Submit an Academic Petition or Appeal

Petition Letter: Dear Associate Deans (Studies),
I am appealing the decision that I must withdraw for a minimum of one year due to extenuating circumstances beyond my control.
Throughout this past school year I was suffering from undiagnosed depression which greatly affected my ability to eat, sleep, attend my classes, and ultimately be myself. I had many fears of how I would be received by others if I did reach out for help, not only because of the financial cost of therapy but I also struggled with the stigmas that accompany being diagnosed or labeled with a mental illness. Due to these factors, I did not reach out for support until April when I finally came to terms with it.... Unfortunately, I was not fully aware of the services that Queen¿¿s provides and at the time, did not feel comfortable reaching out as I have had difficulty connecting with my peers and have not been able to make many friendships with the people around me. I had begun to open up with my don, however she left mid-way through the year. Looking back, I believe that I was not ready or adequately prepared for the transition to University, as I lost the direct support of my family upon leaving home and have not built up other support around me.
Should my appeal be granted, my top priority would be to seek the help and counsel I need to ensure my mental health improves. The grades I received in this past year do not reflect who I am as a student, or who I am as a person. I have always had a strong work ethic and a passion for learning; however this past year did not demonstrate this. To get back on the right path, I know I must seek out guidance to help me learn how to take care of myself again, and feel that drive and motivation I came to university with.
Taking into consideration the requirements listed in my academic plan, I would like to request to be enrolled as a part-time student. While reflecting on the root causes for the struggles I faced this past year, I realize that financial worries played a large role on my state of well being. As I am covering the full cost of university, I have decided to supplement my finances with a part-time job. I believe that reducing my academic course load would give me the flexibility to not only decrease my anxiety over my finances, but also the flexibility to build that essential support network in the student community by using some of the extra time to get involved with specific clubs and student initiatives, as I neglected to do so in my first year.
Taking advantage of the resources that Queen¿¿s provides to students is a main point in my strategy for success in the coming years. I am going to seek out support from all angles, including attending office hours, seeking out a tutor, and finding a doctor who can help properly diagnosis my depression... All of these strategies are about building my support network, as this was missing in my first year, and I believe it will be essential to my success because I will know that if I begin to stray from the path, I know I will have the right guidance to keep me on track.
The first step in my succession plan will be getting professional help for my mental wellbeing, as I have not been able to seek out this help to date. Due to difficult circumstances with my relationship with my family, my living situation has become quite complicated. I have not lived in one city long enough to create a trusting long-term relationship with a doctor, therefore once I return to Queen¿¿s I know I will have the long-term living arrangements I need to seek out that help. Ensuring I have the proper documentation and diagnoses is the next step in my recovery plan so that both Queen¿¿s and I know the full extent of my situation and can therefore take the necessary steps to address it.
Thank you for taking the time to read my appeal to have my withdrawal for a year waived. I deeply appreciate your understanding and consideration.

Sincerely,
Kennedy Bailey