Submit an Academic Petition or Appeal

Petition Letter: Dear Associate Dean,

My name is Amber Huang and I’m petitioning to obtain a credit standing for BIOL 200 (Winter, 2024). The past year has been one of the most challenging periods of my life due to the profound grief I experienced after the death of my grandfather in October 2023, among other family issues. My grandfather was not only a family member, but also my confidant, my anchor, and one of the few people who truly understood me in my complicated family that was explained in my previous petition letter. The bond we shared was irreplaceable, and his absence left a void that made it difficult to focus on my studies for months following his death.

Although this took place in October 2023, grieving his loss was not a linear process. It took over a year to fully emotionally process his death. While the initial shock subsided, the emotional toll lingered far longer than I anticipated. I underestimated how much his death would continue to affect me, even months later. There were days when attending lectures felt extremely draining and concentrating on coursework seemed impossible. I struggled with the guilt of a number of things: the guilt of not being able to