the school year, as I would like to be able to entirely focus on my coursework in order to ensure that next year is successful. I am fortunate enough that financial resources are not an issue for me and they were not a factor in me failing to successfully complete my first year. This means that if I require additional academic support such as tutoring, that is something I am willing to invest my money and my time into. Choosing courses that I am passionate about and that excite me is also going to make being a full time student much easier. My failure was in part due to my program choice, as mentioned previously, and I believe my current course of study is much more in tune with my interests and passions. I am completely confident that I will be able to dedicate 10+ hours a week to my education.
3. Strategies for success
My strategies for success are as follows:
Routines
Creating a strict but achievable daily routine for myself has always been largely effective. Last year, I fell out of my routines and it proved to be detrimental. Now that I am acquainted with Kingston and will be living with friends that I am comfortable and happy with, it will be much easier for me to create solid
routines that I can follow. Scheduling my days makes it possible for me to stay on task, block out time for things such as exercise, socialization, schoolwork, and time alone to recharge.
Continuing to see a counselor
My issues last year were due to mental health problems I did not forsee and did not know how to deal with. Now that I am regularly seeing a counselor and know how to recognize unhealthy behaviour in myself, I can get ahead of any issues I am having and deal with them effectively in the way that best suits my needs. I already feel like a completely different person than I was during second semester. I have taken the time that I needed to get myself back on track, spent said time with my support system at home, and am now feeling ready to leave home again and continue my studies. I have the proper tools to help me get through the year independently, and am looking forward to doing so.
I am extremely excited by the prospect of continuing my Queen’s education as soon as possible, and am prepared to give my education my full attention.
Documentation
Professional Letter Detail: NO DOC
Decision Letters
History
Originally submitted June 13, 2024 at 8:55:19 AM.
| Field | Reference | Old Value | New Value | Note | User | Date/Time |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| status | N/A | Received | Incomplete | Kerri Andrews | 2024-06-13 11:11:22 AM | |
| status | N/A | Incomplete | In Review | Kerri Andrews | 2024-06-26 11:47:33 PM | |
| status | N/A | In Review | Denied | Kerri Andrews | 2024-07-11 1:49:34 PM | |
| associate_dean | N/A | Jenn Stephenson, Ph.D. | Kerri Andrews | 2024-07-11 1:49:34 PM | ||
| decision_letter | N/A | N/A | Decision letter sent | Kerri Andrews | 2024-07-11 1:50:54 PM |