Manage Appeals
Petition Type: New
ID: 3253
Submitted: April 8, 2017 at 9:55:12 PM
First Name: Lily
Last Name: Helmer-Smith
Student Number: 10075287
Email: 12lms3@queensu.ca
Degree Program: BSc
Plan: LISC
Level of Study: 4
Petition Categories
Petition Categories: Waive the 21-day or one term deadline
Petition Letter
Petition Letter: Dear Associate Dean of Arts and Science,
I am appealing to waive the 21-day/one-term appeal deadline. Below, the grounds for this request are described.
I have attended Queen's University for the past five years. As noted in the attached Psychiatry Consultation Report provided by Student Wellness Services, I have experienced significant, recurring, and ongoing symptoms of Major Depressive Disorder and Generalized Anxiety Disorder for much of my life, most notably during the last six years. The effects that these have had on my mental health, academic career, and personal life have required me to take medical leave since Reading Week to address them.
Over these six years, these disorders and their symptoms have greatly impacted my ability to perform to my full academic ability, to address their effect on my academic career, and to successfully understand, manage, and treat them. Although the first and third components of that statement are relevant, I plan to address and explain them further in my next letter, should this appeal be granted. In this letter, I will focus on the second component of that statement, being that these disorders have affected my ability to address their impact on my academics and to appeal within the deadlines.
When I am experiencing the symptoms caused by these disorders, I find that they affect my judgement, resourcefulness, and ability to make decisions. In other words, I find myself struggling or unable to formulate and stick to plans, my thoughts are aloof and unfocused, and I tend to feel apathetic about different situations and circumstances that I am in. Drawing from this, one can imagine that during the times that I have experienced these symptoms, it has not been conducive to starting a process such as an appeal or successfully seeking proper support. As stated in the supporting documentation, I have had recurring and sever experiences with these symptoms.
Over the years, when I have been in the correct state of mind to perhaps address certain academic outcomes, it seemed impossible, daunting, and sometimes useless to do so. I often felt as though any attempt to seek help or support would be hopeless or unwarranted and that no appeal would be granted. In my earlier years at Queen's, I was unaware that the issues I was experiencing were grounds for any sort of accommodation or appeal. Once I knew more about the symptoms that I was experiencing, their effects, and the appeal process, I often felt as though it would be an impossible task to repair my academic record. I was struggling simply to stay afloat within each academic year and couldn't fathom undergoing any process such as this that would truly address the underlying mental illnesses that I have struggled with. I have consciously waited until a time when I am in a better state of mind and have a professional support system in place to address this.
When looking at my academic and appeal history, one may question why I was unable to address the outcomes related to my mental illnesses, but was still able to successfully complete appeals in February of 2014 and September of 2016. To put it simply, it has taken many years to recognize the symptoms I have experienced, to determine what to do about them, and to trust the different resources on campus. It was less difficult to formulate an appeal for a physical illness in 2012/2013 and an acute panic attack - related to the completion of my coursework for GRMN 101 - in September of 2016. This is because it is much easier to draw a connection from and explain the impact of physical illness and acute incidents in a letter than it is to do so for chronic mental illnesses. Those experiences are often seen as more concrete and legitimate than an ongoing mental illness, due to the stigma and misinformation that surrounds mental health and illnesses.
During the past five years I have tried many different methods to manage and deal with the symptoms that I was experiencing from the above mentioned disorders, although they were only diagnosed this past year. I have sought out professional help at Student Wellness Services, seeing a counsellor for a short time in 2014 with little success. From there, I have worked on a continuous basis, with significant time taken away from my academics, to learn about my personal mental illnesses and effective ways to manage them. Since the beginning of September 2016, I have been working with a doctor and a counsellor from Student Wellness Services, with much better results. Even so, it has only been since this January that I have felt as though my efforts have been somewhat effective. In addition, it has been only recently that I have felt in any frame of mind to address the poor academic outcomes caused by my struggles with the above-mentioned disorders and to make these appeals.
If this appeal to waive the deadline is granted, my next step will be appealing to drop specific failed courses, largely on the grounds of the above and the effect that these disorders have had on my academic performance throughout my time at Queen's University. The impact that these disorders have had, specifically on the courses in which I have received an F, cannot be emphasized enough. I plan to explain these impacts in much greater detail in my next appeal letter and to share more supporting documentation, should this opportunity be granted. Please contact me at any time if you wish to have more information before considering this appeal.
Thank you for your time and consideration,
Lily Helmer-Smith
I am appealing to waive the 21-day/one-term appeal deadline. Below, the grounds for this request are described.
I have attended Queen's University for the past five years. As noted in the attached Psychiatry Consultation Report provided by Student Wellness Services, I have experienced significant, recurring, and ongoing symptoms of Major Depressive Disorder and Generalized Anxiety Disorder for much of my life, most notably during the last six years. The effects that these have had on my mental health, academic career, and personal life have required me to take medical leave since Reading Week to address them.
Over these six years, these disorders and their symptoms have greatly impacted my ability to perform to my full academic ability, to address their effect on my academic career, and to successfully understand, manage, and treat them. Although the first and third components of that statement are relevant, I plan to address and explain them further in my next letter, should this appeal be granted. In this letter, I will focus on the second component of that statement, being that these disorders have affected my ability to address their impact on my academics and to appeal within the deadlines.
When I am experiencing the symptoms caused by these disorders, I find that they affect my judgement, resourcefulness, and ability to make decisions. In other words, I find myself struggling or unable to formulate and stick to plans, my thoughts are aloof and unfocused, and I tend to feel apathetic about different situations and circumstances that I am in. Drawing from this, one can imagine that during the times that I have experienced these symptoms, it has not been conducive to starting a process such as an appeal or successfully seeking proper support. As stated in the supporting documentation, I have had recurring and sever experiences with these symptoms.
Over the years, when I have been in the correct state of mind to perhaps address certain academic outcomes, it seemed impossible, daunting, and sometimes useless to do so. I often felt as though any attempt to seek help or support would be hopeless or unwarranted and that no appeal would be granted. In my earlier years at Queen's, I was unaware that the issues I was experiencing were grounds for any sort of accommodation or appeal. Once I knew more about the symptoms that I was experiencing, their effects, and the appeal process, I often felt as though it would be an impossible task to repair my academic record. I was struggling simply to stay afloat within each academic year and couldn't fathom undergoing any process such as this that would truly address the underlying mental illnesses that I have struggled with. I have consciously waited until a time when I am in a better state of mind and have a professional support system in place to address this.
When looking at my academic and appeal history, one may question why I was unable to address the outcomes related to my mental illnesses, but was still able to successfully complete appeals in February of 2014 and September of 2016. To put it simply, it has taken many years to recognize the symptoms I have experienced, to determine what to do about them, and to trust the different resources on campus. It was less difficult to formulate an appeal for a physical illness in 2012/2013 and an acute panic attack - related to the completion of my coursework for GRMN 101 - in September of 2016. This is because it is much easier to draw a connection from and explain the impact of physical illness and acute incidents in a letter than it is to do so for chronic mental illnesses. Those experiences are often seen as more concrete and legitimate than an ongoing mental illness, due to the stigma and misinformation that surrounds mental health and illnesses.
During the past five years I have tried many different methods to manage and deal with the symptoms that I was experiencing from the above mentioned disorders, although they were only diagnosed this past year. I have sought out professional help at Student Wellness Services, seeing a counsellor for a short time in 2014 with little success. From there, I have worked on a continuous basis, with significant time taken away from my academics, to learn about my personal mental illnesses and effective ways to manage them. Since the beginning of September 2016, I have been working with a doctor and a counsellor from Student Wellness Services, with much better results. Even so, it has only been since this January that I have felt as though my efforts have been somewhat effective. In addition, it has been only recently that I have felt in any frame of mind to address the poor academic outcomes caused by my struggles with the above-mentioned disorders and to make these appeals.
If this appeal to waive the deadline is granted, my next step will be appealing to drop specific failed courses, largely on the grounds of the above and the effect that these disorders have had on my academic performance throughout my time at Queen's University. The impact that these disorders have had, specifically on the courses in which I have received an F, cannot be emphasized enough. I plan to explain these impacts in much greater detail in my next appeal letter and to share more supporting documentation, should this opportunity be granted. Please contact me at any time if you wish to have more information before considering this appeal.
Thank you for your time and consideration,
Lily Helmer-Smith
Documentation
Professional Letter: Psychiatry Consultation Report - Dr. Hamer.pdf
Decision Letters
Amendment to Appeal 3253
Relevant Petition: 3253
First Name: Lily
Last Name: Helmer-Smith
Student Number: 10075287
Email: 12lms3@queensu.ca
Degree Program: BSC-G
Plan: LISC
Level of Study: 4
Petition Categories
Petition Categories: Drop a course after the academic deadline
Code: CHEM 112
Term: Fall/Winter
Year: 2014
Petition Category: Drop a course after the academic deadline
Code: STAT 263
Term: Winter
Year: 2014
Petition Category: Drop a course after the academic deadline
Code: PSYC 100
Term: Fall/Winter
Year: 2015
Petition Category: Drop a course after the academic deadline
Code: DEVS 220
Term: Fall
Year: 2016
Petition Category: Drop a course after the academic deadline
Petition Letter
Petition Letter: Dear Associate Dean Benard,
I am appealing for a late drop of the following courses from my transcript: CHEM 112 and STAT 263 (taken in the 2013/2014 academic year), PSYC 100 (taken in the 2014/15 academic year), and DEVS 220 (taken in the Fall of 2016). Below, the grounds for this request are described.
As noted in the attached Psychiatry Consultation Report, I have experienced significant, recurring, and ongoing symptoms of Major Depressive Disorder and Generalized Anxiety Disorder for much of my life, most notably during the last six years. These disorders have greatly impacted my mental health and my academic performance throughout my time at Queen's University. They have also required me to take medical leave since Reading Week of this year to continue to properly and fully address them.
From my academic history it can be seen that I entered Queen's University with Academic Excellence, earning both the Queen's University Excellence Scholarship and the Robert B. Peterson Entrance Scholarship, but that I have struggled to perform at this high level since. This deviation from my past academic performance is directly due to the circumstances that have arisen and the symptoms that I have experienced from the aforementioned disorders. In this letter I will focus on the significant and negative impacts that these disorders have had on my academic performance, specifically within the above-mentioned courses.
When I am experiencing the symptoms caused by these disorders, I find that they affect my ability to concentrate, memorize and recall information, form ideas, read, write, solve problems, make decisions, feel motivated, and cope with stress. In my experience, these effects are often significant in nature, unpredictable, and inconsistent in pattern. In other words, these disorders create circumstances in which I am unable to complete course work on a consistent basis, perform to my full academic abilities, or meet personal and course-based goals and deadlines. Please see the Functional Impairments and Limitations section of the attached Queen's Student Accessibility Services Intake Form for confirmation of the above academic and functional impairments.
CHEM 112 and STATS 263:
During my second year at Queen's University, I struggled immensely with my mental health, and the above-mentioned effects on my academic capabilities were very severe. As can be seen on my transcript, I did not perform very well in my courses during that academic year, particularly within CHEM 112 and STAT 263. I believe that these two courses suffered because they require a large amount of recall, problem solving, concentration, and motivation for successful completion. Throughout the year my mental illnesses were not yet diagnosed, but I worked to the best of my ability to understand and manage the symptoms that I was experiencing. In 2014, I sought out professional help at Student Academic Success Services and Student Wellness Services. This included attending almost all of the Academic Success workshops, one-on-one appointments with both the Writing Centre and Learning Strategies, and utilizing their online resources. I also saw a counsellor on a regular basis for a short time in the Winter 2014 Semester, but I unfortunately had little progress. I consider this to be due to the severity of my mental health issues at the time and how much they had already affected my academics by that point. Consequently, my many efforts to manage the symptoms that I was experiencing and to perform well in my courses were not successful and I did not pass these courses.
PSYC 100:
In the 2014/15 academic year I continued to use Student Academic Success Services to improve my skills in time management, stress management, concentration, and problem solving. I did not utilize the counselling services at Student Wellness, because my previous experience was very discouraging and ineffective. Some of my efforts in the 2014/2015 academic year were fruitful though, as I improved on many skills and successfully passed STAT 263 that time around. Unfortunately, I was unable to pass PSYC 100. Success in this course is largely based on memorization, the formation of ideas and arguments, and the ability to maintain focus and motivation. As stated, my capacity for such was greatly impacted when I experienced the symptoms of my mental illnesses. It should be noted that my Anxiety Disorder was very severe from approximately November 2014 to January 2016, which included a large majority of the time that I was enrolled and participating in PSYC 100. This significantly influenced my performance in the course, and my ability to keep up with it throughout the year. Over this period of time, I experienced more frequent and very debilitating anxiety attacks. This eventually required the need for a deferral of my PSYC 100 exam from April 2015 to September 2015 (see attached documentation). Although I continued to take steps to improve my mental health throughout the summer, my Anxiety Disorder was still very severe in those months and in September. This significantly affected my ability to properly prepare for and write the PSYC 100 Final Exam, as my mind was still in distress when it came time to study for and write it. As a result, I did not pass the exam or the course. From there, I have worked on a continuous basis, with significant time taken away from my academics (including a reduced course load), to learn about my personal mental illnesses and effective ways to manage them. However, this failed grade still hangs on my transcript.
DEVS 220:
Finally, in the fall of 2016, my mental illnesses were still very severe, so I decided to seek professional help at Student Wellness Services again. Since the beginning of September 2016, I have been working with a doctor and a counsellor from Student Wellness Services and have had much better results. Upon advice from Janet Roloson, I also registered with Student Accessibility Services to help minimize the effects of my mental illnesses on my academics. Attached you can find a copy of my Intake Form, which includes information regarding the effects on my functions and academic abilities during that time. In March 2017, I began to finally feel as though my efforts and work began to be somewhat effective. This was largely due to a greatly reduced course load, my work with Dr. Willms and Janet Roloson (Senior Counsellor), and the significant time that I have taken away from my studies over this academic year to improve and manage my mental health/illnesses. Though this has been extremely beneficial for my overall health, this was not conducive to staying on top of and completing my course work for DEVS 100 and DEVS 220. In the attached documentation, I have provided a copy of a short-term accommodation request form from Student Wellness Services in which it was advised that my essay deadline for DEVS 220 be extended. This was the first of many accommodations that Professor Lovelace provided me with for DEVS 220 because of the evident effects of my mental illnesses on my ability to complete my work. Unfortunately, I eventually had to end my attempts to complete both DEVS 100 (dropping this course in December) and DEVS 220, receiving an Incomplete in result.
I hope that this letter has helped outline the impact that these health disorders have had on my academic career at Queen's University and how they have specifically influenced my performance within and ability to complete the courses discussed above. Attached you will find supporting documentation from Janet Roloson (received in office), Dr. Willms, and Dr. Hamer.
If this appeal is approved and I am granted a late drop for CHEM 112, STAT 263, PSYC 100, and DEVS 220, it would allow me to pursue my academic and professional goals without the weight of my mental health issues and the difficulties that I have overcome. I hope to complete a full Change of Plan into a Bachelor of Arts (Honours) in Health Studies and to build a career within the public health field. If this appeal is approved, realization of these goals will be much more probable. My academic record would be looked upon much more favourably, and I would reach the GPA requirements for this Change of Plan.
My short-term future plans include spending the next academic year away from Queen's and my courses, so that I may further address my health issues with the professional support of my family doctor and a counsellor. Upon my return to Queen's, I will continue to see medical and mental health professionals on a regular basis to ensure that any remaining mental health issues do not negatively impact my transition back to Queen's University or my academic performance.
Thank you for your time and consideration.
Highest regards,
Lily Helmer-Smith
Student Number: 10075287
I am appealing for a late drop of the following courses from my transcript: CHEM 112 and STAT 263 (taken in the 2013/2014 academic year), PSYC 100 (taken in the 2014/15 academic year), and DEVS 220 (taken in the Fall of 2016). Below, the grounds for this request are described.
As noted in the attached Psychiatry Consultation Report, I have experienced significant, recurring, and ongoing symptoms of Major Depressive Disorder and Generalized Anxiety Disorder for much of my life, most notably during the last six years. These disorders have greatly impacted my mental health and my academic performance throughout my time at Queen's University. They have also required me to take medical leave since Reading Week of this year to continue to properly and fully address them.
From my academic history it can be seen that I entered Queen's University with Academic Excellence, earning both the Queen's University Excellence Scholarship and the Robert B. Peterson Entrance Scholarship, but that I have struggled to perform at this high level since. This deviation from my past academic performance is directly due to the circumstances that have arisen and the symptoms that I have experienced from the aforementioned disorders. In this letter I will focus on the significant and negative impacts that these disorders have had on my academic performance, specifically within the above-mentioned courses.
When I am experiencing the symptoms caused by these disorders, I find that they affect my ability to concentrate, memorize and recall information, form ideas, read, write, solve problems, make decisions, feel motivated, and cope with stress. In my experience, these effects are often significant in nature, unpredictable, and inconsistent in pattern. In other words, these disorders create circumstances in which I am unable to complete course work on a consistent basis, perform to my full academic abilities, or meet personal and course-based goals and deadlines. Please see the Functional Impairments and Limitations section of the attached Queen's Student Accessibility Services Intake Form for confirmation of the above academic and functional impairments.
CHEM 112 and STATS 263:
During my second year at Queen's University, I struggled immensely with my mental health, and the above-mentioned effects on my academic capabilities were very severe. As can be seen on my transcript, I did not perform very well in my courses during that academic year, particularly within CHEM 112 and STAT 263. I believe that these two courses suffered because they require a large amount of recall, problem solving, concentration, and motivation for successful completion. Throughout the year my mental illnesses were not yet diagnosed, but I worked to the best of my ability to understand and manage the symptoms that I was experiencing. In 2014, I sought out professional help at Student Academic Success Services and Student Wellness Services. This included attending almost all of the Academic Success workshops, one-on-one appointments with both the Writing Centre and Learning Strategies, and utilizing their online resources. I also saw a counsellor on a regular basis for a short time in the Winter 2014 Semester, but I unfortunately had little progress. I consider this to be due to the severity of my mental health issues at the time and how much they had already affected my academics by that point. Consequently, my many efforts to manage the symptoms that I was experiencing and to perform well in my courses were not successful and I did not pass these courses.
PSYC 100:
In the 2014/15 academic year I continued to use Student Academic Success Services to improve my skills in time management, stress management, concentration, and problem solving. I did not utilize the counselling services at Student Wellness, because my previous experience was very discouraging and ineffective. Some of my efforts in the 2014/2015 academic year were fruitful though, as I improved on many skills and successfully passed STAT 263 that time around. Unfortunately, I was unable to pass PSYC 100. Success in this course is largely based on memorization, the formation of ideas and arguments, and the ability to maintain focus and motivation. As stated, my capacity for such was greatly impacted when I experienced the symptoms of my mental illnesses. It should be noted that my Anxiety Disorder was very severe from approximately November 2014 to January 2016, which included a large majority of the time that I was enrolled and participating in PSYC 100. This significantly influenced my performance in the course, and my ability to keep up with it throughout the year. Over this period of time, I experienced more frequent and very debilitating anxiety attacks. This eventually required the need for a deferral of my PSYC 100 exam from April 2015 to September 2015 (see attached documentation). Although I continued to take steps to improve my mental health throughout the summer, my Anxiety Disorder was still very severe in those months and in September. This significantly affected my ability to properly prepare for and write the PSYC 100 Final Exam, as my mind was still in distress when it came time to study for and write it. As a result, I did not pass the exam or the course. From there, I have worked on a continuous basis, with significant time taken away from my academics (including a reduced course load), to learn about my personal mental illnesses and effective ways to manage them. However, this failed grade still hangs on my transcript.
DEVS 220:
Finally, in the fall of 2016, my mental illnesses were still very severe, so I decided to seek professional help at Student Wellness Services again. Since the beginning of September 2016, I have been working with a doctor and a counsellor from Student Wellness Services and have had much better results. Upon advice from Janet Roloson, I also registered with Student Accessibility Services to help minimize the effects of my mental illnesses on my academics. Attached you can find a copy of my Intake Form, which includes information regarding the effects on my functions and academic abilities during that time. In March 2017, I began to finally feel as though my efforts and work began to be somewhat effective. This was largely due to a greatly reduced course load, my work with Dr. Willms and Janet Roloson (Senior Counsellor), and the significant time that I have taken away from my studies over this academic year to improve and manage my mental health/illnesses. Though this has been extremely beneficial for my overall health, this was not conducive to staying on top of and completing my course work for DEVS 100 and DEVS 220. In the attached documentation, I have provided a copy of a short-term accommodation request form from Student Wellness Services in which it was advised that my essay deadline for DEVS 220 be extended. This was the first of many accommodations that Professor Lovelace provided me with for DEVS 220 because of the evident effects of my mental illnesses on my ability to complete my work. Unfortunately, I eventually had to end my attempts to complete both DEVS 100 (dropping this course in December) and DEVS 220, receiving an Incomplete in result.
I hope that this letter has helped outline the impact that these health disorders have had on my academic career at Queen's University and how they have specifically influenced my performance within and ability to complete the courses discussed above. Attached you will find supporting documentation from Janet Roloson (received in office), Dr. Willms, and Dr. Hamer.
If this appeal is approved and I am granted a late drop for CHEM 112, STAT 263, PSYC 100, and DEVS 220, it would allow me to pursue my academic and professional goals without the weight of my mental health issues and the difficulties that I have overcome. I hope to complete a full Change of Plan into a Bachelor of Arts (Honours) in Health Studies and to build a career within the public health field. If this appeal is approved, realization of these goals will be much more probable. My academic record would be looked upon much more favourably, and I would reach the GPA requirements for this Change of Plan.
My short-term future plans include spending the next academic year away from Queen's and my courses, so that I may further address my health issues with the professional support of my family doctor and a counsellor. Upon my return to Queen's, I will continue to see medical and mental health professionals on a regular basis to ensure that any remaining mental health issues do not negatively impact my transition back to Queen's University or my academic performance.
Thank you for your time and consideration.
Highest regards,
Lily Helmer-Smith
Student Number: 10075287
Documentation
Professional Letter: Letter of support from Dr. Willms.pdf
Professional Letter Detail: Letter of support from Janet Roloson (Senior Counsellor at Student Wellness Services)
History
Originally submitted April 8, 2017 at 9:55:12 PM.
| Field | Reference | Old Value | New Value | Note | User | Date/Time |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| status | N/A | Received | Prepared for Review | Rhonda Sullivan | 2017-04-10 11:44:41 AM | |
| status | N/A | Prepared for Review | In Review | Spring Forsberg | 2017-04-11 1:40:25 PM | |
| status | N/A | In Review | Granted | Spring Forsberg | 2017-04-25 10:32:27 AM | |
| associate_dean | N/A | Johanne Benard, Ph.D. | Spring Forsberg | 2017-04-25 10:32:27 AM | ||
| decision_letter | N/A | N/A | Decision letter sent | Spring Forsberg | 2017-04-25 10:33:10 AM |