Submit an Academic Petition or Appeal

Petition Letter: To whom this may concern, this letter is my request for an extension of the deferral period of my final exams for the Winter 2026 semester. Throughout this semester I experienced a major depressive episode which proved to be a challenge to manage along with my expectations as a student. I struggled continuously to be able to get out of bed, make meals, attend class and retain information. My depression peaked around the start of April, and negatively impacted every aspect of my life. At this time, the idea of writing my final exams seemed impossible. I made the decision to make an appointment with my doctor to adjust my antidepressant medication and to defer my exams. When I met with my doctor, she decided to switch my medication from escitalopram to venlafaxine and recommended that I aim to write my exams in June, as it would take many weeks of gradual transition for the medication to become effective. Throughout this transition of medications, my mental and physical health have had many ups and downs, as I have increased the dosage of venlafaxine as directed by my doctor, however each increase resulted in a week of symptoms which made studying for exams very difficult. When I was given the original deferral timeline I was optimistic that I would have recovered from my depressive episode by May, and would be mentally and physically prepared to write these exams, however it has proved to be a much slower process than I originally expected. I am currently experiencing brain fog, loss of concentration, apathy, persistent tiredness, and sadness as a result of major depressive disorder despite being medicated, however I am optimistic that the medication I am on will become more effective to me when I reach the therapeutic dose and fully adjust to it. I feel as if I am granted a greater extension of my exam deferral, to write my final exams in June I will be better prepared to demonstrate my knowledge of the course content. I have already contacted my professors expressing my desire for this extension, and have been removed from the deferred exam list for one of my courses (KNPE 254). Thank you for your time and consideration of my request.