Submit an Academic Petition or Appeal

Petition Letter: To whom this may concern,

I understand that instructors had to adjust course structures in response to the PSAC 901 strike and the loss of TA support. However, I believe that the changes made in BIOL 200 negatively impacted my performance in the course.
Originally, the course included four in-person tutorial activities, each worth 5% of the final grade. We completed only two before the strike began, and the remaining two were incorporated into the final exam. Despite this, the exam remained weighted at 35%, and the 10% originally allocated to tutorials #3 and #4 was exempted, bringing the total course weighting to 90%. This reweighting caused the midterm to increase in relative weight, which further affected my final grade, as it was the assessment I struggled with most. I benefit significantly from collaborative, in-person learning environments. Working alongside peers and receiving guidance from TAs helps me deepen my understanding through discussion and questions, which in turn improves my performance on assessments. While I did receive academic consideration for tutorial #2 due to illness and was granted a grade, I missed out on the opportunity for interactive learning during tutorials #2–4. My other classes, such as BIOL 212 and BIOL 206, maintained peer collaboration by offering online assessments completed in tutorial or lab groups, which allowed me to continue engaging in meaningful discussion with my peers, whichsignificantly enhanced my understanding of the material. With the exam now covering tutorial #3 and #4 content but without the peer collaboration and support that would normally aid in understanding, I found it more challenging to prepare effectively. I was hoping to improve my overall grade through strong performance in those tutorials, especially after the midterm. I completely understand the circumstances that led to these changes, but I wanted to express how they affected my ability to succeed in the course. Given the significant impact these disruptions had on my learning and the clear difference in my performance in this course compared to my others (A+, A-, A-, and A-), I would be grateful if my situation could be considered for a Credit Standing (CR) in place of a final grade, as I feel it more accurately reflects the challenges and disruption this term presented. Thank you for your time and consideration.

Best regards,

Olivia Walker