Manage Appeals
Petition Type: New
ID: 12771
Submitted: February 7, 2025 at 9:24:27 PM
First Name: Edward
Last Name: Boyle
Pronoun: he/him
Preferred Name: Ted
Student Number: 10141740
Email: 13ejwb@queensu.ca
Degree Program: BAH
Plan: ENGL
Level of Study: 4
Petition Categories
Petition Categories: Waive the 21-day or one term deadline
Petition Letter
Petition Letter: Dear Dr. Stephenson,
I am appealing to waive the petition deadline for my request to have all my grades from Fall 2014 to Winter 2017 changed to credit or aegrotat standing. I have submitted appeals both in 2016 and 2019 to change my grades to credit standing. Some of my requests in the past have been granted, and other courses were denied due to being C+ or higher. In your 2019 Appeal Decision Letter to me, you stated “Edward, let me assure you that a grade of C+ is considered a good grade. In the future, you can certainly explain that there were extenuating circumstances during this year that led to those grades and that that they are not indicative of your abilities if you believe these grades are impeding your progress.” I am writing today because I do not have the ability to explain these grades for my purposes, and I would request again that I be allowed to appeal them to be changed to credit standing.
I am a Queen’s alumni from the class of 2018. I graduated in 2019 with a BAH in English Language & Literature. I was on medical leave from my studies in the 2017-2018 academic year due to severe extenuating circumstances. I am a recovered alcoholic who was active in my addiction for the first three years of my undergraduate studies. My addiction caused me severe cognitive impairment. I was often unable to leave my home or attend classes. I engaged in self-harming and suicidal behaviour regularly. I had a physical dependence on alcohol that caused withdrawal symptoms when I stopped drinking. In winter 2017, while a student at Queen’s, I attempted suicide in my home. The severity of my mental illness at the time made me diagnostically incapable of engaging with my life or my academics as I otherwise would. Please see the attached documentation from my family physician to support these claims.
In the summer of 2017, I was lucky enough to be supported in making a drastic change in my life. I attended a two-month residential treatment program in British Columbia and returned to my father’s home in Toronto to engage in an outpatient therapy program while attending 12-step meetings. I have been sober since August 31st, 2017. After one year of sobriety, and engaging in treatment resources, I returned to complete my degree in the 2018-2019 academic year.
Since that time, I have gone on to complete my Master of Social Work degree at the University of Toronto. My cumulative graduate GPA is 3.97. I work in private practice as a clinical social worker and psychotherapist at the same outpatient therapy program I attended in my first year of sobriety. I have fallen in love with working in healthcare and helping individuals who are in the same position that I once was.
After gaining clinical experience, I am now beginning to prepare my application for medical school to become a psychiatrist. I believe that I can do more to help those I serve, and my personal and professional achievements have proven that I am capable of this. You once told me that a C+ is considered a good grade. Unfortunately, for the purposes of applying to med school, the grades that were denied appeal in the past are not good enough and will prevent me from having a competitive GPA. If I completed a second 4-year undergraduate degree with a 4.0 GPA while working full-time, I would still only have a 3.39, which is not high enough to receive an interview invitation from most or all Canadian medical schools. Many schools would electronically eliminate me before viewing my application.
I believe that the grades I have in my first 3 years of school at Queen’s are substantially lower than might have been expected. My graduate GPA gives a more accurate picture of my academic ability. Changing these grades to credit standing would allow me an opportunity for a second chance, and the ability to achieve my dream.
If this appeal is granted, and subsequent appeals for my grades are allowed, I plan to complete two more years of undergraduate studies while working full-time as a psychotherapist, study for and take the MCAT, and apply to medical school.
I have been told by the Academic Petitions Team that my petition requesting to waive the petition deadline for these courses will be considered after graduation in the case of an undiagnosed (at the time) disability. This is information that I was not given at the time of my previous appeals, which is why I am submitting this petition now. I am also looking to have these grades changed due to my recently established goal of attending medical school. At the time of my last appeal, I was told that I could not appeal grades of C+ or above. I would humbly ask that you reconsider this, and allow me to waive the deadline so that I may appeal the other courses from the 2015 Winter, 2016 Winter, 2016 Fall, and 2017 Winter semesters.
The supporting documentation from my physician speaks to the academic impacts of my substance use disorder (defined as a disability by the Canadian Human Rights Act), which also led to my inability to engage with the appeals process at the time. The changes in my academic performance are directly observable in the grades I achieved following my diagnosis and treatment.
Thank you for your time and consideration. I greatly appreciate the ability to tell my story to you and I hope you will consider this petition in the interest of offering me a second chance at a career which will allow me to empathetically support others like me.
Sincerely,
Edward Boyle
10141740
I am appealing to waive the petition deadline for my request to have all my grades from Fall 2014 to Winter 2017 changed to credit or aegrotat standing. I have submitted appeals both in 2016 and 2019 to change my grades to credit standing. Some of my requests in the past have been granted, and other courses were denied due to being C+ or higher. In your 2019 Appeal Decision Letter to me, you stated “Edward, let me assure you that a grade of C+ is considered a good grade. In the future, you can certainly explain that there were extenuating circumstances during this year that led to those grades and that that they are not indicative of your abilities if you believe these grades are impeding your progress.” I am writing today because I do not have the ability to explain these grades for my purposes, and I would request again that I be allowed to appeal them to be changed to credit standing.
I am a Queen’s alumni from the class of 2018. I graduated in 2019 with a BAH in English Language & Literature. I was on medical leave from my studies in the 2017-2018 academic year due to severe extenuating circumstances. I am a recovered alcoholic who was active in my addiction for the first three years of my undergraduate studies. My addiction caused me severe cognitive impairment. I was often unable to leave my home or attend classes. I engaged in self-harming and suicidal behaviour regularly. I had a physical dependence on alcohol that caused withdrawal symptoms when I stopped drinking. In winter 2017, while a student at Queen’s, I attempted suicide in my home. The severity of my mental illness at the time made me diagnostically incapable of engaging with my life or my academics as I otherwise would. Please see the attached documentation from my family physician to support these claims.
In the summer of 2017, I was lucky enough to be supported in making a drastic change in my life. I attended a two-month residential treatment program in British Columbia and returned to my father’s home in Toronto to engage in an outpatient therapy program while attending 12-step meetings. I have been sober since August 31st, 2017. After one year of sobriety, and engaging in treatment resources, I returned to complete my degree in the 2018-2019 academic year.
Since that time, I have gone on to complete my Master of Social Work degree at the University of Toronto. My cumulative graduate GPA is 3.97. I work in private practice as a clinical social worker and psychotherapist at the same outpatient therapy program I attended in my first year of sobriety. I have fallen in love with working in healthcare and helping individuals who are in the same position that I once was.
After gaining clinical experience, I am now beginning to prepare my application for medical school to become a psychiatrist. I believe that I can do more to help those I serve, and my personal and professional achievements have proven that I am capable of this. You once told me that a C+ is considered a good grade. Unfortunately, for the purposes of applying to med school, the grades that were denied appeal in the past are not good enough and will prevent me from having a competitive GPA. If I completed a second 4-year undergraduate degree with a 4.0 GPA while working full-time, I would still only have a 3.39, which is not high enough to receive an interview invitation from most or all Canadian medical schools. Many schools would electronically eliminate me before viewing my application.
I believe that the grades I have in my first 3 years of school at Queen’s are substantially lower than might have been expected. My graduate GPA gives a more accurate picture of my academic ability. Changing these grades to credit standing would allow me an opportunity for a second chance, and the ability to achieve my dream.
If this appeal is granted, and subsequent appeals for my grades are allowed, I plan to complete two more years of undergraduate studies while working full-time as a psychotherapist, study for and take the MCAT, and apply to medical school.
I have been told by the Academic Petitions Team that my petition requesting to waive the petition deadline for these courses will be considered after graduation in the case of an undiagnosed (at the time) disability. This is information that I was not given at the time of my previous appeals, which is why I am submitting this petition now. I am also looking to have these grades changed due to my recently established goal of attending medical school. At the time of my last appeal, I was told that I could not appeal grades of C+ or above. I would humbly ask that you reconsider this, and allow me to waive the deadline so that I may appeal the other courses from the 2015 Winter, 2016 Winter, 2016 Fall, and 2017 Winter semesters.
The supporting documentation from my physician speaks to the academic impacts of my substance use disorder (defined as a disability by the Canadian Human Rights Act), which also led to my inability to engage with the appeals process at the time. The changes in my academic performance are directly observable in the grades I achieved following my diagnosis and treatment.
Thank you for your time and consideration. I greatly appreciate the ability to tell my story to you and I hope you will consider this petition in the interest of offering me a second chance at a career which will allow me to empathetically support others like me.
Sincerely,
Edward Boyle
10141740
Documentation
Professional Letter: Appeal-Letter-Dr.White-2025.pdf
Decision Letters
Level 1 Status
Status: DeniedLevel 2
Appeal Type: Level 2
ID: 312
Submitted: March 10, 2025 at 8:30:57 PM
Relevant Petition: 12771
Decision(s) Being Appealed: Waive the 21-day or one term deadline
Appeal Grounds
Appeals to the Board of Studies must include a letter based on one or more of the Grounds for Appeal (Appeal Regulation 3.4). What are the grounds you are basing your appeal on?
- The Associate Dean's decision did not follow the rules of procedural fairness. A breach of procedural fairness includes such things as the Associate Dean failed to:
- Make a reasonable decision in your appeal. A “reasonable” decision is one that is based on evidence, thought out and supported by facts and logical inferences from the facts. To be reasonable, the decision must contain adequate reasons for the conclusions.
Appeal Grounds Details: I am appealing on the grounds that the Associate Dean's decision was not reasonable. I was given misinformation by the Associate Dean at the time of my previous appeal. I was also not provided with the appropriate information which would allow me to appeal the Associate Dean’s initial decision. As well, my condition has been dismissed as inconsequential following the onset of treatment, though it was still greatly affecting in the years following my recovery from addiction.
Appeal Letter
Appeal Letter: To the Board of Studies,
I am appealing the decision by the Associate Dean on the grounds that the decision was not reasonable. The decision letter implies that I should have been capable of petitioning my courses before my graduation date in 2017. As my supplementing documentation can attest to, a severe and enduring substance use disorder in tandem with severe social anxiety disorder and dysthymia with possible superimposed major depression “brought about significant impairment in all major domains of [my] life.” The Associate Dean’s decision suggests that these effects disappeared after my treatment began. Due to the chronic nature of my alcoholism and mental health disorders, I was incapable providing an appeal for the Associate Dean’s decision in 2019. This initial factor is exacerbated by the fact that I had not been provided with appropriate information regarding my right to appeal the Associate Dean’s decision in 2019. The Associate Dean also stated, “The integrity of Arts and Science transcripts in general would be greatly diminished if the Faculty were to effect changes to student’s records without clear and compelling documentation indicating that the student’s performance was significantly compromised by circumstances beyond their control.” I believe that I have provided clear and compelling documentation which outlines the nature of my condition (for which I continue to receive treatment), and the reasons why it prevented me from performing my academic duties and submitting petitions for appealing courses within the timeframe given. As well, I was told by the Associate Dean, “let me assure you that a grade of C+ is considered a good grade. In the future, you can certainly explain that there were extenuating circumstances during this year that led to those grades and that that they are not indicative of your abilities if you believe these grades are impeding your progress.” This has, unfortunately, proved not to be the case. Electronic systems have mathematically eliminated me from applying to graduate programs and medical schools because of my undergraduate GPA. As I was given misinformation at the time of my initial appeal, I think it is only reasonable and responsible of this board to grant my petition to waive the deadline for appealing these courses, so that I may submit a petition to appeal these grades. In the decision letter, the Associate Dean stated, 'it is unclear why you didn't petition these courses before your graduation date,' as well as, 'As your petition request did not speak to a new diagnosis of a disability or contain documentation to suggest that you were not able to petition your 2015 Winter and 2016 Winter term courses prior to your graduation date, I cannot grant your request.' I disagree that my letter and documentation did not provide any new information, as my condition made it impossible for me to submit these appeals at the time. As well, I had not been given the appropriate information which would have allowed me to submit an appeal on time. I understand that there are policies and procedures which must be followed to ensure the integrity of this process and fair grades given for fair work. It has been almost 8 years since the grades I am appealing were given. The challenges I faced during and following the onset of my condition made me diagnostically incapable of performing to the degree that I could have otherwise. Despite this, I have successfully completed a Master’s degree, started a business, and become a mentor and guide to hundreds of young people who are or were struggling with substance use and addictions. The Associate Dean stated that she is sympathetic to my situation and has taken my circumstances into account as part of this decision. It does not seem reasonable that an appeal that would otherwise be granted has been denied due to circumstances which prevented me from acting rationally when I was not in my right mind. I ask again that this board please reconsider this decision and allow me to waive the deadline, which in turn will allow me to appeal these grades which were unreasonably denied in the past due to a false assumption that they were good enough for my future endeavours. I greatly appreciate you taking the time to review this petition, and I humbly ask that in the spirit of fairness, you consider my request with amenability.
Sincerely, Edward Boyle
I am appealing the decision by the Associate Dean on the grounds that the decision was not reasonable. The decision letter implies that I should have been capable of petitioning my courses before my graduation date in 2017. As my supplementing documentation can attest to, a severe and enduring substance use disorder in tandem with severe social anxiety disorder and dysthymia with possible superimposed major depression “brought about significant impairment in all major domains of [my] life.” The Associate Dean’s decision suggests that these effects disappeared after my treatment began. Due to the chronic nature of my alcoholism and mental health disorders, I was incapable providing an appeal for the Associate Dean’s decision in 2019. This initial factor is exacerbated by the fact that I had not been provided with appropriate information regarding my right to appeal the Associate Dean’s decision in 2019. The Associate Dean also stated, “The integrity of Arts and Science transcripts in general would be greatly diminished if the Faculty were to effect changes to student’s records without clear and compelling documentation indicating that the student’s performance was significantly compromised by circumstances beyond their control.” I believe that I have provided clear and compelling documentation which outlines the nature of my condition (for which I continue to receive treatment), and the reasons why it prevented me from performing my academic duties and submitting petitions for appealing courses within the timeframe given. As well, I was told by the Associate Dean, “let me assure you that a grade of C+ is considered a good grade. In the future, you can certainly explain that there were extenuating circumstances during this year that led to those grades and that that they are not indicative of your abilities if you believe these grades are impeding your progress.” This has, unfortunately, proved not to be the case. Electronic systems have mathematically eliminated me from applying to graduate programs and medical schools because of my undergraduate GPA. As I was given misinformation at the time of my initial appeal, I think it is only reasonable and responsible of this board to grant my petition to waive the deadline for appealing these courses, so that I may submit a petition to appeal these grades. In the decision letter, the Associate Dean stated, 'it is unclear why you didn't petition these courses before your graduation date,' as well as, 'As your petition request did not speak to a new diagnosis of a disability or contain documentation to suggest that you were not able to petition your 2015 Winter and 2016 Winter term courses prior to your graduation date, I cannot grant your request.' I disagree that my letter and documentation did not provide any new information, as my condition made it impossible for me to submit these appeals at the time. As well, I had not been given the appropriate information which would have allowed me to submit an appeal on time. I understand that there are policies and procedures which must be followed to ensure the integrity of this process and fair grades given for fair work. It has been almost 8 years since the grades I am appealing were given. The challenges I faced during and following the onset of my condition made me diagnostically incapable of performing to the degree that I could have otherwise. Despite this, I have successfully completed a Master’s degree, started a business, and become a mentor and guide to hundreds of young people who are or were struggling with substance use and addictions. The Associate Dean stated that she is sympathetic to my situation and has taken my circumstances into account as part of this decision. It does not seem reasonable that an appeal that would otherwise be granted has been denied due to circumstances which prevented me from acting rationally when I was not in my right mind. I ask again that this board please reconsider this decision and allow me to waive the deadline, which in turn will allow me to appeal these grades which were unreasonably denied in the past due to a false assumption that they were good enough for my future endeavours. I greatly appreciate you taking the time to review this petition, and I humbly ask that in the spirit of fairness, you consider my request with amenability.
Sincerely, Edward Boyle
Documentation
History
Originally submitted February 7, 2025 at 9:24:27 PM.
| Field | Reference | Old Value | New Value | Note | User | Date/Time |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| status | N/A | Received | In Review | Kerri Andrews | 2025-02-25 4:09:47 PM | |
| status | N/A | In Review | Denied | Kerri Andrews | 2025-03-10 11:14:31 AM | |
| associate_dean | N/A | Jenn Stephenson, Ph.D. | Kerri Andrews | 2025-03-10 11:14:31 AM | ||
| decision_letter | N/A | N/A | Decision letter sent | Kerri Andrews | 2025-03-10 11:16:08 AM | |
| new_appeal_level_2 | N/A | Level 2 | Level 2 Appeal ID: 312 | 13ejwb | 2025-03-10 8:30:57 PM | |
| status | N/A | Received | Denied | Kathrine Scott | 2025-07-31 10:23:12 AM |