Submit an Academic Petition or Appeal

Petition Letter: Dear Dr. Jenn Stephenson,

I hope this letter finds you well. My name is Carina Avakian, I’m in my third year completing a BAH in Applied Economics. I’m reaching out today to formally appeal a grade I received in one of my classes under the course code HSCI270.

For a bit of background on the situation, I recently received a grade back for a Media Critique Assignment that was due not too long ago. I remember the time spent meticulously working on this task and getting the work done. The day the grade came out, I was shocked to say the least, seeing that I had been marked a zero, with a comment that said, “Not the assignment.” I was shocked. It took me little to no time to go into the file that I uploaded, when I saw that the document that I had initially uploaded was only the instructions I started to help myself have a clearer understanding of what was asked for the assignment. I deeply regretted not taking the time to double-check my submission beforehand, but never did I think this was possible. I knew it was my mistake from the beginning and there was no one else to blame.

I was quick to reach out to the course email and see what could potentially be done, whether I can meet with a Teaching Assistant or the Professor. In my email, I included, the correct document that has been saved on my computer since the day I had finished it and a screenshot off my laptop of the revision history since it was all done on Google Drive and it shows the date and time content was written. I added these as proof that I truly put in the hours and work to finish this assignment and it was a disappointing mistake of dragging the wrong file. I did not want the TA or Professor to think I did this with any purpose to get extra time so I thought the revision history would help me close that assumption. This is simply way out of character for me, my grades matter so much to me and I see them as a reflection of myself.

After sending that email, I got a response from a Teaching Assistant explaining there is nothing can be done and it is my responsibility. I completely agree with this, and I’ve known since the beginning that this was my mistake. I was just hoping there would be an understanding and unfortunately, there was not. I knew I owed it to myself to reach out further and see if anything else could be done, and a Program Assistant at the Faculty of Health Science directed me to follow up with Professor Linden. If I was not satisfied with her response, I should submit an appeal to the Associate Dean of Arts and Science. Professor Linden’s response explained that there were too many students in the class to accept a revision of my work. I understand that with the PSAC 901 strike it’s been already a struggle to keep up with the marking, and I empathize with everyone affected. I too wish someone could be willing enough to understand the situation I’m in and give me another chance on this assignment.

The most disappointing thing about this case is the dismissive and callous response I received from the TA from the beginning. Never in my three years here have I experienced such. I’ve always been surrounded by Professors and Teaching Assistants who would go the extra mile for you to understand or help you achieve a goal. Without a doubt, I am still thankful for the course teaching team and the hours they put in on a day-to-day basis.

This year is an extremely important year for me as I am looking to apply to Law School this Fall which is the reason I feel so strongly about this situation. I am trying my best to increase my grades, take on the extra course, and complete work to the best of my ability. I kindly ask that you reconsider my case and grant me the opportunity to have my assignment reviewed based on the evidence I've provided. I genuinely believe this would reflect my true efforts and capabilities as a dedicated Queen’s student. I understand and deeply regret my oversight, but I sincerely hope this isolated mistake will not negatively impact my academic future.
Thank you very much for your time, understanding, and consideration.
Best,
Carina Avakian