Manage Appeals
Petition Type: New
ID: 14484
Submitted: June 15, 2026 at 10:37:57 PM
First Name: Abishek
Last Name: Gobinath
Pronoun: He/Him
Student Number: 20425068
Email: 23kk4@queensu.ca
Degree Program: BACH
Plan: COMP
Level of Study: 2
Petition Categories
Petition Categories: Waive the requirement to withdraw for one year
Level 1 Status
Status: DeniedLevel 2
Appeal Type: Level 2
ID: 376
Submitted: July 17, 2026 at 9:35:29 PM
Relevant Petition: 14484
Decision(s) Being Appealed: Waive the requirement to withdraw for one year
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:
- 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 ground that the Associate Dean’s decision was not reasonable. A central reason for denying my petition was that my documentation did not explain why I failed to withdraw from my courses before the applicable deadlines. However, I believe the decision did not fully consider how my worsening physical and mental health affected my ability to evaluate my situation, seek help, and make the decision to withdraw.
The decision also appears to have treated the June 26, 2026 email as an indication of when my circumstances or treatment began. The additional documentation clarifies that my medical circumstances and attempts to access specialist care had been ongoing much earlier. The May 2024 referral documents my physician’s attempt to establish continuing dermatological care after I moved to Kingston, while the May 2025 referrals document depression, anxiety, isolation from family support, and the effect of my condition on my well-being and academic performance.
I therefore believe the decision did not fully account for the timeline, severity, and academic impact of my documented medical circumstances. My attached appeal letter and additional medical documentation explain these concerns in greater detail.
The decision also appears to have treated the June 26, 2026 email as an indication of when my circumstances or treatment began. The additional documentation clarifies that my medical circumstances and attempts to access specialist care had been ongoing much earlier. The May 2024 referral documents my physician’s attempt to establish continuing dermatological care after I moved to Kingston, while the May 2025 referrals document depression, anxiety, isolation from family support, and the effect of my condition on my well-being and academic performance.
I therefore believe the decision did not fully account for the timeline, severity, and academic impact of my documented medical circumstances. My attached appeal letter and additional medical documentation explain these concerns in greater detail.
Appeal Letter
Appeal Letter: Dear Members of the Board of Studies,
I am appealing the Associate Dean’s decision to deny my petition to waive the Requirement to Withdraw for One Year on the ground that the decision was not reasonable. I appreciate the consideration given to my first-level petition. However, I believe the decision did not fully account for the timeline of my medical circumstances, the effect they had on my ability to function and make academic decisions, and the additional medical documentation that addresses the concerns raised in the decision letter.
A central reason for the denial was that my documentation did not establish why I failed to withdraw from my courses before the applicable deadlines. I understand why this was a concern. However, my failure to withdraw was itself connected to the decline in my physical and mental health during this period.
As my psoriasis worsened while I remained without effective specialist treatment, I became increasingly self-conscious about my appearance. At the same time, I experienced growing shame about my academic situation following my previous difficulties. Together, these issues led me to withdraw from my studies and from the people around me. I isolated myself in my room, rarely interacted with classmates or roommates, stopped speaking with long-time friends, and gradually disengaged from most aspects of daily life. During this same period, my physician documented that I was experiencing moderate depression and moderate anxiety, noting that my mental health, academic pressures, and isolation from family support were making it harder for me to cope.
Instead of responding by withdrawing from my courses or seeking additional help, I kept convincing myself that I could still recover academically if I got myself together. Withdrawing felt like admitting that I had failed again. Although I understood that withdrawing was an available option, my deteriorating mental health affected my ability to realistically evaluate my situation and act on that knowledge. I hid the extent of my struggles from the people closest to me because I was ashamed that my situation had deteriorated after I had already received support. Looking back, I recognize that this pattern of isolation and avoidance prevented me from seeking timely assistance or making the appropriate decision to withdraw. For that reason, I ask that my failure to withdraw be understood as part of the impact of my documented medical circumstances rather than as evidence that those circumstances were not sufficiently serious.
The additional documentation obtained after the first-level decision directly addresses the concerns raised in the decision letter. I also want to clarify the timeline. The June 26, 2026 email reflects the date I obtained and forwarded additional documentation to the University, not the beginning of my treatment or the circumstances described in my petition.
The attached referrals from May 2024 and May 2025 demonstrate that my medical circumstances were ongoing well before June 2026. The May 2024 referral documents my family physician’s attempt to establish continuing dermatological care after I moved to Kingston. The May 2025 referrals document my depression and anxiety, state that my mental health, academic pressures, and isolation from family support were compounding my difficulties, and request that my dermatology referral be prioritized because of the impact my condition was having on my well-being and academic performance. Together, these records show that my circumstances were ongoing, worsening, and affecting my academic functioning well before I was finally able to access specialist treatment in Spring 2026.
Since accessing specialist dermatological care in Spring 2026, I have established ongoing treatment with my dermatologist and begun biologic therapy with Tremfya. I have experienced significant improvement after my first two doses, and my dermatologist expects this improvement to continue with ongoing treatment.
This experience has also changed how I approach my education. I now understand that trying to manage everything alone was one of my biggest mistakes. If I am permitted to continue my studies, I am committed to maintaining my medical treatment, accessing appropriate mental health support, seeking academic assistance as soon as problems arise, and being honest about my difficulties instead of isolating myself.
I fully recognize the seriousness of my academic record and take responsibility for the decisions I made. I hope the Board will also consider the documented circumstances that contributed to those decisions.
For these reasons, I respectfully ask the Board to allow my appeal and waive the Requirement to Withdraw for One Year. Thank you for your time and careful consideration.
I am appealing the Associate Dean’s decision to deny my petition to waive the Requirement to Withdraw for One Year on the ground that the decision was not reasonable. I appreciate the consideration given to my first-level petition. However, I believe the decision did not fully account for the timeline of my medical circumstances, the effect they had on my ability to function and make academic decisions, and the additional medical documentation that addresses the concerns raised in the decision letter.
A central reason for the denial was that my documentation did not establish why I failed to withdraw from my courses before the applicable deadlines. I understand why this was a concern. However, my failure to withdraw was itself connected to the decline in my physical and mental health during this period.
As my psoriasis worsened while I remained without effective specialist treatment, I became increasingly self-conscious about my appearance. At the same time, I experienced growing shame about my academic situation following my previous difficulties. Together, these issues led me to withdraw from my studies and from the people around me. I isolated myself in my room, rarely interacted with classmates or roommates, stopped speaking with long-time friends, and gradually disengaged from most aspects of daily life. During this same period, my physician documented that I was experiencing moderate depression and moderate anxiety, noting that my mental health, academic pressures, and isolation from family support were making it harder for me to cope.
Instead of responding by withdrawing from my courses or seeking additional help, I kept convincing myself that I could still recover academically if I got myself together. Withdrawing felt like admitting that I had failed again. Although I understood that withdrawing was an available option, my deteriorating mental health affected my ability to realistically evaluate my situation and act on that knowledge. I hid the extent of my struggles from the people closest to me because I was ashamed that my situation had deteriorated after I had already received support. Looking back, I recognize that this pattern of isolation and avoidance prevented me from seeking timely assistance or making the appropriate decision to withdraw. For that reason, I ask that my failure to withdraw be understood as part of the impact of my documented medical circumstances rather than as evidence that those circumstances were not sufficiently serious.
The additional documentation obtained after the first-level decision directly addresses the concerns raised in the decision letter. I also want to clarify the timeline. The June 26, 2026 email reflects the date I obtained and forwarded additional documentation to the University, not the beginning of my treatment or the circumstances described in my petition.
The attached referrals from May 2024 and May 2025 demonstrate that my medical circumstances were ongoing well before June 2026. The May 2024 referral documents my family physician’s attempt to establish continuing dermatological care after I moved to Kingston. The May 2025 referrals document my depression and anxiety, state that my mental health, academic pressures, and isolation from family support were compounding my difficulties, and request that my dermatology referral be prioritized because of the impact my condition was having on my well-being and academic performance. Together, these records show that my circumstances were ongoing, worsening, and affecting my academic functioning well before I was finally able to access specialist treatment in Spring 2026.
Since accessing specialist dermatological care in Spring 2026, I have established ongoing treatment with my dermatologist and begun biologic therapy with Tremfya. I have experienced significant improvement after my first two doses, and my dermatologist expects this improvement to continue with ongoing treatment.
This experience has also changed how I approach my education. I now understand that trying to manage everything alone was one of my biggest mistakes. If I am permitted to continue my studies, I am committed to maintaining my medical treatment, accessing appropriate mental health support, seeking academic assistance as soon as problems arise, and being honest about my difficulties instead of isolating myself.
I fully recognize the seriousness of my academic record and take responsibility for the decisions I made. I hope the Board will also consider the documented circumstances that contributed to those decisions.
For these reasons, I respectfully ask the Board to allow my appeal and waive the Requirement to Withdraw for One Year. Thank you for your time and careful consideration.