Submit an Academic Petition or Appeal

Petition Letter: Dear Associate Dean:
I am appealing to drop HIST 125 (Summer, 2016).
My family just moved back to Canada from China. Due to the fact that they did not have a job last summer, I had to obtain a job in order to provide for my family. I worked at McDonald¿¿s as a full-time employee, I was working eight hours straight from night to the following morning. I was also responsible for settling down my family, for instance, I had to help them look for a place to live, register my sister to a new elementary school, renew and apply for various cards and statuses. Basically, I was working all night every day, and handling and helping various family related errands and tasks during the day. There was a lot of reading for HIST 125, which I did not know beforehand. I tried to finish all the readings and assignments, but I was just left with too little time and energy. The need to pay the rent and food costs forced me to use all my energy and time on my job. My family was really in need of my help, last year was a tough transition time for us, everything was in a state of uncertainty. My academic performance was greatly affected by this sudden change in my family¿¿s life. I am more than capable in my academic abilities, I have done well in other humanities courses, such as film, religious studies, and philosophy. I am fully confident that I will be able to achieve positive academic performances and results in my current and future studies. My family and myself regard a Queen¿¿s degree with the utmost respect, and I would like to continue my studies at this prestigious postsecondary institution, towards obtaining a History degree. This degree is very important to me and my family because we all depend on it to bring about a more secure and positive life.
I sincerely hope you would grant my appeal to drop HIST 125. I will be retaking this course over the summer session because I am very interested in European history, and this time I will be able to fully immerse myself in the course work and readings. I am no longer required to take a full-time job right now, so I will be better able to engage with the course during the summer term. In addition, I will be managing my time wisely and schedule my work on a planner. Since my family has settled down now and all related issues have been resolved and managed, I will be able to study more and keep up with the course materials. I really enjoy history courses and intend on completing a history degree at Queen¿¿s University. If I ever encounter an academic problem, I will surely book an appointment with an academic advisor. If possible, I will try to look for writing workshops to improve my writing skills. If family problems or issues occur, I will try to look for a personal advisor for assistance.