Submit an Academic Petition or Appeal

Petition Letter: Due to extraordinary and continuing personal circumstances that had a substantial impact on my academic performance during both the midterm and final assessment periods, I am formally requesting a reassessment of my final mark in SOCY 235. My 11.5-year-old dog vanished during the period before and during the midterm. This was a really upsetting circumstance that took up all of my attention and significantly affected my mental well-being, concentration, and capacity to study for the test. I was consequently unable to give my best academic performance on the midterm. Regretfully, these conditions continued for the rest of the period. I was actively looking for my dog in Toronto at the time of the final quiz, dealing with the psychological and practical difficulties that came with it. During this time, I was given scholarly consideration, which illustrates how serious and legitimate these conditions were. I was unable to finish the final quiz as a result. I recognize and value my instructor's effort to make accommodations for this circumstance by shifting the final exam's weight to the midterm. I humbly argue, however, that this method inadvertently exacerbates the effects of the same mitigating condition. Increasing the midterm's weight does not provide for a fair or true portrayal of my grasp of the course topic because it was produced under extreme emotional strain and without sufficient preparation. Rather, it practically means that a single evaluation that I completed under extraordinary hardship will have a disproportionate impact on my ultimate mark. I stayed interested in the subject matter throughout the course and showed that I understood it by completing tasks, where my performance was noticeably better and more representative of my academic ability. Because of this, I think the current grading system does not fairly reflect my overall performance or course understanding. I humbly ask for consideration of an alternative resolution that would enable a more equitable evaluation, since both major assessments were impacted by the same recorded and ongoing scenario. In particular, I would appreciate the chance to:

Create a postponed version of the final exam, or
Reweight my final grade in favor of completed assignments and other coursework that more accurately represent my comprehension of the subject matter. I am fully committed to demonstrating my knowledge of the course content and am willing to comply with any reasonable conditions associated with a deferred assessment.

Thank you very much for your time, understanding, and consideration of my request. I sincerely appreciate the opportunity to have my situation reviewed.