Submit an Academic Petition or Appeal

Petition Letter: To whomever it may concern,

My first three years studying at Queen's University have been the most educational years of my life so far. In and outside of class. I've learned how to live and interact positively with other people. I've learned how to appropriately budget my time to accomplish what I feel I must. I've learned how to deal with responsibility responsibly. I've learned how to deal with things I simply cannot control. What I have yet to learn are the bureaucratic processes that allow Queen's to function as an institution - the cogs in the machine, if you will. The forms, paperwork, signatures, approvals, and deadlines that - if utilized correctly - can enable me to go in the direction I wish to go here at Queen's. This is a process I'm still figuring out.

In my first year I went to the Bader International Study Center. This was a blissful, womb-like sequence of my life, but as with all periods of bliss, a rude awakening - a snap into reality - awaited me upon my return. Needless to say, my second year at Queen's was somewhat of a trainwreck - as one can see upon glancing at my transcript.

I had this vague notion of what I ought to be doing with my education, but not what I truly wanted to do. So, of course, I enrolled in Economics and hated every second of it. By the end of second year I knew I needed a shift in focus.

I had previously studied Latin and Ancient Greek in my primary education at a school in Pennsylvania called the Episcopal Academy. I was on my way to becoming proficient in the subject and then distracted by the process of breaking free from the cocoon of childhood.

This school year, my third at Queen's, I switched into Classical Studies with the intent of focusing on Classical languages. I drafted a plan with the Undergraduate chair - Dr. George Bevan. I was to begin Latin and Greek and the 200 level, as well as attending three other CLST lecture courses, and, at Dr. Bevan's approval, I was to sit in on Dr. Bevan's GREK 321 Herodotus course with the hopes of adding the class once I had proved my skills were proficient enough to meet the course's demands - in time this was granted. My schedule has not changed from Fall semester to Winter, with the exception of the 300 level language course, which was only a semester long course. This semester, to even the scales, I inquired as to whether I could attend Professor Anthony D'Elia's Winter Latin 321 Rhetoric course in a similar fashion.

I've been attending and participating in this course since the beginning of this semester. I've been matching the pace and expectations of the rest of the class. I've been enjoying the experience thoroughly. I wanted to enroll and this brought me to another problem:

I am incredibly fortunate to have been raised by a single mother who decided to save for my education. I express my gratitude to her every day. Though, for her to utilize these saving as best she could, she designated the funds to a education specific savings trust. For her to use these funds, she must submit the proper paper work and sufficient proof that this sum will be used only to fund an education. This takes time. Then she has to wait for the funds to be made accessible to her. This takes more time. Then she must mail a check to the Office of the University Registrar, and this takes even more time. As of right now there is a hold on my Solus account because this check - which is CURRENTLY in the mail - has yet to reach the desk of the Registrar office. This process is what held me back from adding LATN 321 by the specified date.

I recognize now that I should have initiated this appeal process sooner, but as of today, I was unaware that this was an option. I only hope for your understanding and pardon of this confusion. I am still learning.

So to summarize, I have been attending and participating in LATN 321 since the course began. I have been meeting all requirements. The professor of the course - Prof. Anthony D'Elia - as well as the Undergraduate Head of the Department - Dr. George Bevan - have both given approval for me to be added to this course. The check is in the mail to pay this semester's tuition IN FULL. This problem is drawing to a close, all that is left for me is this one final bureaucratic inquiry.One last approval. Yours.

Thank you for your consideration,

Gordon G Clarke