Manage Appeals
Petition Type: New
ID: 3528
Submitted: May 26, 2017 at 11:54:54 AM
First Name: Amanda
Last Name: Fantin
Student Number: 10062883
Email: 12af3@queensu.ca
Degree Program: BSCH
Plan: BIOL
Level of Study: 4
Petition Categories
Petition Categories: Waive the 21-day or one term deadline
Petition Letter
Petition Letter: Dear Associate Dean (Studies),
My name is Amanda Fantin and I have just completed my last year in a Biology Major in the Faculty of Arts and Science. I am writing to you today to request a waiving of the one term deadline so that I may submit an appeal. The appeal I wish to submit past the deadline is an appeal for credit standing for three courses taken during 2014 and 2015.
While this request is very late past the one term deadline, there were extenuating circumstances that left me unable to pursue an appeal until now. When I first came to Queen¿¿s I began having mental health issues due to an adverse reaction to an acne medication, Acutane. I had never been warned that severe adverse mental health issues could be a possible complication so it took me months before I realized and stopped the medication in 2013. Unfortunately, the drug takes at least a year to work itself out of the body and negative effects persisted. While I did receive treatment it took many years to undo the damage that had been done and regain my health.
During this time I sought help at the Health Counseling and Disability Services as well as an academic advisor. I don¿¿t have documentation for those visits but if meetings are kept track of then I should have records from early 2013 to late 2015 for confirmation. My first meeting was with a doctor who gave me a prescription for antidepressants and sent me home with no follow up. I then decided to see a counselor. During my meeting with the counselor I was told that I could only be seen once a year and that I would have to find more help elsewhere. There was no follow up and I was not pointed in any particular direction except that I should keep seeing my own physiatrist, Dr. Lewis. I followed their advice but the constant, at least monthly, trips to Toronto were expensive and time consuming and put and even greater strain on my academics. I also sought advice from an academic advisor. I told them about my situation and how it affected my grades, which was unusual for me. I was told that there was nothing I could do about the marks but retake the course and move on. I did retake my first year, as I had to drop most of my courses and did not perform well in the others. I also tried my best to move on with continued treatment and help and have finished my time at Queen¿¿s as a much stronger person.
The person I spoke to was very dismissive of my academic issues. The side effects of the medication left me unable to leave my room, unable to focus and unable to take care of myself. Though each subsequent year showed improvement I had to focus all of my efforts into just the basics. As I was a year behind I lost the support of my peer group. This was a negative effect whose importance I believe is not emphasized enough. I had no peers to turn to for advice and I was not channeled toward any of the supports on campus. It had taken me months each to work up the courage and energy to see out those three councilors. I was embarrassed and ashamed and exhausted by the attempts so when they all told me the only thing to do was keep my head down and keep seeing my physiatrist, I believed them unequivocally.
I did not realize that credit standing was even an option until I had a friend hear my story and tell me about the process. They had been through the process due to a particularly difficult divorce of their parents and encouraged me to look in to the process. I was skeptical, as I still believe those few early visits, but after reading more realized that it was exactly what I should have been directed to in the first place. This experience came a few weeks ago, when I was feeling better than I ever had since coming to Queen¿¿s and the idea of an appeal process did not seem so daunting. I had only just this year had the courage to approach disability services to discuss issues I had been having with accessibility issues.
My experience with the way mental health is dealt with on campus came at what I see now was a tipping point. There are services on campus now that did not exist when I was seeking help and there has been a greater effort to make students aware of resources. I know it is an extremely complex issue, and that every effort is being made to help students. Unfortunately, I fell through the cracks. I hadn¿¿t realized, however, the full extent to which I did until now. Even if I had, I was not mentally fit enough to deal with initiating and following through with such an appeal until this past year. I worked extremely hard to make myself healthy again and become an excellent student. I am very proud to say that I am graduating with a final year average of 3.76. In addition, I have dedicated myself to giving back to the Queen¿¿s community as the Editor in Chief for QSURJ amoung other positions. I am currently working in a lab that I will continue on in for my Master¿¿s in the Fall at U of T for Physiology. I also one day hope to attend medical school and help those who have gone through what I have gone through. More importantly, however, I worked hard every day to make a path for myself that wasn¿¿t defined by my past mental health issues and the terrible decision my parents and I made to start that acne medication. I am strong now and have big plans but those three marks could hold me back from those ambitions. I humbly ask that you allow me to appeal them late so I can further explain how my issues have affected my grades.
Thank you very much for time and consideration,
Sincerely,
Amanda Fantin
My name is Amanda Fantin and I have just completed my last year in a Biology Major in the Faculty of Arts and Science. I am writing to you today to request a waiving of the one term deadline so that I may submit an appeal. The appeal I wish to submit past the deadline is an appeal for credit standing for three courses taken during 2014 and 2015.
While this request is very late past the one term deadline, there were extenuating circumstances that left me unable to pursue an appeal until now. When I first came to Queen¿¿s I began having mental health issues due to an adverse reaction to an acne medication, Acutane. I had never been warned that severe adverse mental health issues could be a possible complication so it took me months before I realized and stopped the medication in 2013. Unfortunately, the drug takes at least a year to work itself out of the body and negative effects persisted. While I did receive treatment it took many years to undo the damage that had been done and regain my health.
During this time I sought help at the Health Counseling and Disability Services as well as an academic advisor. I don¿¿t have documentation for those visits but if meetings are kept track of then I should have records from early 2013 to late 2015 for confirmation. My first meeting was with a doctor who gave me a prescription for antidepressants and sent me home with no follow up. I then decided to see a counselor. During my meeting with the counselor I was told that I could only be seen once a year and that I would have to find more help elsewhere. There was no follow up and I was not pointed in any particular direction except that I should keep seeing my own physiatrist, Dr. Lewis. I followed their advice but the constant, at least monthly, trips to Toronto were expensive and time consuming and put and even greater strain on my academics. I also sought advice from an academic advisor. I told them about my situation and how it affected my grades, which was unusual for me. I was told that there was nothing I could do about the marks but retake the course and move on. I did retake my first year, as I had to drop most of my courses and did not perform well in the others. I also tried my best to move on with continued treatment and help and have finished my time at Queen¿¿s as a much stronger person.
The person I spoke to was very dismissive of my academic issues. The side effects of the medication left me unable to leave my room, unable to focus and unable to take care of myself. Though each subsequent year showed improvement I had to focus all of my efforts into just the basics. As I was a year behind I lost the support of my peer group. This was a negative effect whose importance I believe is not emphasized enough. I had no peers to turn to for advice and I was not channeled toward any of the supports on campus. It had taken me months each to work up the courage and energy to see out those three councilors. I was embarrassed and ashamed and exhausted by the attempts so when they all told me the only thing to do was keep my head down and keep seeing my physiatrist, I believed them unequivocally.
I did not realize that credit standing was even an option until I had a friend hear my story and tell me about the process. They had been through the process due to a particularly difficult divorce of their parents and encouraged me to look in to the process. I was skeptical, as I still believe those few early visits, but after reading more realized that it was exactly what I should have been directed to in the first place. This experience came a few weeks ago, when I was feeling better than I ever had since coming to Queen¿¿s and the idea of an appeal process did not seem so daunting. I had only just this year had the courage to approach disability services to discuss issues I had been having with accessibility issues.
My experience with the way mental health is dealt with on campus came at what I see now was a tipping point. There are services on campus now that did not exist when I was seeking help and there has been a greater effort to make students aware of resources. I know it is an extremely complex issue, and that every effort is being made to help students. Unfortunately, I fell through the cracks. I hadn¿¿t realized, however, the full extent to which I did until now. Even if I had, I was not mentally fit enough to deal with initiating and following through with such an appeal until this past year. I worked extremely hard to make myself healthy again and become an excellent student. I am very proud to say that I am graduating with a final year average of 3.76. In addition, I have dedicated myself to giving back to the Queen¿¿s community as the Editor in Chief for QSURJ amoung other positions. I am currently working in a lab that I will continue on in for my Master¿¿s in the Fall at U of T for Physiology. I also one day hope to attend medical school and help those who have gone through what I have gone through. More importantly, however, I worked hard every day to make a path for myself that wasn¿¿t defined by my past mental health issues and the terrible decision my parents and I made to start that acne medication. I am strong now and have big plans but those three marks could hold me back from those ambitions. I humbly ask that you allow me to appeal them late so I can further explain how my issues have affected my grades.
Thank you very much for time and consideration,
Sincerely,
Amanda Fantin
Documentation
Professional Letter: Dr. Lewis Appeal Letter.pdf
Decision Letters
Amendment to Appeal 3528
Relevant Petition: 3528
First Name: Amanda
Last Name: Fantin
Student Number: 10062883
Email: 12af3@queensu.ca
Degree Program: BSCH
Plan: BIOL
Level of Study: 4
Petition Categories
Petition Categories: Request credit (CR) standing in a course or courses
Code: MATH 121
Term: Fall/Winter
Year: 2014
Petition Category: Request credit (CR) standing in a course or courses
Instructor's Name: Dr. Alan Ableson
Code: PHYS 117
Term: Fall/Winter
Year: 2014
Petition Category: Request credit (CR) standing in a course or courses
Instructor's Name: Dr. Anne Topper
Code: BIOL 103
Term: Winter
Year: 2013
Petition Category: Request credit (CR) standing in a course or courses
Instructor's Name: Dr. Virginia Walker
Code: MATH 121
Term: Fall/Winter
Year: 2013
Petition Category: Request credit (CR) standing in a course or courses
Instructor's Name: Dr. Alan Ableson
Petition Letter
Petition Letter: Dear Associate Dean (Studies),
My name is Amanda Fantin and I have just completed my last year in a Biology Major in the Faculty of Arts and Science. I am writing to you today to request an appeal for credit standing for two courses taken during 2013-2014 (PHYS 117 and MATH 121) and two courses taken during 2012-2013 (MATH 121 and BIO 103). I wanted to thank you very much, before I begin, for agreeing to hear my appeal past the 21-day limit.
A few weeks before coming to Queen¿¿s I had started a medication for acne called Isotretinoin (Accutane). While on the medication I started to notice severe mental and physical side effects. Depression is a rare side effect of the drug and unfortunately I was one of the unlucky ones who suffered from severe emotional and cognitive difficulties as a result of the medication. When I realized that my symptoms might have been a result of the medication, I stopped it in consultation with my doctor back home. The drug, however, can take months to fully be removed from the body and I continued to have these severe side effects throughout the 2013-2014 year.
While I was enrolled in these courses I experienced numerous physical and mental symptoms that affected my academic abilities and performance. The exhaustion, fatigue and stomach issues coupled with severe emotional distress left me unable to leave my room most days. On the days I did feel well enough to leave for classes my mental impairments left me unable to absorb any of the material. My mind was cloudy and I was unable to concentrate. I had to try extremely hard to simply absorb individual sentences from the professors or TAs, let alone comprehend them, before the next sentence unfolded. It was a terrifying time, as I had never had cognitive difficulties before and I simply thought I was not trying hard enough. It wasn¿¿t a comprehension issue, however, as when I was able to finally register what was being said I was able to understand. Additionally, the majority of the content was review for me as I had taken AP Physics, AP Biology, AP Chemistry and AP Calculus, so nothing was very difficult conceptually. My memory was also affected during this time and in combination with the mental fogginess and difficulties concentrating it made reading the textbook, teaching myself or studying for tests an exhausting, and ultimately futile, exercise. This inability to attend classes, or to understand or concentrate when I was present, left me falling behind my peers without the ability to catch up. Examinations were extremely difficult not only for the difficulties in studying but also for the difficulties in comprehending and absorbing the questions themselves.
During this period I tried to meet monthly with Dr. Lewis, my psychiatrist, in order to monitor my mental health symptoms. As I had mentioned in my previous appeal letter, I had been told that seeing my doctor back home was the best course of action and so I made the monthly train trips in order to get help. These trips caused me to become even more emotionally and physically worn out due to their frequency and duration. I was extremely embarrassed by my inability to complete even simple tasks and after having difficulties finding help on campus I became even more hesitant in approach professors or friends for assistance. This meant I was isolated without any help which exacerbated the issues.
I realize the transition to university is stressful for most students, but this was beyond feeling stressed or overwhelmed. I had taken challenging course loads in high school and filled my extracurriculars with every spare minute. In my last year of high school I was working in a lab for a research competition in which I placed 3rd for the Greater Toronto Area. I was no stranger to working hard and while the first couple weeks of my undergrad might have been challenging I quickly adjusted to the workload. It was my second semester during the 2012-2013 school year when I really started to realize that my issues were serious and not just a matter of working harder. These symptoms only intensified and persisted during the 2013-2014 school year despite on-going treatment for depression. It took years of treatment improving my mental and physical health before I started to feel more like myself. There was no more brain fog or difficulties with memory. I sought out accommodations for my continued difficulties with concentration. I was able to more consistently attend class and absorb the content. While progress was not linear the number of setbacks I experienced decreased every semester.
I am very proud to say that I have come very far and am graduating with a final year average of 3.76. In addition, I have dedicated myself to giving back to the Queen¿¿s community as the Editor in Chief for QSURJ amoung other positions. I am currently working in a lab that I will continue on in for my Master¿¿s in the Fall at U of T for Physiology. I also one day hope to attend medical school and help those who have gone through what I have gone through. More importantly, however, I worked hard every day to make a path for myself that wasn¿¿t defined by my past mental health issues and the terrible decision my parents and I made to start that acne medication. The two marks from 2013-2014 affect my cGPA as calculated by Queen¿¿s and the two marks from 2012-2013 affect the way my cGPA is calculated by other schools I have looked at applying to in the future. These courses were taken during a part of my life when I was within the height of extreme health concerns and do not accurately reflect my academic potential or performance to date. I am strong now and have big plans but those four marks could hold me back from those ambitions. My only hope is that my academic transcript will be allowed to speak towards my true academic abilities moving forward.
Thank you very much for time and consideration and for your understanding throughout this whole process, this opportunity has meant the world to me.
Respectfully,
Amanda Fantin
10062883
My name is Amanda Fantin and I have just completed my last year in a Biology Major in the Faculty of Arts and Science. I am writing to you today to request an appeal for credit standing for two courses taken during 2013-2014 (PHYS 117 and MATH 121) and two courses taken during 2012-2013 (MATH 121 and BIO 103). I wanted to thank you very much, before I begin, for agreeing to hear my appeal past the 21-day limit.
A few weeks before coming to Queen¿¿s I had started a medication for acne called Isotretinoin (Accutane). While on the medication I started to notice severe mental and physical side effects. Depression is a rare side effect of the drug and unfortunately I was one of the unlucky ones who suffered from severe emotional and cognitive difficulties as a result of the medication. When I realized that my symptoms might have been a result of the medication, I stopped it in consultation with my doctor back home. The drug, however, can take months to fully be removed from the body and I continued to have these severe side effects throughout the 2013-2014 year.
While I was enrolled in these courses I experienced numerous physical and mental symptoms that affected my academic abilities and performance. The exhaustion, fatigue and stomach issues coupled with severe emotional distress left me unable to leave my room most days. On the days I did feel well enough to leave for classes my mental impairments left me unable to absorb any of the material. My mind was cloudy and I was unable to concentrate. I had to try extremely hard to simply absorb individual sentences from the professors or TAs, let alone comprehend them, before the next sentence unfolded. It was a terrifying time, as I had never had cognitive difficulties before and I simply thought I was not trying hard enough. It wasn¿¿t a comprehension issue, however, as when I was able to finally register what was being said I was able to understand. Additionally, the majority of the content was review for me as I had taken AP Physics, AP Biology, AP Chemistry and AP Calculus, so nothing was very difficult conceptually. My memory was also affected during this time and in combination with the mental fogginess and difficulties concentrating it made reading the textbook, teaching myself or studying for tests an exhausting, and ultimately futile, exercise. This inability to attend classes, or to understand or concentrate when I was present, left me falling behind my peers without the ability to catch up. Examinations were extremely difficult not only for the difficulties in studying but also for the difficulties in comprehending and absorbing the questions themselves.
During this period I tried to meet monthly with Dr. Lewis, my psychiatrist, in order to monitor my mental health symptoms. As I had mentioned in my previous appeal letter, I had been told that seeing my doctor back home was the best course of action and so I made the monthly train trips in order to get help. These trips caused me to become even more emotionally and physically worn out due to their frequency and duration. I was extremely embarrassed by my inability to complete even simple tasks and after having difficulties finding help on campus I became even more hesitant in approach professors or friends for assistance. This meant I was isolated without any help which exacerbated the issues.
I realize the transition to university is stressful for most students, but this was beyond feeling stressed or overwhelmed. I had taken challenging course loads in high school and filled my extracurriculars with every spare minute. In my last year of high school I was working in a lab for a research competition in which I placed 3rd for the Greater Toronto Area. I was no stranger to working hard and while the first couple weeks of my undergrad might have been challenging I quickly adjusted to the workload. It was my second semester during the 2012-2013 school year when I really started to realize that my issues were serious and not just a matter of working harder. These symptoms only intensified and persisted during the 2013-2014 school year despite on-going treatment for depression. It took years of treatment improving my mental and physical health before I started to feel more like myself. There was no more brain fog or difficulties with memory. I sought out accommodations for my continued difficulties with concentration. I was able to more consistently attend class and absorb the content. While progress was not linear the number of setbacks I experienced decreased every semester.
I am very proud to say that I have come very far and am graduating with a final year average of 3.76. In addition, I have dedicated myself to giving back to the Queen¿¿s community as the Editor in Chief for QSURJ amoung other positions. I am currently working in a lab that I will continue on in for my Master¿¿s in the Fall at U of T for Physiology. I also one day hope to attend medical school and help those who have gone through what I have gone through. More importantly, however, I worked hard every day to make a path for myself that wasn¿¿t defined by my past mental health issues and the terrible decision my parents and I made to start that acne medication. The two marks from 2013-2014 affect my cGPA as calculated by Queen¿¿s and the two marks from 2012-2013 affect the way my cGPA is calculated by other schools I have looked at applying to in the future. These courses were taken during a part of my life when I was within the height of extreme health concerns and do not accurately reflect my academic potential or performance to date. I am strong now and have big plans but those four marks could hold me back from those ambitions. My only hope is that my academic transcript will be allowed to speak towards my true academic abilities moving forward.
Thank you very much for time and consideration and for your understanding throughout this whole process, this opportunity has meant the world to me.
Respectfully,
Amanda Fantin
10062883
Documentation
Professional Letter Detail: Doctors note
History
Originally submitted May 26, 2017 at 11:54:54 AM.
| Field | Reference | Old Value | New Value | Note | User | Date/Time |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| status | N/A | Received | Prepared for Review | Carrie Roosenmaalen | 2017-05-26 1:30:20 PM | |
| status | N/A | Prepared for Review | In Review | Spring Forsberg | 2017-05-26 1:57:47 PM | |
| status | N/A | In Review | Granted | Haley Everson | 2017-06-09 9:42:50 AM | |
| associate_dean | N/A | Johanne Benard, Ph.D. | Haley Everson | 2017-06-09 9:42:50 AM | ||
| decision_letter | N/A | N/A | Decision letter sent | Haley Everson | 2017-06-09 9:43:37 AM |