Manage Appeals
Petition Type: New
ID: 14196
Submitted: April 21, 2026 at 11:07:59 PM
First Name: Geneva
Last Name: Cho
Pronoun: She/Her
Preferred Name: Gigi
Student Number: 20462882
Email: 23qyb4@queensu.ca
Degree Program: BA
Plan: GPHY
Level of Study: 2
Petition Categories
Petition Categories: Request credit (CR) standing in a course or courses
Code: ASTR 101
Term: Winter
Year: 2025
Petition Category: Request credit (CR) standing in a course or courses
Instructor's Name: David Hanes
Code: SOCY 122
Term: Fall/Winter
Year: 2025
Petition Category: Request credit (CR) standing in a course or courses
Instructor's Name: Katie Coleman
Code: RELS 131
Term: Fall/Winter
Year: 2025
Instructor's Name: Danielle LaGrone
Petition Letter
Petition Letter: To the Academic Petitions Committee,
I am writing to respectfully request academic consideration for the Winter 2025 term. Specifically, I am requesting a Credit Granted notation for SOCY 122 and ASTR 101, and a late drop of the DR for RELS 131. These requests are based on significant extenuating psychological circumstances that arose during the term and were beyond my control, directly impacting my academic performance.
Following where it started, my first semester, as I entered the Winter term, I experienced a level of isolation I had never felt before. I had come to university without knowing anyone and struggled to build meaningful social connections. During this time, I entered the midst of a depressive episode, which I did not initially recognize, as I had never experienced anything similar before. I felt a deep sense of embarrassment about my condition and did not feel comfortable speaking to anyone about it.
My situation was further complicated by my family background, where mental health is not openly discussed and is often considered a taboo subject. Because of this, I did not feel that I could reach out to my family for support. At the same time, I had not yet developed a support system at university. This left me feeling completely isolated, without emotional or social support, at a time when I needed it most.
As the term progressed, my mental health deteriorated significantly. I experienced a loss of motivation, difficulty concentrating, and a growing sense of hopelessness. Tasks that were once routine became overwhelming. At my lowest point, I struggled to get out of bed, maintain personal organization, or fulfill even basic academic, social, and personal responsibilities. This was a drastic change from my usual level of functioning, as I had always been organized and academically engaged in high school.
These circumstances had a direct and substantial impact on my academic performance. In SOCY 122 and ASTR 101, I was unable to keep up with readings, attend consistently, or adequately prepare for assignments and assessments. My declining mental health made it extremely difficult to focus, remember information, or complete coursework to the best of my ability. As a result, my performance in these courses does not accurately reflect my academic capabilities.
Similarly, my experience in RELS 131 was significantly affected. As my condition worsened, I fell behind in course requirements and was ultimately unable to complete the course successfully. I am currently retaking RELS 131 and am performing at a much higher level, earning A and B grades on assignments. This improvement demonstrates that my previous performance was not indicative of my abilities, but rather the result of the circumstances I was facing at the time.
Although I struggled significantly in these courses, I performed somewhat better in my Film and Psychology classes because I had previously been very interested in those subjects and believed I could use them to convince myself that everything was still okay. At the time, I was trying to justify and deny the seriousness of what I was experiencing by putting slightly more effort into the courses I felt naturally connected to. I hoped that if I could still succeed in areas I enjoyed, it meant my mental health was not truly affecting me. However, even in those classes, I was not performing to my full potential, and my ability to maintain engagement was limited by the same underlying challenges.
The situation was further complicated by the academic disruption caused by the strike during the term. This created additional uncertainty and made it easier for me to disengage from my coursework, as I began to rationalize that my efforts were not worthwhile. This mindset, combined with my declining mental health, contributed to a cycle of avoidance and further academic difficulty.
I also experienced increasing withdrawal from my social and personal responsibilities. For example, I was unable to maintain communication with future housemates regarding important arrangements, which led to further stress and reinforced my sense of failure and isolation. This created a negative feedback loop in which my inability to meet expectations intensified my emotional distress, which then further impaired my academic functioning.
Once I began to understand the severity of my situation, I took steps to address it. I sought support from a mental-health professional and began working on strategies to manage my symptoms and improve my overall well-being. Through this process, I have developed a better understanding of my mental health and how to navigate challenges more effectively. I am now in a significantly more stable position and better equipped to succeed academically.
I want to emphasize that these circumstances were entirely uncharacteristic of my prior academic performance and personal habits. The decline I experienced during the Winter 2025 term was the result of an unexpected and severe mental-health challenge, compounded by isolation and lack of support.
In light of these documented extenuating circumstances, I respectfully request that the committee grant a Credit Granted for SOCY 122 and ASTR 101, and approve a late drop for RELS 131. I am committed to my academic progress and confident that my current performance more accurately reflects my abilities.
Thank you for your time and consideration.
Sincerely,
Geneva Cho
I am writing to respectfully request academic consideration for the Winter 2025 term. Specifically, I am requesting a Credit Granted notation for SOCY 122 and ASTR 101, and a late drop of the DR for RELS 131. These requests are based on significant extenuating psychological circumstances that arose during the term and were beyond my control, directly impacting my academic performance.
Following where it started, my first semester, as I entered the Winter term, I experienced a level of isolation I had never felt before. I had come to university without knowing anyone and struggled to build meaningful social connections. During this time, I entered the midst of a depressive episode, which I did not initially recognize, as I had never experienced anything similar before. I felt a deep sense of embarrassment about my condition and did not feel comfortable speaking to anyone about it.
My situation was further complicated by my family background, where mental health is not openly discussed and is often considered a taboo subject. Because of this, I did not feel that I could reach out to my family for support. At the same time, I had not yet developed a support system at university. This left me feeling completely isolated, without emotional or social support, at a time when I needed it most.
As the term progressed, my mental health deteriorated significantly. I experienced a loss of motivation, difficulty concentrating, and a growing sense of hopelessness. Tasks that were once routine became overwhelming. At my lowest point, I struggled to get out of bed, maintain personal organization, or fulfill even basic academic, social, and personal responsibilities. This was a drastic change from my usual level of functioning, as I had always been organized and academically engaged in high school.
These circumstances had a direct and substantial impact on my academic performance. In SOCY 122 and ASTR 101, I was unable to keep up with readings, attend consistently, or adequately prepare for assignments and assessments. My declining mental health made it extremely difficult to focus, remember information, or complete coursework to the best of my ability. As a result, my performance in these courses does not accurately reflect my academic capabilities.
Similarly, my experience in RELS 131 was significantly affected. As my condition worsened, I fell behind in course requirements and was ultimately unable to complete the course successfully. I am currently retaking RELS 131 and am performing at a much higher level, earning A and B grades on assignments. This improvement demonstrates that my previous performance was not indicative of my abilities, but rather the result of the circumstances I was facing at the time.
Although I struggled significantly in these courses, I performed somewhat better in my Film and Psychology classes because I had previously been very interested in those subjects and believed I could use them to convince myself that everything was still okay. At the time, I was trying to justify and deny the seriousness of what I was experiencing by putting slightly more effort into the courses I felt naturally connected to. I hoped that if I could still succeed in areas I enjoyed, it meant my mental health was not truly affecting me. However, even in those classes, I was not performing to my full potential, and my ability to maintain engagement was limited by the same underlying challenges.
The situation was further complicated by the academic disruption caused by the strike during the term. This created additional uncertainty and made it easier for me to disengage from my coursework, as I began to rationalize that my efforts were not worthwhile. This mindset, combined with my declining mental health, contributed to a cycle of avoidance and further academic difficulty.
I also experienced increasing withdrawal from my social and personal responsibilities. For example, I was unable to maintain communication with future housemates regarding important arrangements, which led to further stress and reinforced my sense of failure and isolation. This created a negative feedback loop in which my inability to meet expectations intensified my emotional distress, which then further impaired my academic functioning.
Once I began to understand the severity of my situation, I took steps to address it. I sought support from a mental-health professional and began working on strategies to manage my symptoms and improve my overall well-being. Through this process, I have developed a better understanding of my mental health and how to navigate challenges more effectively. I am now in a significantly more stable position and better equipped to succeed academically.
I want to emphasize that these circumstances were entirely uncharacteristic of my prior academic performance and personal habits. The decline I experienced during the Winter 2025 term was the result of an unexpected and severe mental-health challenge, compounded by isolation and lack of support.
In light of these documented extenuating circumstances, I respectfully request that the committee grant a Credit Granted for SOCY 122 and ASTR 101, and approve a late drop for RELS 131. I am committed to my academic progress and confident that my current performance more accurately reflects my abilities.
Thank you for your time and consideration.
Sincerely,
Geneva Cho
Documentation
Professional Letter: SWS - Academic Petition Documentation.pdf
Document: Letter of Support - Jessie Mino.docx
Decision Letters
Level 1 Status
Status: Partial GrantLevel 2
Appeal Type: Level 2
ID: 367
Submitted: May 24, 2026 at 5:10:24 PM
Relevant Petition: 14196
Decision(s) Being Appealed: Request credit (CR) standing in a course or courses: SOCY 122, Fall/Winter 2025 (Katie Coleman)
Appeal Grounds
Appeals to the Board of Studies must include a letter based on one or more of the Grounds for Appeal (Appeal Regulation 3.4). What are the grounds you are basing your appeal on?
- The Associate Dean's decision did not follow the rules of procedural fairness. A breach of procedural fairness includes such things as the Associate Dean failed to:
- Follow the university rules and regulations in a way that supported your right to a fair process.
- Make a reasonable decision in your appeal. A “reasonable” decision is one that is based on evidence, thought out and supported by facts and logical inferences from the facts. To be reasonable, the decision must contain adequate reasons for the conclusions.
Appeal Grounds Details: I am appealing on the grounds that the Associate Dean’s decision did not fully support my right to a fair process and was not fully reasonable in light of the evidence and documented extenuating circumstances presented in my petition.
While the decision did acknowledge the significant impact of my mental health difficulties during the relevant academic period, I believe more consideration was given to the extent to which those circumstances directly impaired my ability to complete and submit coursework in SOCY 122.
The denial relied primarily on the fact that several course components were incomplete. However, my documented psychological circumstances were not limited to reduced academic performance; they substantially impaired my functioning, motivation, decision-making, and ability to submit work. At times, I partially completed assessments but experienced severe depressive symptoms and feelings of inadequacy that prevented submission. The decision placed disproportionate emphasis on the technical incompletion of assignments without fully considering the documented reasons that caused that incompletion.
I am also appealing on the basis that fairness and equitable consideration require meaningful assessment of how severe mental health circumstances affect a student’s ability to meet academic requirements. In my case, the same extenuating circumstances that negatively affected my academic performance also directly contributed to the missing course components.
For these reasons, I respectfully submit that the decision may have applied the Credit Standing regulation too narrowly and without sufficient weight given to the full impact of my documented circumstances.
While the decision did acknowledge the significant impact of my mental health difficulties during the relevant academic period, I believe more consideration was given to the extent to which those circumstances directly impaired my ability to complete and submit coursework in SOCY 122.
The denial relied primarily on the fact that several course components were incomplete. However, my documented psychological circumstances were not limited to reduced academic performance; they substantially impaired my functioning, motivation, decision-making, and ability to submit work. At times, I partially completed assessments but experienced severe depressive symptoms and feelings of inadequacy that prevented submission. The decision placed disproportionate emphasis on the technical incompletion of assignments without fully considering the documented reasons that caused that incompletion.
I am also appealing on the basis that fairness and equitable consideration require meaningful assessment of how severe mental health circumstances affect a student’s ability to meet academic requirements. In my case, the same extenuating circumstances that negatively affected my academic performance also directly contributed to the missing course components.
For these reasons, I respectfully submit that the decision may have applied the Credit Standing regulation too narrowly and without sufficient weight given to the full impact of my documented circumstances.
Appeal Letter
Appeal Letter: Dear Members of the Board of Studies,
I am appealing the Associate Dean’s decision to deny my request for Credit Standing in SOCY 122 (FW24/25) on the grounds that the decision was not fully reasonable in light of the severity and impact of my documented extenuating circumstances.
In the decision letter, the Associate Dean acknowledged my documented mental health difficulties and recognized that these circumstances substantially affected my academic performance between October 31, 2024 and May 1, 2025. However, my request for Credit Standing in SOCY 122 was denied because not all graded components of the course were completed, specifically the Library Quiz, Research Paper Outline, and Research Paper.
I understand that Regulation 1.7.1.4 states that Credit Standing is normally reserved for students who completed all course requirements. However, I respectfully submit that the decision did not fully account for the nature and severity of the psychological circumstances that prevented me from completing and submitting work during this period.
During the Fall/Winter 2024 to 2025 academic year, I was experiencing depression and significant deterioration in my mental health. My condition affected not only my academic performance, but also my ability to function, make decisions, and engage normally with coursework. At times, I completed portions of assignments or attempted to work on them, but I became overwhelmed by feelings of hopelessness, inadequacy, and paralysis regarding my academic abilities. There were occasions where I struggled to submit completed or partially completed work because I genuinely believed I was incapable of succeeding and felt mentally unable to move forward.
These were not ordinary issues of time management or lack of effort. My mental health condition substantially impaired my ability to complete academic tasks and participate consistently in the course. The documentation already provided confirms both the timing and academic impact of these circumstances.
I also respectfully ask the Board to consider the principles of fairness and equitable consideration referenced throughout the Academic Petitions and Appeals Regulations and the Ombudsperson’s guidance. The Ombudsperson notes that fairness does not always mean treating every student identically, particularly where significant individual circumstances are involved. In my case, the same mental health condition that lowered my academic performance also directly prevented completion and submission of coursework. I believe the decision placed primary emphasis on the technical incompletion of assignments without fully weighing the documented psychological barriers that caused that incompletion.
I am not disputing that the Associate Dean applied the regulation as written. Rather, I am appealing on the basis that the decision may have applied the regulation too narrowly without sufficient consideration of the exceptional circumstances involved and the extent to which my mental health impaired my ability to complete the remaining course requirements.
Since this period, I have been actively working toward improving and managing my mental health and seeking appropriate support so that I can better manage future academic responsibilities. I remain committed to my education and to developing strategies that will allow me to succeed moving forward. This can all be reflected in my second year GPA, which shows my true academic ability.
Thank you for your time and consideration of my appeal.
Sincerely,
Geneva Cho.
I am appealing the Associate Dean’s decision to deny my request for Credit Standing in SOCY 122 (FW24/25) on the grounds that the decision was not fully reasonable in light of the severity and impact of my documented extenuating circumstances.
In the decision letter, the Associate Dean acknowledged my documented mental health difficulties and recognized that these circumstances substantially affected my academic performance between October 31, 2024 and May 1, 2025. However, my request for Credit Standing in SOCY 122 was denied because not all graded components of the course were completed, specifically the Library Quiz, Research Paper Outline, and Research Paper.
I understand that Regulation 1.7.1.4 states that Credit Standing is normally reserved for students who completed all course requirements. However, I respectfully submit that the decision did not fully account for the nature and severity of the psychological circumstances that prevented me from completing and submitting work during this period.
During the Fall/Winter 2024 to 2025 academic year, I was experiencing depression and significant deterioration in my mental health. My condition affected not only my academic performance, but also my ability to function, make decisions, and engage normally with coursework. At times, I completed portions of assignments or attempted to work on them, but I became overwhelmed by feelings of hopelessness, inadequacy, and paralysis regarding my academic abilities. There were occasions where I struggled to submit completed or partially completed work because I genuinely believed I was incapable of succeeding and felt mentally unable to move forward.
These were not ordinary issues of time management or lack of effort. My mental health condition substantially impaired my ability to complete academic tasks and participate consistently in the course. The documentation already provided confirms both the timing and academic impact of these circumstances.
I also respectfully ask the Board to consider the principles of fairness and equitable consideration referenced throughout the Academic Petitions and Appeals Regulations and the Ombudsperson’s guidance. The Ombudsperson notes that fairness does not always mean treating every student identically, particularly where significant individual circumstances are involved. In my case, the same mental health condition that lowered my academic performance also directly prevented completion and submission of coursework. I believe the decision placed primary emphasis on the technical incompletion of assignments without fully weighing the documented psychological barriers that caused that incompletion.
I am not disputing that the Associate Dean applied the regulation as written. Rather, I am appealing on the basis that the decision may have applied the regulation too narrowly without sufficient consideration of the exceptional circumstances involved and the extent to which my mental health impaired my ability to complete the remaining course requirements.
Since this period, I have been actively working toward improving and managing my mental health and seeking appropriate support so that I can better manage future academic responsibilities. I remain committed to my education and to developing strategies that will allow me to succeed moving forward. This can all be reflected in my second year GPA, which shows my true academic ability.
Thank you for your time and consideration of my appeal.
Sincerely,
Geneva Cho.
Documentation
History
Originally submitted April 21, 2026 at 11:07:59 PM.
| Field | Reference | Old Value | New Value | Note | User | Date/Time |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| status | N/A | Received | Incomplete | Kerri Andrews | 2026-04-28 10:26:30 AM | |
| status | N/A | Incomplete | In Review | Kerri Andrews | 2026-04-30 2:42:45 PM | |
| status | N/A | In Review | Partial Grant | Kerri Andrews | 2026-05-19 2:42:34 PM | |
| associate_dean | N/A | Dorit Naaman (Associate Dean Academic) | Kerri Andrews | 2026-05-19 2:42:34 PM | ||
| decision_letter | N/A | N/A | Decision letter sent | Kerri Andrews | 2026-05-19 2:43:14 PM | |
| new_appeal_level_2 | N/A | Level 2 | Level 2 Appeal ID: 367 | 23qyb4 | 2026-05-24 5:10:24 PM | |
| status | N/A | Received | In Review | Kathrine Scott | 2026-05-27 11:09:20 AM |