Submit an Academic Petition or Appeal

Petition Letter: My name is Yixiao Luo, a third-year Bachelor of Arts student majoring in Economics. I suffer from severe thyroid issues, respiratory illnesses, and somatization symptoms triggered by anxiety, which have significantly impacted my academic performance. During the Winter 2024 semester in the ECON 212 course, I was unable to attend the midterm examination due to a flare-up of my conditions. Later, as my health deteriorated further during the finals period, I was urgently taken to the Kingston General Hospital emergency room. As an international student in Canada without a family doctor and without the support of family or friends, that period was extremely challenging—I could not return to my home country for treatment from doctors familiar with my medical history, nor could I secure timely medical appointments here. (For my condition, I have the following documentation: translated medical records from my treatment in my home country, medical records from Kingston General Hospital documenting my emergency visit during the finals week last year, and email records to my professor about my illness at that time.)

Despite experiencing an episode of my illness during the finals week, I still attempted to take the final exam. However, due to an onset of somatization symptoms, I had to submit my test paper midway through the exam and leave, resulting in my failure to pass the course. I informed my professor about my situation through an email immediately afterward, but due to not participating in the midterm and not successfully completing the final exam—two components that significantly contribute to the overall grade—I ultimately failed the course due to uncontrollable medical reasons.

I am currently retaking this course, but my transcript still retains the record of failing ECON 212 in the Winter 2024 semester. I have already lost over five thousand Canadian dollars in tuition fees for this, but more importantly, I hope you can help me drop the ECON 212 course from the Winter 2024 semester, as this failure does not reflect my true capabilities but was instead due to medical issues preventing me from completing the exams normally. As an international student, I often feel powerless and helpless, and I sincerely hope that you can understand my situation and consider my petition.