Submit an Academic Petition or Appeal

Petition Letter: Dear Associate Dean (Studies),


I am appealing to drop ARTH226 (fall 2013), SPANP10 (fall 2013), CLST201 (winter 2014), HIST218 (winter 2014), ARTH354 (summer 2014), and GNDS125 (summer 2014). The reason for which I am appealing to drop all of the above courses is due to the concussion I received November 3rd 2013 as well my struggle with anxiety and numerous familial issues this year.

The concussion that I am currently suffering from is my second in the last four years, the first of which was a severe concussion. Since hitting my head at the beginning of November I have been plagued with daily headaches that have made normal daily functioning difficult. I was also unable to attend class for the rest of the fall semester after sustaining my head injury as going to lectures caused intense migraines and nausea. I did not want to be any further behind in my classes due to my headaches so I attempted to do four courses in the winter semester as I had done in the fall. However, my headaches persisted and my ability to attend class continued to be impaired. Reading was also a very big issue for me this year as it too caused headaches and dizziness if I pushed too hard and kept reading for too long. Thirty minutes was the maximum I could read at one time and it usually resulted in a massive headache that required me to lie down. These factors alone made achieving any kind of good grades difficult for me. Having had just recovered from my previous severe concussion from June 2010 I was extremely anxious about this concussion taking as long to heal as the first.

In regards to my classes this summer I was mainly concerned with my family back in Ottawa. My parents separated the year I came to Queen's University and it has been an ongoing challenge for me to deal with the stresses of my younger siblings dealing with an ongoing changing situation and my parents¿¿ divorce which has gotten very acrimonious. I am providing for my own living and education expenses with no help from my parents; this fact alone increases my anxiety and made it impossible for me to concentrate this past summer. All of the familial stress caused increased anxiety only allowing me to fall further and further behind in my courses. We are a very close family and this disruption has hit everyone very hard. My father has left the province and my younger sister has been closely watched by therapists and family due to her mental illness.

Thankfully things are starting to settle down now that my sisters are returning to school and a modicum of normalcy returns to our lives. I am actually very excited for this new academic year as I no longer have the same constant intense headaches I did last year. I also have been creating a network of support here in Kingston for myself that allows me to feel that I can go into this academic year with more confidence in dealing with my anxiety. I worked really hard to get into Queen¿¿s University and I am ready to get organized and to work really hard to stay here and complete my degree. In taking a reduced course load and seeking help for my anxiety at the campus clinic as well as establishing a better time management strategy.

I have attached the doctors¿¿ note I received for my concussion November 3rd 2013. Dr. Cambell will be sending a note to confirm I have been seeking help for my anxiety and continue to do so. My appointment with her is at 1pm Monday September 8th.