Submit an Academic Petition or Appeal

Petition Letter: To the Faculty Office,

I am writing to formally petition for a credit (CR) standing in my MATH 121 course for the Winter 2025 academic term due to extenuating circumstances that significantly impacted my academic performance. These included the university-wide academic disruption caused by the Queen’s University strike, as well as a deeply personal and ongoing family crisis that seriously affected my emotional well-being and academic functioning.

Timeline of Extenuating Circumstances:

Throughout the Winter 2025 term, the Queen’s University strike disrupted course delivery and limited access to essential academic supports such as tutorials and TA office hours. In MATH 121 specifically, I had relied heavily on tutorial sessions and the opportunity to work closely with TAs to reinforce and clarify material. When those resources were removed due to the strike, it became increasingly difficult to stay on track in a course that builds on foundational knowledge week to week.

At the same time, I was dealing with a personal crisis involving my older brother, with whom I am extremely close. During the term, he began experiencing serious unexplained medical episodes, including a transient loss of consciousness. Despite undergoing an EEG and other tests, doctors have still not been able to determine the cause of his condition. The EEG report (attached) noted that while no abnormalities were found, the possibility of seizures could not be ruled out and further testing is required.

The uncertainty around his condition, combined with the fear of what it could mean for his future, placed me under a constant state of emotional stress. I spent much of the term worrying about him, supporting him and our family as best I could, and struggling to balance this with my academic responsibilities. The emotional toll of seeing someone I love in such a vulnerable state—without clear answers—was overwhelming. It impacted my concentration, memory, energy levels, and ability to complete coursework or prepare for exams effectively.

Impact on Academic Ability:

Under these dual pressures—the prolonged disruption of academic structure due to the strike and the emotional weight of my brother’s undiagnosed condition—I found myself unable to engage meaningfully with MATH 121. Despite my efforts, the course became increasingly unmanageable without the structured support I was used to, and my personal stress made it difficult to absorb and retain new material. What might have been a challenging but doable course under normal conditions became something I could no longer keep up with.

Reason for Remaining Enrolled Past Drop Deadline:

I chose to remain enrolled in MATH 121 past the drop deadline because I believed the strike would end sooner and that I’d regain access to tutorials and TA support that had previously been essential to my learning. I was committed to seeing the course through and hoped I would recover my footing once those academic structures were back in place. Unfortunately, the strike continued longer than expected, and my brother’s condition remained unresolved, leaving me with no realistic opportunity to recover in time.

Current Status and Plans for Resolution:

Since the end of term, I have taken steps to regain control of both my academic and personal life. I have reached out to academic advisors, arranged for additional support in future math-related courses, and am working with counseling services to process the emotional stress of the past term. I am doing everything I can to ensure that these circumstances do not affect my academic performance moving forward.

Given the unique combination of academic disruption and personal crisis I experienced, I respectfully request a credit standing in MATH 121. I believe this would more fairly reflect the context of the challenges I faced and acknowledge the effort I put in despite them.

Thank you for your time and consideration.

Sincerely,
Augustine Osezua
20458113
augustine.o@queensu.ca
13/05/2025