Submit an Academic Petition or Appeal

Petition Letter: Dear Associate Dean,

I am writing to request a late drop for two courses, EMPR 240 and EMPR 335, taken during the summer and fall semesters of 2023, respectively. This request is due to significant mental health challenges and family issues that severely impacted my academic performance and prevented me from dropping these courses within the standard timeframe.

I am about to graduate from the Employment Relations. I have been a dedicated and hardworking student throughout my time at the university. However, I have certainly had a difficult journey through my undergraduate degree struggling in each of my semesters with personal circumstances regarding my own mental health. This past summer of 2023, I experienced a variety of family problems leading to a move in my personal life. I was unable to complete the most basic daily tasks, including my coursework in EMPR 240, and failed to reach out to school resources.

Specifically, I struggled with poor mental health due to a number of personal and academic stressors. As a result, my ability to manage school, personal health, and the responsibility of moving amounted to my failure to drop EMPR 240, and EMPR 335 in time.

These extenuating circumstances had a particularly negative impact on my performance. I could not attend most of my classes and missed important lectures and discussions. Additionally, I fell behind on my readings and assignments and was unable to catch up despite my best efforts including several discussions with both professors respectively. Each professor suggested I apply for a late drop and was unwilling to accommodate alternate deliverables, It wasn't until I recently reached out to family and resources that I realized how far removed I have been from being functional. Unfortunately, I was unable to complete the required coursework before the end of the semester, and as a result, I received failing grades in the courses.

Throughout the timeline of summer 2023 all the way through to my completion of my final course in the fall semester of 2023 I have struggled extensively both personally and in my homelife, and I am fortunate to have had some support from student wellness guidance, the Director of Employment Relations Studies Robert Hickey, as well as my professor Bradley Weinberg in EMPR 240 in receiving guidance and support towards rectifying the damage done to my academic standing as a result of my circumstances all of whom agreed to respect a late course drop in both EMPR 240 and 335.

I am writing to request permission to petition for a late drop of the courses. I understand that this is a rare and exceptional circumstance, but I genuinely believe that my extenuating circumstances were dire and have had a detrimental effect on my GPA.

As I depart from Queens following my graduation this upcoming Friday my goal is to continue taking steps to improve my overall mental health and manage my stress more effectively. I am seeking counseling and therapy, to further reinforce positive change in the face of my own personal struggles and ultimately build a foundation that will allow me to find success in the face of future extenuating circumstances that life brings. I am encouraged that with the support of the university as well as the support of mental health professionals, I will be able to overcome these obstacles.

My goal is to mitigate the impact of these extenuating circumstances on my GPA, as I graduate I would like to reflect that my GPA and course standing reflects my output as a student and not the failures and dark circumstances that detracted from efficacy as a student and ultimately lead to my failure in those respective courses.

Thank you for your consideration. I truly appreciate access to this petition process and the university resources I have been able to engage.

Sincerely, Jonah Tal