Submit an Academic Petition or Appeal

Petition Letter: Dear Dr. Dorit Naaman (Academic Associate Dean),
I am writing to respectfully request a late course drop for my Winter semester courses, including DEVS101, PHIL151, POLS112, and SOCY101.
The extenuating circumstances that affected my academic performance began after the death of my Godmother in the first semester. Her passing had a profound impact on my mental health and emotional well-being. Although I initially believed I would be able to continue with my studies through her passing, my grief developed into a severe depressive episode that significantly impaired my ability to function academically and personally. Beginning in approximately mid-February and continuing through March, I experienced symptoms of depression that affected nearly every aspect of my daily life. During this period, I struggled to eat properly, do basic daily tasks, attend to my responsibilities, and make progress in my coursework. I was also completely unable to reach out for help, even going as far as making a counselling appointment but failing to attend out of pure exhaustion from my mental health as well as anxiety and fear. My ability to concentrate, stay motivated, and meet academic deadlines deteriorated substantially. As a result, I fell behind in multiple courses despite my intention to complete the semester successfully, especially after failing and getting a late drop last semester. When I realized I was struggling and absolutely needed help, I first went to a walk-in same day appointment with a mental health counsellor at Queens, different from whom I have been seeing since my Godmother got sick in November 2025. The reason for this was to just take a step in moving forward and actually leaving my apartment for the first time. It was not to immediately fix my academics, it was to try and find some stable ground with my mental and physical health. After this, I contacted my professors to explain my circumstances and request extensions. They were understanding and granted additional time to complete coursework. At that point, I believed that with these accommodations I would be able to recover academically and finish the semester. Unfortunately, despite these efforts, my mental health continued to decline, and I was ultimately unable to complete the required work. Looking back, I recognize that withdrawing earlier would have been the better decision.
I understand that this is my second request for a late course drop after previously receiving one for my Fall semester. I sincerely apologize for not recognizing sooner that I was not in a position to continue my studies. At the time, I wanted very badly to believe that I could push through my grief and recover academically. Unfortunately, I underestimated the severity of my depression/grief and overestimated my ability to complete my courses. Since then, I have sought professional support and have been working with a mental health counselor, whose letter is included with this petition. Receiving professional care has helped me better understand the impact my mental health had on my academic performance and has given me healthier strategies for managing difficult circumstances moving forward.
I have also decided to take the summer off from my studies to focus on healing, processing my loss, and continuing treatment so that I can return to my courses in a healthier and more stable position. I believe this time away has been necessary to ensure that I can succeed when I resume my studies. I remain fully committed to completing my degree. I plan to retake POLS112 and SOCY101 during the upcoming Winter semester and continue working toward graduation, even if it means finishing a semester or a year later than originally planned. My long-term goal is to attend law school, and I am committed to rebuilding my academic record through consistent effort and improved self-awareness. I also understand that this request may be denied and in that event I will retake all four courses to not have those failures reflect in my GPA. However, it would be much easier to have them removed completely, and I would be very grateful for that.
This experience has taught me the importance of recognizing when I need help and making difficult academic decisions earlier. I have learned that perseverance also means acknowledging my limitations and seeking appropriate support rather than trying to manage everything on my own.
I respectfully ask you to consider my petition in light of these extenuating circumstances and the supporting documentation provided. Thank you for taking the time to review my request and for considering my situation. If you need anything else or further explanation on any part (circumstances, efforts, or further plans), please don’t hesitate to reach out and I will happily provide whatever is needed.

Thank you again for you consideration,
Odessa Ricca
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