Submit an Academic Petition or Appeal

Petition Letter: To the Associate Dean,

My name is Nahid Moradi and I am a fourth-year Health Sciences student at Queen's University. I am writing to respectfully petition for credit standing in PHYS 115, which I took during the Fall 2023 term and received a final grade of a C-. I am also petitioning to waive the one-year deadline to initiate this request, due to extenuating circumstances that prevented me from acting sooner.

The grade I received in PHYS 115 is a significant outlier in my academic record, as my other courses during that term and across my undergraduate degree have consistently been within the same range. I believe that the challenges I faced during the Fall 2023 term, which were mainly my undiagnosed and untreated ADHD, played a substantial role in my academic performance in the course.

Although I was formally diagnosed with ADHD in September 2024, the symptoms were already present and affecting my academic functioning throughout the Fall 2023 term and beyond. These included persistent difficulty with focus and sustained attention, time management struggles, and chronic mental fatigue. While I was performing well in other courses where the material or structure (such as the Blended delivery) suited my learning style, the cognitive demands and lecture-based structure of PHYS 115 made it difficult for me to succeed.

Following my diagnosis, I registered with Queen’s Student Accessibility Services and began the process of receiving accommodations and treating my conditions. However, I faced significant delays in accessing stable treatment, as I could not find a consistent and effective medication regimen. I have recently resumed regular use of my medication, and began experiencing improved functioning and mental clarity. These untreated symptoms, which coupled with the time and energy it took to seek medical help and stabilize, continued to impair my ability to reflect on past performance or engage with formal petition processes until very recently.

At the time of the course, I was not yet aware of my condition or its effect on my academic performance. I did not seek a course drop or accommodations then because I did not have the insight, tools, and formal diagnosis to understand what I was experiencing. With the benefit of reflection and a formal diagnosis, I now recognize that my difficulties in PHYS 115 were tied directly to a disability that was both ongoing and, at the time, beyond my control.

I have included supporting documentation from my healthcare provider confirming the timeline of my diagnosis and treatment, as well as a letter from QSAS verifying my registration and accommodations.

I sincerely hope that this petition will be considered favorably. I remain committed to my academic success and have since made great progress in managing my condition and strengthening my learning strategies.

Thank you very much for your time and consideration.

Sincerely,
Nahid Moradi