Submit an Academic Petition or Appeal

Petition Letter: To the Associate Dean of Arts and Science,

I am writing to you to appeal my ban from taking anymore courses due exceeding the maximum amount of courses I am allowed to take for my Bachelor of Arts, Honours and to have courses I have failed to be expunged from my records.
For the past three academic years at Queen¿¿s, I have struggled with bouts of depression and anxiety that have severely affected my academic performance that has resulted in my inability to finish written assignments for courses. Starting in the Winter of 2013, I began to meet with counsellors from the Student Wellness Services on campus as well as my family physician to work out my mental health challenges. During the Winter and Fall terms of 2013, my marks continued to suffer as my doctor tried to find the right medication to help with my depression and anxiety.

My marks slowly improved during the term of Winter 2014 as I found a consistent anti-depressant and continued with my counselling sessions at Student Wellness Services, but my inability to cope with stress and low self-esteem was not thoroughly addressed. I had even attempted to retake some courses I had failed, succeeding with some courses, but still continued to struggle. With the pressure of trying to finish my degree, along with the added embarrassment of retaking failed courses, my depression deepened which was a huge concern for my family physician who then referred me to a psychiatrist. Throughout these challenges, I was receiving help and guidance from Vicky Andrews, the Concurrent Education Advisor, as well as my professors.

As I continued to struggle with my mental health, my family doctor and I decided that it would be more beneficial to take a year off from my academics to focus solely on getting better and address the root causes of my depression and anxiety. Starting from September 2016, I returned home to get closer support from my family and family physician, as well as a registered psychotherapist, Phyllis Ng. I have been consistently meeting with Ms. Ng once every three weeks to develop proper coping strategies that will help address my mental health and academic challenges for the next academic year. In addition, I am currently volunteering with a teacher at a TDSB highschool to gain experience and prepare for my return to academics and teacher¿¿s college the following year.