Submit an Academic Petition or Appeal

Petition Letter: Re: Petition for Retroactive Accommodation and Academic Relief

To the Petitions Committee / Faculty of Arts and Science / Office of the Associate Dean,

Good day,

My name is Ben Othen, 22brro@queensu.ca, student #: 20363312, and I am writing to you today to request retroactive academic accommodation and associated academic relief (including the conversion of affected course failures to drops or withdrawals without academic penalty and for any courses passed to be represented by a P for pass, or the like) for the period during which I was eligible for accommodation but did not receive it due to a failure of duty to accommodate.

I am asking Queen’s University to:


Recognize that I was a student with a documented disability who was newly diagnosed and newly identified, and therefore particularly vulnerable and in need of an advisor and support and that I was legally entitled to it;


Acknowledge that despite having included, a psych ed and my physician’s note as well as my own self identification, the accommodation process was not activated or implemented, even and although, my family and I made repeated attempts to seek help;


Apply retroactive accommodation to the courses impacted during this period; and


Amend my academic record so that the affected courses are recorded as P for pass or the like, when applicable, and withdrawals/drops rather than failures, allowing me to return to my studies without permanent academic harm caused by systemic barriers rather than academic ability.


Consideration for readmission with a fresh academic start (academic reset) in a different program of study that is better aligned with my strengths, learning profile, and long-term career goals.


Background and Circumstances
When I arrived at Queen’s in the Life Sciences program, I did so with enthusiasm, pride, and a genuine desire to succeed. However, during my first year, I was newly diagnosed with ADHD, accompanied by significant anxiety traits. At the time, I was still learning what this diagnosis meant for me, how it affected my learning, and how to advocate for myself at school.

I did not have the language, confidence, or emotional capacity to navigate this alone. What I needed—critically—was guidance, an advisor, support, and the accommodations that my family doctor and the psychologist who tested and identified me set out in the accommodations list that we provided to Queen’s.

Instead, as the term progressed, I began to struggle academically and emotionally. Without accommodations in place, tasks that appeared manageable for others became overwhelming. I struggled with deadlines, exams, and sustained focus. I took these struggles on as personal failures rather than symptoms of an unmet disability.

Over time, this led to a feeling of confusion, and I began to feel that I didn’t belong at Queen’s—that maybe even though I had achieved well in high school, that I wasn’t enough or capable enough, or deserving enough to be there. This belief was not rooted in my potential or effort, but in the absence of the support I needed and that I have learned now that I was entitled to receive.

Attempts to Seek Help and Activate Accommodation
Throughout this period, I made many attempts to seek help and get accommodations in place, including:


Contacting course professors to explain my struggles and ask for guidance;


Reaching out to academic advising within the Faculty of Life Sciences;


Calling, emailing, and in-person visits with the Life Sciences academic advisor, Katherine Rudder, to explain my situation and request help navigating accommodation;


Attempting to engage with advisors and support offices to understand how to activate my accommodations


My parents calling the Faculty and speaking with Ms. Rudder.

Despite these efforts, no advisor was attached to me, and the accommodation process was not activated. According to an Advisor that my parents spoke with in June of my first year, Christine, I fell through the cracks. Apart from a residence accommodation which was activated the day after I moved into Gordon Brockington. Without an advisor, I was not shepherded through the required steps, nor was I provided with the structured support necessary for a newly diagnosed student to succeed. As a result, my academic performance deteriorated—not due to lack of effort or ability, but due to systemic inaction.

Impact on My Academic Record and Well-Being

The consequences of this failure to accommodate were profound. Courses accumulated as failures rather than being recognized as courses taken under conditions that were fundamentally inequitable.

Emotionally, I experienced growing hopelessness and shame. I began to withdraw, believing that my struggles were evidence that I was not meant to be at Queen’s. This is perhaps the most painful outcome of all: a capable student losing confidence and identity because the system designed to support him did not engage when it mattered most.

Request for Compassionate and Equitable Resolution
I am not asking Queen’s University to lower academic standards or grant unearned success. I am asking the University to uphold its duty to accommodate, retroactively where necessary, and to recognize that my academic record during this period does not reflect my ability, commitment, or potential.

I respectfully ask the Committee to consider this petition not only through policy, but through conscience. A newly diagnosed student, actively seeking help, should not be permanently penalized for failing to navigate a system that did not meet him halfway.

I remain committed to completing my undergraduate degree and contributing positively to the Queen’s community. With appropriate accommodations in place, I am confident that I can succeed.

Thank you for taking the time to consider my request and the human circumstances behind it.

Respectfully,

Ben Othen