Manage Appeals
Petition Type: New
ID: 3515
Submitted: May 23, 2017 at 9:40:26 PM
First Name: Geoffrey
Last Name: Mayotte
Student Number: 20016586
Email: 15gwm1@queensu.ca
Degree Program: BSH
Plan: Undeclared
Level of Study: 1
Petition Categories
Petition Categories: Request credit (CR) standing in a course or courses, Waive the requirement to withdraw for one year
Code: MATH 120
Term: Fall/Winter
Year: 2016
Petition Category: Request credit (CR) standing in a course or courses
Instructor's Name: Francesco Cellarosi
Code: PHYS 104
Term: Fall/Winter
Year: 2016
Petition Category: Request credit (CR) standing in a course or courses
Instructor's Name: Ryan Martin
Petition Letter
Petition Letter: To whom it may concern,
My name is Geoffrey Mayotte. I just finished my first year at Queen's and recently received a letter asking me to withdraw for a year due to a GPA of below .7. I currently have a hold on my records but I know for a fact that I failed two of my five courses and barely passed the other three. My goal in this is to hopefully get credit standing in the three that I passed, as well as to have lifted the request to withdraw for a year. My extenuating circumstances are as follows, at the end of November 2016 right before exams for the fall term I had to undergo surgery to have my gull bladder removed. This meant I had to leave campus for one week, and be bed ridden for the following 6 weeks. The following 6 weeks were during exams. This meant that I was unable to go to the library to study (I found studying in my residence impossible), unable to go to the cafeteria, unable to essentially do anything. I had a moderate performance throughout my first semester and that is on me, but my exam scores left me in a terrible position for the second semester (all my courses were full year). The second extenuating circumstance I encountered was just as second semester was beginning. I had made a plan with my parents to turn my grades around and to really hit the ground running as all I wanted to do was succeed, and in the beginning I did. But at the end of January my best friend from my home town passed away. It was extremely sudden and was my first experience with death. I left the school and went home. I stayed home for another week, during this week I was unable to study for an exam in linear algebra, do a major assignment for economics, do any of my physics work, work on my calculus paper, or prepare for my philosophy essay and exam. by the time I was able to come back to school I was depressed. As an 18 year old who had just had his first experience with death and have it be his best friend I was at a loss. I had stopped eating and sleeping almost entirely, lost all motivation for school, and cut off a lot of relationships. the difference between my first and second semester grades through out the year are clear. something was wrong. finally just before exams for second semester had begun I went to the hospital yet again. I had a mental breakdown about everything and hadn't slept in a week. my depression was severe at this point and it was clear I needed medical intervention. I went to the emergency room and was able to make a plan with the doctor about how to get everything back in order. I started talking to people about my issues and really started to deal with them. Exams didn't fit quite well with this however, and my getting things in order overtook my preparation for exams. My mental health took priority and yet again I was unable to properly prepare for my examinations like I wanted to. This obviously left me with very poor scores and led me to be in the position I am in today. I was close with my calculus professor by the end of the year and I went to him with all of this. He told me he was shocked by my scores considering he knew me to be a fairly engaged and interested student. He was the one who helped me come forward to appeal for CR and the withdrawal. I take full responsibility for not reaching out for the help I needed during the year. That is entirely my fault, but what I needed help with was completely out of my control. Thank you
Geoff
My name is Geoffrey Mayotte. I just finished my first year at Queen's and recently received a letter asking me to withdraw for a year due to a GPA of below .7. I currently have a hold on my records but I know for a fact that I failed two of my five courses and barely passed the other three. My goal in this is to hopefully get credit standing in the three that I passed, as well as to have lifted the request to withdraw for a year. My extenuating circumstances are as follows, at the end of November 2016 right before exams for the fall term I had to undergo surgery to have my gull bladder removed. This meant I had to leave campus for one week, and be bed ridden for the following 6 weeks. The following 6 weeks were during exams. This meant that I was unable to go to the library to study (I found studying in my residence impossible), unable to go to the cafeteria, unable to essentially do anything. I had a moderate performance throughout my first semester and that is on me, but my exam scores left me in a terrible position for the second semester (all my courses were full year). The second extenuating circumstance I encountered was just as second semester was beginning. I had made a plan with my parents to turn my grades around and to really hit the ground running as all I wanted to do was succeed, and in the beginning I did. But at the end of January my best friend from my home town passed away. It was extremely sudden and was my first experience with death. I left the school and went home. I stayed home for another week, during this week I was unable to study for an exam in linear algebra, do a major assignment for economics, do any of my physics work, work on my calculus paper, or prepare for my philosophy essay and exam. by the time I was able to come back to school I was depressed. As an 18 year old who had just had his first experience with death and have it be his best friend I was at a loss. I had stopped eating and sleeping almost entirely, lost all motivation for school, and cut off a lot of relationships. the difference between my first and second semester grades through out the year are clear. something was wrong. finally just before exams for second semester had begun I went to the hospital yet again. I had a mental breakdown about everything and hadn't slept in a week. my depression was severe at this point and it was clear I needed medical intervention. I went to the emergency room and was able to make a plan with the doctor about how to get everything back in order. I started talking to people about my issues and really started to deal with them. Exams didn't fit quite well with this however, and my getting things in order overtook my preparation for exams. My mental health took priority and yet again I was unable to properly prepare for my examinations like I wanted to. This obviously left me with very poor scores and led me to be in the position I am in today. I was close with my calculus professor by the end of the year and I went to him with all of this. He told me he was shocked by my scores considering he knew me to be a fairly engaged and interested student. He was the one who helped me come forward to appeal for CR and the withdrawal. I take full responsibility for not reaching out for the help I needed during the year. That is entirely my fault, but what I needed help with was completely out of my control. Thank you
Geoff
Academic Plan
Academic Plan: My plan if the appeal is granted is as follows.. in terms of my surgery there is nothing I could have done. But I didn't reach out and talk to all my professors about it. I was ignorant and just missed a week of school without telling anyone why. That is something I would never do again. It is unfair to myself as well as the instructors to do that.
In regards to my friend passing away, again the circumstance can't be changed. it being my first experience with death it was a very hard thing to cope with. Again however, I did not deal with it well. I didn't reach out to the mental health staff at the school, to my family, to my friends, to a doctor. I was in need of help and I didn't look for any. Going forward I have talked to many people about and created a support system to catch myself if anything like that were to happen again.
My friend passing did result in depression. The doctors who diagnosed me at the hospital said they were unsure as to whether this was specific to my friends passing or if this was a lifelong illness I would struggle with for the rest of my life. That being said it is something I am no longer afraid to face. I have created a plan with them involving some drugs, routine exercise, and diet changes that will help to keep me in a safe and healthy mental state. As well as before In facing this challenge in my life I have created a support system I know is capable of catching me if anything were to go wrong in the future.
In terms of academics I passed calculus. I want to major in math if possible. I failed linear algebra but my plan is to retake it along side the second year math courses necessary to be a math major. I have been in contact with professors as well as the Chair of Undergraduate Studies for Mathematics and Statistics in order to make this happen. Seeing as though I had narrowly failed linear algebra I hope that I can retake it alongside the other courses and succeed through hard work. I will be out of residence and in a more comfortable place and I know that I can work through it. My goal is not to get a GPA of 1.6 but rather to have a GPA in the 3's. I was a 90's student in high school, national athlete, and valedictorian for my graduating class. I know I can succeed I just lost my footing for a year. I'm appealing in hopes that is recognized. thank you very much for your time.
Geoff
In regards to my friend passing away, again the circumstance can't be changed. it being my first experience with death it was a very hard thing to cope with. Again however, I did not deal with it well. I didn't reach out to the mental health staff at the school, to my family, to my friends, to a doctor. I was in need of help and I didn't look for any. Going forward I have talked to many people about and created a support system to catch myself if anything like that were to happen again.
My friend passing did result in depression. The doctors who diagnosed me at the hospital said they were unsure as to whether this was specific to my friends passing or if this was a lifelong illness I would struggle with for the rest of my life. That being said it is something I am no longer afraid to face. I have created a plan with them involving some drugs, routine exercise, and diet changes that will help to keep me in a safe and healthy mental state. As well as before In facing this challenge in my life I have created a support system I know is capable of catching me if anything were to go wrong in the future.
In terms of academics I passed calculus. I want to major in math if possible. I failed linear algebra but my plan is to retake it along side the second year math courses necessary to be a math major. I have been in contact with professors as well as the Chair of Undergraduate Studies for Mathematics and Statistics in order to make this happen. Seeing as though I had narrowly failed linear algebra I hope that I can retake it alongside the other courses and succeed through hard work. I will be out of residence and in a more comfortable place and I know that I can work through it. My goal is not to get a GPA of 1.6 but rather to have a GPA in the 3's. I was a 90's student in high school, national athlete, and valedictorian for my graduating class. I know I can succeed I just lost my footing for a year. I'm appealing in hopes that is recognized. thank you very much for your time.
Geoff
Documentation
Professional Letter Detail: No Doc