Submit an Academic Petition or Appeal

Petition Letter: I am appealing to drop PSYC 241, past the academic deadline. I received a failing grade on upon completion of the course and would appreciate your consideration in removing this from my transcript.

Since my arrival at Queens in 2014 I have found the experience to be quite challenging both academically and emotionally. My first term in 2014 brought on new emotional challenges at university as I found myself away from family for the first time and without any friends I grew up with. I challenged myself and was able to meet some new friends in the dorm and classes. I had been bullied as a young student (growing up) and so, I am very guarded and slow to trust people as new friends.

Unfortunately before the end of the first term I was the victim of an unwanted entry into my dorm room. It was an uninvited male, given access by somebody whom I had come to trust. I don't wish to detail this occurrence further, but as a result I was traumatized emotionally. Soon after this period in time my migraine headaches came more frequently and their intensity increased. I have been on prescription medicine for this issue for several years. I had them at a reasonable / liveable level but was now finding that the prescribed medicine was not working for me. By the second term I was seeing my medical doctor at home regularly and we began trying new options to deal with my new issues. As the first year at Queens came to an end I returned home, glad to leave the dorm room, which was not a place I wanted to be.

Second year (current) I was feeling better but it seems Queens wanted to test my mental strengths further. As I was signing up for my courses in July the computer system went down, lost my spot. Result, I was directed into a major that I really didn't want by the advisors. Issues with availability I was told. Courses I tried to take were overlapping each other. It was impossible to take more than one of my majors in the fall term as the next class started before the first one ended. My dad and I spend hours of long distance calls to Arts and Science advisors. They suggested on two occasions that I just show up when I could, miss the first half of each class and ask students for notes. Sorry, that's just the way the courses got slotted, they told us. These suggestions were obviously not options to me as you can appreciate. My dad called the Dean, she acknowledged that there was an unfortunate scheduling mess. She told us she was going to speak to people about this for future as it shouldn't happen, unfortunately it didn't help my cause. I ended up with a super heavy timetable with courses I didn't really want.

Tragedy struck our family when my grandmother passed away suddenly on July 20, 2015. There were some difficult legal issues (will) that both my dad and I had to deal with along with the emotional loss. Only recently have they been cleared up and put to rest. Then unfortunately, just before school started up my great grandfather passed away on Sept. 5, 2015.

I started second year at Queens with a heavy heart, living off campus and was hopeful for a fresh start. As I began attending classes I noticed a student in my PSYC class was someone involved in last years emotional trauma. I avoided contact with them but it became the focus of the day and course. It drew and sucked up all my attention before, during and after the class. Unfortunately all the built up stress and trauma I had been dealing with, my emotional sponge was overfull and my anxiety became too much for me to handle. My migraines were not getting any lighter. I wanted to be at home, not school. Fridays (in particular) when my PSYC class was on, my mind was just about leaving for home, my parents were picking me up every Friday and bringing me back at the start of the week. I made an appointment with the Arts / Science Academic Advisor in an attempt to look for options etc. To say she was rude and uncaring would be an understatement. She told me I didn't seem committed enough, I only had 10 minutes of her time and maybe I should just drop out Her face and words still haunt me today. I went to her for help and guidance not a demoralizing lashing.

I did visit the Student Wellness Services and spent some time with staff. Due to my choice of online courses this term, I am only on campus Wednesdays for my PROF 210 class. We thought it best to seek counselling close to home. I have been seeing my doctor in Toronto during the remainder of this term.
I have been in and spoke to Haley Everson and Vicky Andrews in the Concurrent Education department. We have come up
with a timetable, I believe I can succeed with moving forward.

I am hoping you can drop PSYC 241 from my record to assist me in in kick-starting my future progress.

Brittney Thompson