Submit an Academic Petition or Appeal

Petition Letter: Dear Associate Dean,

I am appealing to you to allow me to drop PSYC 251 (Winter, 2017) from my transcript. I was unable to complete my coursework over the duration of the Winter 2017 term due to extenuating circumstances, out of my control, that I will describe forthwith.

As described in some detail in the attached supporting documentation from Daria Andrzejewska, my therapist at the time, in early February 2017 I was the victim of violent crime in my workplace. Further to the grief and physical recovery process that occurred immediately following the event, which took a great deal of time and energy away from my studies, several secondary impacts of the violent crime resulted. Firstly, the stress of the incident and the recovery process took a direct toll on my physical health and exacerbated my existing symptoms of Crohn¿¿s disease (a ¿¿flare¿). As I was living in Montreal at the time and did not have access to a family doctor with whom I could manage my physical symptoms on a day-to-day basis, these symptoms persisted until I was able to see my gastroenterology specialist in April 2017. Moreover, my mental health suffered as a result and I grew extremely suicidal, to the point of planning a suicide attempt in mid-February 2017. Secondly, the loss of employment that was the direct result of the violent crime in my former workplace resulted in a financial destablization that I am only now recovering from. I had to find a new source of income immediately, which had a direct impact on my ability to feed myself, to pay rent and bills. As I was grappling with the realities of my physical disability flaring at the same time, February and March 2017 (the bulk of the Winter semester) were spent in large part trying with difficulty to secure new and gainful employment while convalescing. As a result, I was unable to devote the time, attention and energy required to succeed in PSYC 251. I missed several of the weekly quizzes, submitted poorly researched assignments, and failed to complete graded coursework, as a result of the time and energy I was forced to dedicate to securing an income and physically recovering from a severe illness.

As outlined in my supporting documentation, I have taken steps to prevent ongoing secondary impacts of the violent crime I experienced. As of February 2017, I began to see a therapist on a regular basis who helps me manage flares and who provides career counseling. As of September 2017, I will have access to health care in Montreal that will allow me to further troubleshoot the management of my physical disability symptoms. I am now gainfully employed. With these considerations in mind, I am confident that when I complete a return to studies form to take PSYC 251 again, I will succeed to the high academic standard that is supported by the rest of my transcript.

Thank you for your time and consideration in this matter. I trust that you will support my appeal due to the severity of the circumstances herein described that prevented me from suceeding in PSYC 251.


Yours sincerely,

Anne Evelyn Dunsford