Submit an Academic Petition or Appeal

Petition Letter: To whomever it may concern,
I respectfully request that my final standing in SOC 305: Sociology of Professions be converted to Credit (CR) on the grounds of extenuating circumstances that directly impaired my academic performance between early March and mid-April 2025. Beginning the week of March 9, the Teaching Assistants commenced a department-wide labour action. From that date until the end of term in mid-April, all TA-led tutorials, office hours, and formative feedback sessions were suspended. Although Professor Kay continued to deliver weekly lectures, the removal of our TAs eliminated the primary, approachable venue for answering detailed questions about readings, refining essay drafts, and preparing for our cumulative exam.
Seeking clarification directly from a professor felt significantly more intimidating. With nearly 200 students in each lecture, Professor Kay’s office hours were necessarily brief and focused on broad topics. This dynamic left a gap in my ability to verify whether my weekly notes and understanding were on the right path, or if my essay outline/case study met the requirements. At the same time, two of my other courses were cancelled outright during this same period, removing structured class time. This affected me as I was unable to seek guidance on aligning my thesis with course readings, choosing appropriate case examples, and ensuring my methodological approach matched the rubric with the TAs. Without that iterative feedback, I submitted my paper uncertain whether it met the department’s standards; my final grade reflected writing that, though carefully researched, lacked the precision and depth I would normally achieve with TA support. While I completed all required work, the quality did not reflect my true grasp of the material. The compounding stress of going without regular support, paired with unstructured gaps in my schedule, triggered heightened anxiety and difficulty focusing on readings. I frequently found myself rereading dense theoretical passages without the usual opportunity to check my understanding in a TAs office hour.
Similarly, TAs typically facilitate review sessions for the end-of-term exam if asked during their office hours, highlighting core themes, and explaining how to apply theoretical concepts under timed conditions. Without those sessions, I could not verify which topics warranted the greatest focus, nor could I test my understanding in the low-stakes environment that TAs provide. As a result, my exam preparation was necessarily more generalized, and my performance suffered from avoidable gaps in my knowledge of key theorists and professionalization case studies. This year’s exam was also structured with 70% multiple-choice questions, apparently to streamline grading for most professors, but that format was ill-suited to students suddenly forced into independent study. Multiple-choice items primarily assess recognition of facts rather than the nuanced application and critical analysis emphasized in SOCY 305. Without TA-led walkthroughs, I could not discern which of the many theorists and professional case studies warranted priority study. Consequently, my exam performance suffered from avoidable blind spots, rather than any lack of effort or underlying understanding. The cumulative effect of these missed opportunities for targeted feedback and exam rehearsal was a drop in both my final paper and exam grades, neither of which reflect my true command of the material. Because these setbacks stemmed entirely from the unanticipated loss of TA support, and because TAs are uniquely positioned to bridge the gap between lecture content and the detailed work required for assessments, respectfully ask that SOCY 305 be recorded as CR. Granting this accommodation would acknowledge the direct impact of the TA strike on my academic performance, preserve my overall record, and allow me to retake the course under proper instructional conditions. Thank you for your consideration.