Submit an Academic Petition or Appeal

Petition Letter: Dear the Associate Dean (studies),

Hello, my name is Shayna Briard and I would formally like to apply for an appeal to waive the 21-day penalty to be able drop CHEM 282 which I took in the winter term of my second year and was unsuccessful. Throughout the school term I was distracted from my studies as my younger sister was struggling with her mental health and had numerous attempts of suicide.

This situation began much earlier than what I was made aware. She was struggling for most of that school year. Seeing as I was living in Kingston, rather than my home in Whitby, I was oblivious to the severity of the situation for most the year. My sister had made a couple suicide attempts before and shortly after the New Year, but none of which were close to succeeding. I remember going home for reading week that year and seeing her mood switch so quickly which followed with my dad taking her to be checked into the hospital for the night. I was worried and scared, but had some comfort knowing that she was clear headed enough to be able to reach out for help when she knew she was going to take something to far. I felt I could use Kingston as an escape. That was until one morning in March, right before the end of classes. That morning I had received a text from my sister telling me how much she loved me and how good of a sister I was to her and that she was sorry but it was already too late. Naturally I panicked, but no one from home was picking up their phones. I was two hours away and had just received a suicide note in the forms of a text message from my little sister. When I finally got a hold of my father I had been told that she took 18 extra strength acetaminophen pills, and was refusing any sort of treatment. The doctors couldn¿¿t do anything to help her until she went unconscious, where she had to be flown immediately to Sick Kids hospital in Toronto. It was a very close call, and I was scared that she was not going to recover. I felt like I had lost my little sister and in many ways, I had. When she came out of the hospital they started a rehabilitation program, that my sister was reluctant to try and resisted.

I did not make an appeal in the 21- day limit as I was caught up in the whole extent of this situation, and was in not in the right mental state during that term or that following summer, as this situation has been a long and ongoing struggle for my family. I was trying to focus on my own mental stability. Now that I have matured and am in my fourth year I have been able to gain perspective for this situation. In second year, I tried to use school as my distraction, though my marks suffered because of it. I would like to appeal to waive the 21-day deadline, to then appeal to drop the CHEM 282 course from my transcript. This will help with my future ambitions to continue my education with a graduate studies program.

Kindest regards,

Shayna Briard