Submit an Academic Petition or Appeal

Petition Letter: Joseph Spagnuolo
10066412
April 10, 17
Academic Appeals Board

To Whom It May Concern:

I am writing this letter to appeal for the ability to gain credit standing for MATH 126, Differential and Integral calculus. To alter the grade on my transcript to show a passing grade or credit standing in the course rather than the grade received.

At the end of my second year I was identified with a psychiatric disability that hinders with my performance of major aspects of everyday life. Due to being diagnosed with depression anxiety, everyday is a battle; from experiencing the inability to sleep, concentrate, and focus to having severe mental attacks when under high levels of stress. I have been dealing with the ways in which both the symptoms and triggers are frequently changing from day to day. I continue to deal with this diagnosis to this day.

The 2015-2016 academic year was very challenging, as I experienced multiple changes in medications for this disability. Through the course of the year I found myself subject to a change in major medication on three separate occasions due to my body's inability to handle the intense side effects and the medication as a whole. This resulted in periods where I had to sustain lower doses, as well as zero doses altogether. While being on limited to zero medications, it lead the exacerbation of my illness for majority of the academic year. The periods of no medication or simply a period for my body to become familiarized with the medication lead to worsening symptoms of my depression and anxiety. I was continuously faced with mental episodes, when my medication would suddenly stop working.

I understand that this appeal is not only for the credit standing, but also to waive the one term deadline.

During the pervious academic year, I felt my academic standards were not on par with my abilities due to the experience I had with medications. I currently am on a new regimen that works and has since allowed me to see an increase in my academic performance. I do not think that the 2015-2016 academic year is a testament to my abilities. As I face convocation this spring, this grade has become a blemish on my transcript to the face of graduate schools, and is currently hindering my chance of being accepted into my program of choice at Dalhousie University.

Thank-you for reviewing the documentation provided, I will be happy to provide further documentation if required.


Sincerely,
Joseph Spagnuolo