Submit an Academic Petition or Appeal

Petition Letter: To Whom It May Concern,

I am writing to formally request the removal of my final grade for the course CLST 150 from my transcript. This request is based on the significant impact the course has had on my GPA and the numerous challenges I faced throughout the term due to the course’s structural shortcomings. As an elective, CLST 150 was intended to complement my academic journey, but instead, it became a source of undue stress and academic disadvantage.

Despite my consistent efforts to engage with the course material and attend all classes, the structure and administration of the course presented serious obstacles to my success. The grading scheme was heavily weighted on four tests, each worth at least 20-30% of the final grade, with no alternative assignments or participation marks to balance the assessment. This disproportionate weighting placed immense pressure on a limited number of evaluations.

Furthermore, the teaching assistants (TAs) were unresponsive and unhelpful in addressing student concerns. On multiple occasions, the test reviews—critical resources for preparing for these heavily weighted assessments—were posted after 11 PM the night before the test. Despite my efforts to remind and request the TAs to share these reviews at a more reasonable time, my emails were ignored, leaving students insufficient time to prepare adequately. Expecting students to prepare for high-stakes tests with less than 8-10 hours’ notice, especially for tests scheduled early in the morning (8:30 AM - 10 AM), is unreasonable and does not align with the principles of student wellness and academic fairness.

The lack of timely support and unreasonable expectations forced many students, including myself, to pull all-nighters to study, which is detrimental to physical and mental health. Such a learning environment is not conducive to academic success or personal well-being.

Additionally, I do not believe the grade distribution for this course was fair, especially when considering the lack of effort and responsiveness from the TAs. Their inability to provide timely assistance or adequately support students during critical times significantly hindered my ability to perform well in the course.

As an individual who aspires to attend law school in the future, my GPA is of paramount importance. Unfortunately, the grade I received in CLST 150 has significantly lowered my GPA, potentially affecting my academic and professional aspirations. I firmly believe that the structural flaws of this course unfairly impacted my performance and final grade, which does not reflect my overall academic abilities or efforts.

To address this issue and ensure that my academic record remains a fair representation of my abilities, I am willing to take an additional course or substitute another elective to replace this one. This demonstrates my commitment to fulfilling my academic requirements while maintaining the integrity of my transcript and GPA.

Therefore, I kindly request that my final grade for CLST 150 be removed from my transcript to prevent it from disproportionately affecting my GPA. I am confident that this adjustment would more accurately reflect my commitment to academic excellence and uphold the values of fairness and student wellness.

Thank you for taking the time to consider my petition. I am happy to provide any additional details or documentation to support my request.

Sincerely,

Nicole Parent
20430399