Submit an Academic Petition or Appeal

Petition Letter: Good evening my name is Edward VanDyke and I am submitting this petition as I have been unable to enroll myself into any courses throughout my entirety of time here at Queen's. I am a current second year student majoring in Sociology, I transferred to Queen's in the Spring of 2024 from York University and have encountered numerous problems that have prohibited me from being able to enroll myself into any class. From my mandatory SOCY courses to electives it has been troublesome to even get enrolled. I was granted an equivalency from Martin Hand, the head of the Sociology department, but of my 24.0 credits that I had completed at York University, Queen's University only felt value in 21.0 of them. This, as you know, did not grant me second year student status so despite me having been granted the equivalency for SOCY 122 I was unable to enroll myself into any second year courses or first year courses because of restrictions that were in place. I required administrative assistance from Michelle Underhill and Martin Hand to be placed in the minimum courses to fulfill my degree requirements. At the beginning of the Fall 2024 semester I was enrolled in 4 courses for the Fall and only 2 for the Winter 2025 semester. I attempted to enroll myself into more classes for the Winter semester throughout the duration of the Fall term but was unable to because of my first year student status as 3.0 of my credits did not transfer which would have granted me second year status. I contacted the Arts and Science support team via email on November 18th where I attempted once again to seek help for enrollment and interacted with Lise Yeatman who, despite convincing me that she would be able to assist me and ensured that I should contact her in isolation, was not able to enroll me into any courses. I then went in person to Dunning Hall where a student assistant was finally able to help me and enrolled me into one additional class (GLPH 271), in the Health Science Department, and placed me on 4 wait lists. The classes that I was then enrolled in were SOCY 227 (Mandatory), SOCY 211 (Mandatory) and GLPH 271 (Health Science). I know that I should not be enrolled in a Health Science course but that was all that I was able to be enrolled in without forfeiting my full time student status. This student assistant also was able to place me on the wait lists for EMPR 110, GPHY 101, ENIN 140 and LLCU 214. I patiently waited during the exam period, winter break and the first two weeks of class while attending both lecture and tutorial for all of these classes, aside from ENIN 140 as it is Online and at the conclusion of the first two weeks I finished on the waitlist in the 1st place position for 3 of those classes, and 2nd for the 4th. ENIN 140 - Wait list Position 1st. GPHY 101 - Waitlist Position 1st. LLCU 214 - Wait list Position 1st. EMPR 110 - Waitlist Position 2nd. I realize that this is simply unlucky but I am currently enrolled in the bare minimum of classes for my SOCY degree and enrolled in a Health Science course which I am aware I should not be. I am writing this letter as I have exhausted my known resources. I have spoken to every person I know available, I have emailed professors, spoken to them in person, came and found Arts and Science support, called departments and have simply not been able to enroll and have not found any help available. I am writing asking for help as I am at a loss on what more I can do. Thank you for your consideration.