Submit an Academic Petition or Appeal

Petition Letter: Dear Associate Dean,

I am appealing the failing grade I received in Chemistry 112. My extenuating circumstances was the living condition I was in. I lived with an individual that was a drug addict and mentally ill. He moved in beginning of November and moved out end of February. During this time, he also had other drug addicts in our house. He had an argument with me that led me to call the police fearing for my safety, as well as someone he associated with threw a hammer through our living room window. This are by no means safe living conditions for a student. I was not able to stay at my house I lost a lot of sleep and was riddled with anxiety unable to focus my attention to my school work, particularly chemistry because I needed a lot of work to understand concepts. I was in survival mode. Fortunately, I was able to contact the interfaith Chaplain who provided guidance on how to remove the drug addict from my home at the beginning of the second semester. I was able to buckle down, I saw a chemistry tutor, Alaina Boyd, every week and was able to attend my classes. I was trying to turn my grades around this year after last year mourning the death by suicide of my friend Madison Chiasson. I never applied for any appeals because I felt it was wrong to use her death that way. After all she was dead and I was just dealing with bad grades. However, I did contact the environmental science department head, Allison Goebel, explaining why I had such a low GPA when I was asking to enter the environmental biology program but I was told there was no way that I could be let in that program. So first semester I thought I was in geology only to find out shortly after the last day to add classes that I had in fact made it into my preferred program, despite speaking to many academic counsellors who neglected to notice this error. Amidst all this I have been seeking counselling from the student wellness centre and has recently been diagnosed with borderline personality disorder. I love this university and being a student and I believe if my circumstances had been different I could have passed chemistry 112. I have always found it hard to ask for special treatment but I am learning to ask for help when I need it. I am moved into a new house, with 3 other second year students, where I feel safe and I am taking summer courses to make up for my lack of credits as well as retaking Biology 102 to improve that grade to allow me to take the second year biology courses I need to take. As well I am steadily receiving counselling.

Sincerely,
Valerie Hammond