Manage Appeals
Petition Type: New
ID: 14114
Submitted: April 2, 2026 at 6:25:47 PM
First Name: William
Last Name: Huttman
Pronoun: He/Him
Preferred Name: Will
Student Number: 20343225
Email: 21whh4@queensu.ca
Degree Program: BAH
Plan: CLST
Level of Study: 4
Petition Categories
Petition Categories: Drop a course after the academic deadline
Code: CLST 311
Term: Winter
Year: 2025
Petition Category: Drop a course after the academic deadline
Petition Letter
Petition Letter: April 2nd, 2026
Associate Dean (Academic)
Faculty of Arts and Science
Queen’s University
Kingston, Ontario
Re: Petition for Retroactive Course Drop – CLST 311 (Greek and Roman Epics), Winter 2025
Dear Associate Dean,
I am writing to formally petition for a retroactive drop of CLST 311 (Greek and Roman Epics) from my academic record for the Winter 2025 term. I am requesting that the failing grade currently recorded be replaced with a withdrawal notation (WD), on the grounds that I experienced significantly extenuating circumstances beyond my control that were debilitating to my academic performance in this course and that prevented me from exercising the option to drop the course before the academic deadline.
I am a student in the Faculty of Arts and Science (Student Number: 20343225). I enrolled in CLST 311 in January 2025. Over the course of the term, I encountered a learning environment that I found deeply hostile and psychologically damaging, stemming from the conduct of the course instructor. The nature of the instructor’s communications, including dismissive and demeaning language directed at me in writing, caused me significant distress and had a serious adverse effect on my mental health and overall functioning.
The psychological impact of my experience in this course was pervasive. I struggled with sleep, motivation, and my ability to engage with my coursework. While these challenges affected me across multiple areas of my academic and personal life, the distress was most acute in relation to CLST 311, given that it was the direct source of the harmful dynamic. I did not feel psychologically safe seeking help during the term, whether from the instructor, my academic advisor, or Accessibility Services -- a direct consequence of a debilitating psychological state. I have since begun working with a psychotherapist, and I am able to provide supporting documentation from my treatment provider confirming my attendance.
I wish to be transparent about my accommodation history. At the time of the Winter 2025 term, I did have a formal accommodation in place through Queen's Accessibility Services in connection with a pre-existing learning disability. However, I believe the hostile learning environment I experienced in CLST 311 exacerbated my underlying condition in ways that fell outside the scope of my existing accommodations. This view is consistent with the subsequent assessment of Toni Thornton, Accessibility Advisor at Student Wellness Services, who identified that I was likely under-accommodated during the relevant period and that my existing documentation supports retroactive flexibility.
My inability to seek additional support during the term was not a deliberate choice, it was a direct consequence of the psychological distress I was experiencing, which itself was compounded by the inadequacy of the supports then in place. Prior to and following this course, I have demonstrated the ability to meet academic expectations and produce work of sound quality. The circumstances surrounding CLST 311 were exceptional and are not reflective of my academic character or capabilities. I have never previously sought academic consideration on the basis of mental health, and I am doing so now only because the impact of this situation was genuinely beyond my ability to manage at the time.
Attached to this document is my written note of attendance, alongside a copy of the written communications between myself and the course instructor, which document the conduct that contributed to the hostile learning environment I experienced. In addition my Accessibility Advisor, Toni Thorton, is also capable of providing information upon request by faculty.
I respectfully ask that the Faculty give full consideration to the circumstances described in this petition. The current outcome of a failing grade on my permanent academic record for a course in which I was not afforded a psychologically safe or equitable path to success does not reflect the spirit of the Faculty’s commitment to student well-being and fair treatment. I believe the evidence supports the granting of a retroactive withdrawal, and I welcome the opportunity to provide any additional information or documentation that may assist in the review of this matter.
Thank you sincerely for your time and consideration.
Sincerely,
William Huttman
Student Number: 20343225
21whh4@queensu.ca
Faculty of Arts and Science, Queen’s University
Associate Dean (Academic)
Faculty of Arts and Science
Queen’s University
Kingston, Ontario
Re: Petition for Retroactive Course Drop – CLST 311 (Greek and Roman Epics), Winter 2025
Dear Associate Dean,
I am writing to formally petition for a retroactive drop of CLST 311 (Greek and Roman Epics) from my academic record for the Winter 2025 term. I am requesting that the failing grade currently recorded be replaced with a withdrawal notation (WD), on the grounds that I experienced significantly extenuating circumstances beyond my control that were debilitating to my academic performance in this course and that prevented me from exercising the option to drop the course before the academic deadline.
I am a student in the Faculty of Arts and Science (Student Number: 20343225). I enrolled in CLST 311 in January 2025. Over the course of the term, I encountered a learning environment that I found deeply hostile and psychologically damaging, stemming from the conduct of the course instructor. The nature of the instructor’s communications, including dismissive and demeaning language directed at me in writing, caused me significant distress and had a serious adverse effect on my mental health and overall functioning.
The psychological impact of my experience in this course was pervasive. I struggled with sleep, motivation, and my ability to engage with my coursework. While these challenges affected me across multiple areas of my academic and personal life, the distress was most acute in relation to CLST 311, given that it was the direct source of the harmful dynamic. I did not feel psychologically safe seeking help during the term, whether from the instructor, my academic advisor, or Accessibility Services -- a direct consequence of a debilitating psychological state. I have since begun working with a psychotherapist, and I am able to provide supporting documentation from my treatment provider confirming my attendance.
I wish to be transparent about my accommodation history. At the time of the Winter 2025 term, I did have a formal accommodation in place through Queen's Accessibility Services in connection with a pre-existing learning disability. However, I believe the hostile learning environment I experienced in CLST 311 exacerbated my underlying condition in ways that fell outside the scope of my existing accommodations. This view is consistent with the subsequent assessment of Toni Thornton, Accessibility Advisor at Student Wellness Services, who identified that I was likely under-accommodated during the relevant period and that my existing documentation supports retroactive flexibility.
My inability to seek additional support during the term was not a deliberate choice, it was a direct consequence of the psychological distress I was experiencing, which itself was compounded by the inadequacy of the supports then in place. Prior to and following this course, I have demonstrated the ability to meet academic expectations and produce work of sound quality. The circumstances surrounding CLST 311 were exceptional and are not reflective of my academic character or capabilities. I have never previously sought academic consideration on the basis of mental health, and I am doing so now only because the impact of this situation was genuinely beyond my ability to manage at the time.
Attached to this document is my written note of attendance, alongside a copy of the written communications between myself and the course instructor, which document the conduct that contributed to the hostile learning environment I experienced. In addition my Accessibility Advisor, Toni Thorton, is also capable of providing information upon request by faculty.
I respectfully ask that the Faculty give full consideration to the circumstances described in this petition. The current outcome of a failing grade on my permanent academic record for a course in which I was not afforded a psychologically safe or equitable path to success does not reflect the spirit of the Faculty’s commitment to student well-being and fair treatment. I believe the evidence supports the granting of a retroactive withdrawal, and I welcome the opportunity to provide any additional information or documentation that may assist in the review of this matter.
Thank you sincerely for your time and consideration.
Sincerely,
William Huttman
Student Number: 20343225
21whh4@queensu.ca
Faculty of Arts and Science, Queen’s University
Documentation
Professional Letter: William Huttman Attendance Letter - March 17 2026-0.pdf