Manage Appeals
Petition Type: New
ID: 13334
Submitted: June 11, 2025 at 11:13:48 PM
First Name: Muhtasim
Last Name: Hasan
Pronoun: he/him
Preferred Name: Muhtasim
Student Number: 20291050
Email: muhtasim.hasan@queensu.ca
Degree Program: BS
Plan: MATH
Level of Study: 1
Petition Categories
Petition Categories: Waive the requirement to withdraw for one year
Petition Letter
Petition Letter: To the Associate Dean,
I am writing to respectfully petition for a waiver of the requirement to withdraw for one year as outlined in my recent academic decision letter dated May 21st. While I understand the seriousness of my current academic situation and accept full responsibility for it, I strongly believe that extenuating circumstances have contributed to my poor academic performance. I have had some time to reflect on the issues that impacted my performance and now believe I know the necessary steps to ensure these challenges no longer affect my academic progress. I am therefore requesting the opportunity to remain enrolled so I can demonstrate my ability to succeed moving forward.
During my first two years at Queen’s, I went through a period where I felt deeply unmotivated and disconnected from my work. Upon reflection, I am certain I was experiencing symptoms related to depression although I was never formally diagnosed at the time as I lacked the awareness and support to seek help for what I was going through. In particular, this affected my ability to make critical administrative decisions regarding my enrollment. Despite recognizing I was falling behind in classes I did not have the mental clarity to drop classes in a timely manner which ultimately led to failing those classes. In these years I continued to carelessly enroll in classes, even enrolling in additional summer classes to try and make-up for my poor GPA. This led to more academic challenges, even semesters where I completely “shut down” and failed all my classes, which continued to unnecessarily worsen my GPA. Looking back, I realize that had I not carelessly enrolled in courses during semesters when I was mentally unwell—and instead withdrawn or postponed those courses—I would likely be in good academic standing today.
After being required to withdraw from the beginning of the Summer 2023 term, I finally began trying to address the underlying issues that impacted my academic performance. I reached out to mental health professionals through AMHS KFLA and gained greater clarity of the challenges I was facing. In particular, I often turned to excessive internet use and self-isolation as coping mechanisms, which worsened my productivity and disconnected me from my studies. While I made progress in managing these habits, I came to realize the deeper issue holding me back: a reluctance to seek academic support out of pride and shame. I felt embarrassed to admit I was struggling, and avoided engaging with classmates, professors, TAs, and other academic resources even when I knew they could help. I continued to apply advice from my counselors, specifically in relation to seeking support, in the summer 2024 term where I managed to achieve a GPA score of 3.52. I was happy with the progress I made that semester and believe it is a better reflection of my academic ability when I am able to manage internal challenges and seek necessary support.
Although I demonstrated improvement in the summer 2024, the past two semesters have proved to be more difficult than I had anticipated and unfortunately relapsed on habits that made my summer 2024 term successful. I stopped regularly checking in with the mental health supports who not only provided advice for the issues I was dealing with, but would hold me accountable. I continued to engage in bad habits that led to challenges in the past, and despite having a better understanding of these issues from my time in counselling, they were often not portrayed under an academic context. This once again led me to self-isolation, ultimately causing me to fall behind again and below the 1.60 GPA threshold.
Recently, I visited my family physician to discuss my mental health issues and took steps to re-engage with support systems I previously neglected. I am lucky enough to personally know a professor in the Department of Computing and reached out to him to discuss the challenges I’ve faced and to seek advice on how to move forward. This was significant for me as despite him not being an academic advisor, it was the first person at the university I was able to open up to. We discussed strategies to better manage my course load, make use of office hours, and build a consistent study schedule. I am also encouraged from seeing that I was able to pass my less “coding-intensive” computing courses in the past year. I do believe this shows some aptitude to succeed in this discipline and hopefully complete my degree. Moving forward, I am determined to rebuild my academic and personal support systems which I have highlighted in my academic plan.
Thank you for your time and consideration. I remain committed to completing my studies at Queen’s and am hopeful for the opportunity to demonstrate my renewed commitment and capability.
Sincerely,
Muhtasim Hasan
I am writing to respectfully petition for a waiver of the requirement to withdraw for one year as outlined in my recent academic decision letter dated May 21st. While I understand the seriousness of my current academic situation and accept full responsibility for it, I strongly believe that extenuating circumstances have contributed to my poor academic performance. I have had some time to reflect on the issues that impacted my performance and now believe I know the necessary steps to ensure these challenges no longer affect my academic progress. I am therefore requesting the opportunity to remain enrolled so I can demonstrate my ability to succeed moving forward.
During my first two years at Queen’s, I went through a period where I felt deeply unmotivated and disconnected from my work. Upon reflection, I am certain I was experiencing symptoms related to depression although I was never formally diagnosed at the time as I lacked the awareness and support to seek help for what I was going through. In particular, this affected my ability to make critical administrative decisions regarding my enrollment. Despite recognizing I was falling behind in classes I did not have the mental clarity to drop classes in a timely manner which ultimately led to failing those classes. In these years I continued to carelessly enroll in classes, even enrolling in additional summer classes to try and make-up for my poor GPA. This led to more academic challenges, even semesters where I completely “shut down” and failed all my classes, which continued to unnecessarily worsen my GPA. Looking back, I realize that had I not carelessly enrolled in courses during semesters when I was mentally unwell—and instead withdrawn or postponed those courses—I would likely be in good academic standing today.
After being required to withdraw from the beginning of the Summer 2023 term, I finally began trying to address the underlying issues that impacted my academic performance. I reached out to mental health professionals through AMHS KFLA and gained greater clarity of the challenges I was facing. In particular, I often turned to excessive internet use and self-isolation as coping mechanisms, which worsened my productivity and disconnected me from my studies. While I made progress in managing these habits, I came to realize the deeper issue holding me back: a reluctance to seek academic support out of pride and shame. I felt embarrassed to admit I was struggling, and avoided engaging with classmates, professors, TAs, and other academic resources even when I knew they could help. I continued to apply advice from my counselors, specifically in relation to seeking support, in the summer 2024 term where I managed to achieve a GPA score of 3.52. I was happy with the progress I made that semester and believe it is a better reflection of my academic ability when I am able to manage internal challenges and seek necessary support.
Although I demonstrated improvement in the summer 2024, the past two semesters have proved to be more difficult than I had anticipated and unfortunately relapsed on habits that made my summer 2024 term successful. I stopped regularly checking in with the mental health supports who not only provided advice for the issues I was dealing with, but would hold me accountable. I continued to engage in bad habits that led to challenges in the past, and despite having a better understanding of these issues from my time in counselling, they were often not portrayed under an academic context. This once again led me to self-isolation, ultimately causing me to fall behind again and below the 1.60 GPA threshold.
Recently, I visited my family physician to discuss my mental health issues and took steps to re-engage with support systems I previously neglected. I am lucky enough to personally know a professor in the Department of Computing and reached out to him to discuss the challenges I’ve faced and to seek advice on how to move forward. This was significant for me as despite him not being an academic advisor, it was the first person at the university I was able to open up to. We discussed strategies to better manage my course load, make use of office hours, and build a consistent study schedule. I am also encouraged from seeing that I was able to pass my less “coding-intensive” computing courses in the past year. I do believe this shows some aptitude to succeed in this discipline and hopefully complete my degree. Moving forward, I am determined to rebuild my academic and personal support systems which I have highlighted in my academic plan.
Thank you for your time and consideration. I remain committed to completing my studies at Queen’s and am hopeful for the opportunity to demonstrate my renewed commitment and capability.
Sincerely,
Muhtasim Hasan
Academic Plan
Academic Plan: 1. Academic Goals
My primary academic goal is to continue my studies at Queen’s University and transition from the Bachelor of Science in Mathematics to the Bachelor of Computing program. I aim to repair my GPA and academic standing by retaking previously failed courses, to first, reach good academic standing, and then improve enough to apply for entry into a Department of Computing degree plan.
2. Progress Toward Degree Completion
To date, I have completed several courses that satisfy core and elective requirements for both the Mathematics and Computing programs. I have successfully passed computing courses such as CISC121, CISC181, CISC203, CISC204, as well as the core math and elective requirements. For the upcoming school year, I plan on having a reduced course load in the fall semester so I can give increased importance to the courses I enroll in. Additionally, I plan on having just 1-2 courses that I find to be “coding intensive” in this semester as that has been my main weak point in the past. Depending on my performance in the fall semester, I will discuss with an advisor on whether it is appropriate to increase my course load for the winter.
3. Course Load and Timeline
Fall 2025 (Planned, 9.0 - 12.0):
CISC 124 – Introduction to Computing Science II
CISC 271 – Linear Data Analysis
[One elective]
Winter 2026 (Planned 15.0):
CISC 220 – System Level Programming
CISC 221 - Computer Architecture
CISC 223 – Software Specifications
CISC 235 - Data Structures
[One additional CISC course or elective depending on progress in Fall]
Note: I am willing to drop a course by the required deadline if suggested by an advisor.
4. Academic Support Strategies
To prevent past mistakes from repeating, I will use the following resources consistently:
Queen’s Student Wellness Services: During my year away from school, I worked with mental health professionals at AMHS KFLA and found their support very helpful in identifying and beginning to manage issues such as excessive internet use, poor coping mechanisms, and emotional avoidance. However, I now realize that continued support is essential especially from those working in an academic environment. I plan to book regular sessions through the Student Wellness Centre, and this time, I will be proactive in seeking help when I feel overwhelmed to maintain momentum throughout the semester. I believe this consistency will provide the accountability I lacked in past terms.
TA/Instructor Office Hours: Something that caused me a lot of issues in the past was my avoidance of course staff out of shame or pride. Even when I knew I was struggling, I avoided office hours because I did not want it to seem like I couldn’t handle the material or was behind. I now understand how vital it is to be open with instructors and to seek clarification as early as possible. I plan to attend office hours for each course at least once a month to build relationships and normalize asking for help. Additionally, I will try to speak with TAs during after class to better understand concepts and stay engaged.
Academic Advising: In the past, I often tried to fix my academic standing by taking on too many courses, without a realistic understanding of my capacity. This led to more failures and contributed significantly to my GPA falling below the 1.60 threshold. To ensure I avoid repeating this mistake, I will meet with an advisor at the start of each term to build a balanced course load that aligns with my current academic capacity and long-term university goals. I will also seek their input on degree planning, course withdrawal deadlines, and academic accommodations so I can make better decisions throughout the term.
Department of Computing Faculty Contact: Recently, I reached out to a family friend who is professor in the Department of Computing and was able receive some words of support and guidance. Although he is not an academic advisor, I plan to keep in touch with him informally as a source of guidance and accountability throughout the year, especially since he understands some of the challenges of navigating computing coursework and degree planning.
My primary academic goal is to continue my studies at Queen’s University and transition from the Bachelor of Science in Mathematics to the Bachelor of Computing program. I aim to repair my GPA and academic standing by retaking previously failed courses, to first, reach good academic standing, and then improve enough to apply for entry into a Department of Computing degree plan.
2. Progress Toward Degree Completion
To date, I have completed several courses that satisfy core and elective requirements for both the Mathematics and Computing programs. I have successfully passed computing courses such as CISC121, CISC181, CISC203, CISC204, as well as the core math and elective requirements. For the upcoming school year, I plan on having a reduced course load in the fall semester so I can give increased importance to the courses I enroll in. Additionally, I plan on having just 1-2 courses that I find to be “coding intensive” in this semester as that has been my main weak point in the past. Depending on my performance in the fall semester, I will discuss with an advisor on whether it is appropriate to increase my course load for the winter.
3. Course Load and Timeline
Fall 2025 (Planned, 9.0 - 12.0):
CISC 124 – Introduction to Computing Science II
CISC 271 – Linear Data Analysis
[One elective]
Winter 2026 (Planned 15.0):
CISC 220 – System Level Programming
CISC 221 - Computer Architecture
CISC 223 – Software Specifications
CISC 235 - Data Structures
[One additional CISC course or elective depending on progress in Fall]
Note: I am willing to drop a course by the required deadline if suggested by an advisor.
4. Academic Support Strategies
To prevent past mistakes from repeating, I will use the following resources consistently:
Queen’s Student Wellness Services: During my year away from school, I worked with mental health professionals at AMHS KFLA and found their support very helpful in identifying and beginning to manage issues such as excessive internet use, poor coping mechanisms, and emotional avoidance. However, I now realize that continued support is essential especially from those working in an academic environment. I plan to book regular sessions through the Student Wellness Centre, and this time, I will be proactive in seeking help when I feel overwhelmed to maintain momentum throughout the semester. I believe this consistency will provide the accountability I lacked in past terms.
TA/Instructor Office Hours: Something that caused me a lot of issues in the past was my avoidance of course staff out of shame or pride. Even when I knew I was struggling, I avoided office hours because I did not want it to seem like I couldn’t handle the material or was behind. I now understand how vital it is to be open with instructors and to seek clarification as early as possible. I plan to attend office hours for each course at least once a month to build relationships and normalize asking for help. Additionally, I will try to speak with TAs during after class to better understand concepts and stay engaged.
Academic Advising: In the past, I often tried to fix my academic standing by taking on too many courses, without a realistic understanding of my capacity. This led to more failures and contributed significantly to my GPA falling below the 1.60 threshold. To ensure I avoid repeating this mistake, I will meet with an advisor at the start of each term to build a balanced course load that aligns with my current academic capacity and long-term university goals. I will also seek their input on degree planning, course withdrawal deadlines, and academic accommodations so I can make better decisions throughout the term.
Department of Computing Faculty Contact: Recently, I reached out to a family friend who is professor in the Department of Computing and was able receive some words of support and guidance. Although he is not an academic advisor, I plan to keep in touch with him informally as a source of guidance and accountability throughout the year, especially since he understands some of the challenges of navigating computing coursework and degree planning.
Documentation
Professional Letter Detail: NO DOC
Decision Letters
Amendment to Appeal 13334
Relevant Petition: 13334
New Information: For context, he attached document is a message from my former counselor supports the nature of the challenges I described in my appeal.
Student Number: 20291050
Documentation
Professional Letter: Gmail - Support Document.pdf