Submit an Academic Petition or Appeal

Petition Letter: To Whom It May Concern,

I am appealing the requirement to withdraw from Queens University for one year, and ask that it be waived.
I have struggled with mental health for a number of years, and although I have had many low points along the journey of my well-being, I have also had many positives, including new experiences that continue to give me hope that someday I will be exactly where I have always wanted to be.
When applying to Queens and accepting your offer into a Bachelor of Arts Honours program, I had that feeling of hope. Unfortunately, my first year was not what I hoped it would be -- I was so drawn in by the many changes and expectations of this new experience, that I dropped the focus on my well-being. Although I did seek some professional help with a new family physician, as well as a psychiatrist in Kingston, it was not enough to get me to be where I wanted to be, and by April 2015, I was not able to finish my first year as I had anticipated. With the support of an academic counsellor, my doctors, and my family, I spent last summer trying to recover some courses that I had not yet met requirements for in my first year of studies, as well as work through the best course of action for September. This reflection brought me to the feeling of faith and hope that second year would be better.
I started to realize, however, that this journey was no longer something that I would be able to do on my own. With the incredible support of my parents, I made changes for the upcoming school year -- I agreed to seeing an academic counsellor once a month (or when need be), monthly Skype appointments with my therapist, and signing up with Accessibility Services. My accommodations were agreeing to drop down to four courses, with exams 24 hours apart, no morning exams, and seeing my family doctor and a new psychiatrist once a month.
I do not regret anything from first year, and I believe that it was all part of a growing and learning experience, but when I compare it with my second year of studies, I noticed a drastic difference. For myself, and my close support system, I believe second year went so much better. I kept my appointments with all professionals involved, I took my medication as it was prescribed, and focused on my academics, learning new ways to best study and balance it with my well-being. I was able to be more time-orientated and give myself the motivation to focus on my studies and doing my best on every assignment. For the most part, I had it under control, and yet, my marks did not reflect all the changes I made. My sleep and anxiety were controlled, and yet, I was still not performing to the standards I set for myself, or the university's standards. I have always experienced difficulty in exam situations, as I feel my anxiety takes over and makes it extremely difficult to sit for 3- hour periods in a full exam hall, constantly over-thinking and over-analyzing questions as the clock runs down. That said, I was not able to fully understand and come to terms with my anxiety for exams until the end of this school year, and therefore, I didn't have the support that I needed.
Throughout these past two years, I have learned many life lessons at Queens University, and I do believe that it is the right university for me. I have an incredible support system in Kingston, and I am confident that these supports and the lessons I've learned will help me to be more successful and allow me to realize my dream of graduating from Queens. I am dedicated to putting in the time and effort to make this dream a reality, and setting myself up for increased confidence to be able to say that my time spent at Queens was a great accomplishment.
I ask that you re-consider my suspension for the upcoming school year, allowing me the opportunity to prove that I can achieve my goal to graduate from Queens University.

Sincerely,
Alex Kowch