Submit an Academic Petition or Appeal

Petition Letter: Dear Members of the Committee,
I’m reaching out to respectfully request that my MATH 300 final grade be changed to Pass/Fail due to extenuating personal circumstances that directly impaired my performance on the April 21, 2025 exam.


In the days before the exam, a family crisis caused significant psychological distress that disrupted my concentration. Despite thorough preparation and a strong semester record, I lost focus during the test. Before handing in the exam, one of the proctors announced there were five minutes remaining. I believed I had reviewed and completed all the questions, but as I went through to write my name on each page, I realized I had missed the first page and the entire first question. The pages had been slightly stuck together, and I must have turned past the initial page without realizing. With only five minutes left, one third of the exam was blank. This error does not reflect my usual performance or effort.


After the exam, I met with my family physician, Dr. Mary Rubino, began following her treatment plan, and have experienced significant improvement. My academic record over four years at Queen’s, with consistent A and B level grades, shows this was an isolated incident. I am concerned that this single event in my final term of university may negatively affect my future graduate school opportunities or other academic and professional choices.
Given these extenuating circumstances and the medical documentation provided, I ask that my grade be adjusted to Pass/Fail to accurately reflect my preparation and academic ability.
Thank you for considering my request.

Sincerely,

William Culligan
20299232