Submit an Academic Petition or Appeal

Petition Letter: Dr. Johanne Bénard,

I am writing to you to appeal for a credit standing for STAT 263, Introduction to Statistics, which was conducted in the 2017 Fall Semester, and to appeal for a drop in CHEM 213, Introduction to Chemical Analysis, which was also conducted in the 2017 Fall Semester.

About midway through the fall semester, I had experienced a trauma which triggered memories from a previous experience, which resulted in the deterioration of my mental and physical health, and a general lack of ability to adequately cope with stress. As a result, I was not able to attend all of my classes, I performed poorly on my midterms, as well the quality of work which I was producing for my courses had decreased, which left me more dependent on the success of my final exams to successfully complete my courses and well. Unfortunately, this also resulted in a few of my final exams being worth more than half of my final mark which worsened my stress reaction to what were already extenuating circumstances. Consequently, I did not finish strongly and successfully complete two of my courses, much to my dismay.

Since this experience, I¿¿ve had and continue to go to regular appointments with Student Wellness Services so that I can better cope with stress triggers, to help process that unfortunate experience and to get healthier. They are also working with me to set up a treatment plan over the summer months so that I can continue my development rather than stalling and backtracking my progress. With the help of my family, I¿¿ve invested in a partial meal plan so that I am eating better meals at more regular intervals, to help improve my physical health. I¿¿ve also situated myself closer to campus next year, to allow for easier access to the resources that are helping me work towards better academic success. Additionally, this semester I took the advice of my counsellor in Student Wellness Services and reduced my course load to four courses as opposed to five which has already made a difference in my managing my coursework and I anticipate will relieve some of the stress felt around exams. In seeing the result that a reduced course load has made this semester, I will continue to take a lighter course load throughout my undergraduate career here at Queen¿¿s. Lastly, under the guidance of my counsellor, I am also currently looking into potential academic accommodations so that I can better ensure my success in future courses given my lack of ability to cope with significant stress.

Thank you for taking the time to read and consider this appeal and best wishes,
Kayla Melbourne.