Submit an Academic Petition or Appeal

Petition Letter: I am submitting an appeal to drop PSYC 215. I am doing this because I do not need it to graduate, it is putting me under a great deal of stress, and - as a result of fatigue caused by a thyroid condition - I am finding it extremely difficult to keep up with the coursework in this class. I did not drop it prior to February 26th because I believed that I could catch back up and succeed in spite of the fatigue that I have been experiencing. However, for the past few weeks my energy levels have been at an all time low and I no longer believe that I will be able to catch up in time for the final.

PSYC 215 has been particularly challenging for me because much of the coursework involves physics. I have no background in physics, and this is not a way of thinking that comes naturally to me. I elected to enroll in this course because I enjoy a challenge and I was looking forward to trying something in an area that I did not know very much about. However, my energy levels declined dramatically this semester and I found it challenging to even dress myself and shower, let alone leave the house to attend lecture. Without attending lecture, I fell behind and found it difficult to catch back up. In addition to this, a substantial portion of the grade in this class depends on class participation (24, as measured by iClicker quizzes administered during lecture - see attached syllabus). Thus, missing lectures in this class has had both an indirect and a direct impact on my ability to succeed.

I am enrolled in two other courses: PSYC 501 (honours thesis) and PSYC 351 (socioemotional development). My other courses have not been affected by my hypothyroidism because I have been able to keep up without attending many lectures. The project that I have been assigned to complete for my thesis is a chart review and I am thus able to work on this almost exclusively from home. With regards to PSYC 351, I have a strong background in social and developmental psychology and I do not struggle to grasp the material. I have missed many lectures, but I have been able to learn the material by studying the textbook and online resources supplied by the professor via moodle. I am fortunate to have one job which allows me to work from home (PREVNet). I cannot complete work for my other job from home (QLC), and this too has been challenging for me.

As you will see from my attached transcript, this is out of character. I have never submitted an academic appeal before, and prior to this semester it was extremely rare for me to even miss a single lecture. I am a diligent and conscientious student and I love to learn. For the past five years, I have supported myself through school and I will graduate this May. However, the fatigue that I have experienced this semester - and particularly over the past three weeks - has been debilitating. I have worked extremely hard over the past five years to succeed in all of my classes. It is my intention to pursue a graduate degree in clinical psychology. Because PSYC 215 is a second year course in my major that I took in my 5th year, performing poorly in this class will look very bad and will likely make it difficult for me to pursue the career of my choosing. I do not believe that my current performance in PSYC 215 is reflective in any way of my academic aptitude or work ethic (a belief which is supported by my previous performance in related courses). I thus believe that it is in my best interests to drop the course and focus my efforts on recovering my energy levels and completing my degree.

I have received a referral for bloodwork (see attached doctor¿¿s note) and I am doing everything in my power to regain energy (including maintaining a healthy diet and exercising when possible). In the future, I intend to have bloodwork taken more frequently and on a more consistent basis so that my condition can be monitored by a medical professional, my medication can be adjusted when required, and hopefully my energy levels will not drop this low ever again.