Submit an Academic Petition or Appeal

Petition Letter: March 20, 2016

Dr. Johanne Bénard
Associate Dean (Studies)

Dear Dr. Johanne Bénard,
I am requesting leave to appeal seeking the following relief:
1) Permission to retroactively drop the following courses: HIST 209, HIST 285, CLST 321 (taken in the winter of 2016) and HIST 216 (taken in the fall of 2016);
2) Credit standing in the following two courses: HIST250 (fall 2015-winter 2016) and HIST 289 (fall 2016).

I am seeking leave to appeal because of psychological and physical challenges that I have encountered since the spring of 2015. At that time, as I was concluding my first year I began struggling with mental health issues, primarily social anxiety and depression. Despite these issues, I completed my first year courses and achieved academic success. As I was finishing first year, I did consult a psychiatrist through Queen¿¿s medical services and was placed on medication at that time. I followed up with my family doctor in the summer of 2015 and my medication changed. I also pursued counselling that summer of 2015 and found summer employment.

Since that time over the last two years, my struggles have increased significantly. My afflictions of social anxiety and depression have contributed directly to my subsequent poor academic performance, which is a far cry from my first year grades. My mental health began deteriorating greatly in the fall of 2015, and my physical health followed. To counter my overactive and constantly anxious thought processes, I began abusing marijuana as a way to ¿numb¿¿ my anxiety. I was able to maintain relatively good marks in the first semester of my second year as the marijuana usage was only occasional at that point. However, I began abusing it on a daily basis in the winter of 2016, becoming a recluse and rarely leaving the house to attend classes. I was frozen in my anxiety and found it difficult to interact with people. I failed to complete a great deal of course work, and although I was able to get an extension in some of the courses I was failing, I was nevertheless overwhelmed by the amount of coursework I had not done by the end of the semester, and was able to only get a select few assignments in at the end ¿¿ not enough to get me the credit in those three winter courses.

One exception to my poor performance in the winter of 2016 was HIST 318, which was a seminar that carried over from the fall, and in which I had a rapport with the professor, Dr. Emily Hill, whom I did not wish to disappoint, and so I attended that class regularly in the winter of 2016, and while my grade suffered owing to the aforementioned addiction, it did not plummet.
In the spring of 2016, I followed up with my family doctor and again my medication changed. I also gained employment, and was doing better for a time, and although my physical health had not improved immensely, I decided to return to school in the fall of 2016. In the summer, I did apply and obtained accommodation through Accessibility Services. I had cut out the marijuana addiction, but I was uncomfortable with how my medication made me feel, and I began to take it inconsistently. By October 2016 I had all but ceased to take it, which was a mistake. My anxiety and scattered thought pattern escalated and I occupied myself not with schoolwork, but with what can only be described as an obsession with current affairs, particularly the Syrian Civil War and the American Presidential Election. This was a manifestation of my illness, and it took precedence over my school work. During this period I exhibited the same behaviour as before: reclusiveness, inability to interact with others and deteriorating physical health. I discussed this situation with my parents at Christmas. We decided that I should try to return to Queen¿¿s with a reduced course load, coupled with taking my medication and seeing a counsellor. I tried, but found that I could not continue after reading week as my anxiety and depression were not improving, and I found it difficult to focus on work.

I do want to return to Queen¿¿s. However, I recognize that I need to take time to address this illness and to develop coping mechanisms. If I do return to Queen¿¿s, it will not be in the fall of 2017, and I would seek to start back with a reduced course load. I have started working with a psychologist since reading week, and I will have my medication reviewed and potentially adjusted by a psychiatrist. I want to complete my degree, and feel that the failures and other low grades on my transcript will hinder me significantly in the future applications to graduate school. I am hopeful that I can appeal these grades so I can move forward when I am mentally and physically ready.
Thank you for your consideration.
Regards,
Luke Murray
10142905