Submit an Academic Petition or Appeal

Petition Letter: Dear Dr. Naaman,

I hope this message finds you well. I am writing to respectfully request a late drop for the following courses for the Fall 2024 term: DEVS 280, DEVS 492, DEVS 492 and FILM 240.

During the term, I faced significant extenuating challenges with my mental health, which had a deep impact on my academic performance and overall well-being. Considering these issues, they made it very hard for me to concentrate, engage with coursework, and maintain the level of quality I normally bring to my work. At the time, these issues were impacting my daily activities, and I failed to follow the steps to drop these courses before the week 12 deadline. Since these feelings of depression and anxiety were unavoidable and beyond my control, they caused a barrier to any interest in my academics, extracurriculars, and other important areas of my life that lingered into the winter semester, which I had to drop and move back home to focus on my well-being.

One exception to the Fall 2024 term was DEVS 358, where I could perform well. This course was heavily group-based, and I worked closely with supportive peers who created a sense of responsibility and commitment that helped me to stay engaged despite my mental health issues. While the structure allowed me to engage and commit to the work with their support, this was not similar to the other courses, where I could not manage the coursework under the severe circumstances I was facing.

The reason I am seeking this petition is my deep care for my education and hope that my transcript can reflect the academic work I have maintained in normal conditions despite the issues I have faced. Since my mental health struggles persisted into the Winter semester, leading me to the hospital, my family and a social worker from Queen's felt it was best that I take the semester off and work on my mental health. Since January, I have worked hard and feel that my time off was necessary for my well-being, and I hope my record will not reflect a dark phase in my life. I will be returning to my studies in September well-rested, focused, and ready to fully engage with my academic work and extracurricular activities.

Thank you so much for your understanding on this matter, and I am happy to provide any further details upon request.

Sincerely,

Nicolas Quito Rojas.