Submit an Academic Petition or Appeal

Petition Letter: Dr. Johanne Bénard
Associate Dean
(Admission & Recruitment) and Associate Dean (Studies)

Queen's University
Student Services, First Floor Dunning Hall
Telephone: (613) 533-2470 Ext: 79584
Facsimile: (613) 533-2467
Email: f2deans@queensu.ca

Dear Dr. Bénard,

I respectfully request to appeal all of my marks from The Bader International Study Centre, the Faculty of Arts and Science, because of the circumstances I encountered my first year.

In the past, I had two dental surgeries, 1. Dentistry Asleep and 2. Dr, Edward Barrett at Sick Kids Hospital, orthodontics, and two weeks before I left for the Bader Institute, I had four impacted molars extracted. On July 16, 2016, I had a dental check-up before I went to England. Dr. Fratkin was concerned about my four molars being impacted and suggested their removal. August 19, 2016, Dr. David Walker extracted four of my wisdom teeth, and he gave me a prescription for Tylenol Number 3 with Codeine, gauze, and syringes for cleaning. He also recommended that I take Extra Strength Tylenol and Extra Strength Motrin with me to England. Attached please find a letter from Dr. Fratkin and Dr. Walker.

September 4, just before I left for the castle, my grandmother Ruth Rosen was diagnosed with stage four lungs Cancer. I am very close to my grandmother, and her terminal illness affected me profoundly; lacking sleep and being unable to focus on my work. Appreciating that you need confirmation of this information, I asked my grandfather for documentation of my grandmother's date of diagnosis of her Cancer. He gave me Dr. Ung's contact information for your investigation, telephone number: (416) 480-5000, e-mail: yee.ung@sunnybrook.ca Attached, also please find detailed, dated pages of notes from her nursing staff because he could not find any of the original paperwork. My grandmother is in the palliative care unit at Sunnybrook Hospital.

September 6, I left for England, and I arrived at the Bader International Study Centre on September 8, 2016. A few days after coming to the castle my gums were hurting a lot, and I had a severe headache. I was glad I had Tylenol 3. The only problem with Tylenol with Codeine is its side effects, nausea, vomiting, upset stomach, constipation, headaches, light-headedness, dizziness, drowsiness, blurred vision, and dry mouth. Over the next while; I used the Tylenol with Codeine only when the pain was too much. In October, I did go to a dental clinic, and I explained my dental history and my headaches. I was told that considering my previous operations that I had had and my recent removal of my wisdom teeth it was not uncommon to have pain in my gums and headaches. He said that this could persist for six months to a year for everything to settle down. He suggested that I could also take Anadin Ultra, as it may provide me relief from my dental pain and my headaches. Anyway, the pain didn't disappear.

I am a very private person. I was embarrassed and ashamed by everything I was experiencing and the side effects such as constipation, and ordering Metamucil, Gravol, etc. online. When I was not feeling well, I would stay in my room. In retrospect, I should have reached out for help. The castle was an extraordinary place, that was situated on 500 acres that were isolated and isolating. It was not easy managing my headaches, gum pain, medicine, and side effects on top of which my grandmother's terminal illness was continuing to decline, and my classes all affected me. On December 14, 2016, I went home for Winter Break. My parents were very busy with the care of my grandmother, and I assisted my grandfather with his daily life. While I was back, I had headaches, and I tried 'American' Extra Strength Excedrin which worked on some of my headaches. January 7, I went back to the castle with my 'American' Extra Strength Excedrin, Tylenol 3, Canadian Metamucil, etc. and my hope that everything would be ok but what was I thinking With everything that was going on and the side effects, I was experiencing I was not thinking clearly. Back at the castle managing my headaches, gum pain along with my studies and the continuing deterioration of my grandmother was too much of a juggling act. On March 1st, 2017 I had received an e-mail from Sue Blake offering a meeting and assistance, which I have included in this. I did not read any of my e-mails including Ms. Blake's until two days after I received it as I had had a headache. I truly appreciated Ms. Blake's thoughtful request, but aside from reading her e-mail after the fact, at this point, Winter Term classes would finish on March 30th, I did not feel well, and I just wanted to go home.

I could never have anticipated how overwhelming and time consuming all of these life-changing experiences would be. I have been an Honour Roll student since grade six. I am an Ontario Scholar. I was an active participant and volunteer in many activities in and out of high school. I played the cello weekly in the Mooredale Orchestra and did competitive horse riding dressage. I am used to living a full and busy life, but these obstacles became too great and limited to overcome.

I want to take this opportunity to express my sincere, deep appreciation for Lori Kilminster's incredible support and ongoing assistance and for you meeting with me, talking with me and your guidance. Sharing this personal information about myself is not easy for me but at this point being embarrassed or ashamed is trivial in comparison to permanently hurting my university records, and my future.

Queen's University and more relevant, The Bader International Study Centre is a remarkable University. However, navigating university with unremitting headaches, gum pain, pain management medication and their side effects along with my terminally ill grandmother on my own, far away in England, at eighteen years old really was too much for me let alone, anyone, to deal with.

I was incredibly relieved in early August when my gums weren't throbbing in pain, and the regularity of my headaches had almost disappeared. This year was by far the most horrible and challenging experience I have ever suffered.

Dr. Bénard, Thank you in advance for your time, efforts and consideration of my appeal. If I can be of any assistance in this process or if you would like me to meet with you in Kingston to discuss any of this I am happy to meet with you at your convenience.

Yours sincerely,


Michael Borinsky