Submit an Academic Petition or Appeal

Petition Letter: To whom it may concern,
I am writing this appeal asking to drop GPHY 104 and LATN 110 (2014-2015) after the deadline dates. For the past year, I have struggled with extenuating circumstances such as stress, depression, and anxiety. Having to deal with these medical struggles made it very difficult for me to focus entirely on my academics, even forcing me to stay home from class some days. Since then, I have been able to go see councillors and doctors to ask for their advice as well as being proscribed medication. Having made progress in dealing with my struggles, I have also sought out an academic plan assisted with academic councillors that will better my academic career for the remaining time of my undergraduate degree.
On November 3rd, 2015, I stopped taking my anti-depressant medication which was given to me to assist with my stress and headache issues that were becoming extremely bothersome before school started. The next day, November 4th, I stayed home and did not attend class as I was in a terrible mental and physical state due to withdrawal from the medication and the lack of not being able to sleep. That same day of November 4th, my professor for GPHY 104 handed back our midterm marks in class. Having known this, I asked them to post the mark onto Moodle as I had to go home the next day so I could be in a better mental state. They replied back saying that they would be posted soon and that it was a busy week for them. I waited until past the deadline of November 6th for the mark, only to receive my first mark in the course on November 9th. During this period, I had to write an analysis for the same class and was in such a bad state as I was not able to sleep more than 10 hours in 4 days that the final product severely disappointed me. Once I found out my mark, I was not pleased with it and became worried for the final assignments and exam, knowing that the paper I just handed in would not help my grade. I am wishing to drop this course after the due date due to poor timing of my mental state from a withdrawal of anti-depressants.
As for LATN 110, first year was a very difficult time for me as I was struggling with the demands and expectations of university. This class in particular was extremely overwhelming for me but, I tried to power through it hoping for a positive outcome. After the deadline to drop winter courses in 2015 came, my mental state plummeted severely which was something that I had to deal for the first time with. From that point on, I was not able to keep my mark above passing and continued with it as I had no other option.
As of November 9th, I have been placed back on the anti-depressants so I am now in a better state both mentally and physically. I have reached out to academic councillors and created an academic plan for the next year that includes me taking CLST 103 which I failed last year again to boost my GPA and dropping a geography course next semester and replacing it with music as I am looking into continuing with it. These hurdles came with extenuating circumstances with which I had no control over. From this point on, I plan to stick to my new academic plan for this year and will continue going to academic counselling to discuss my grades and overall courses for the remaining of my time here at Queen¿¿s University.

Sincerely,
Juliet Harris