Submit an Academic Petition or Appeal

Petition Letter: Dr. Jill Atkinson
Associate Dean (Studies)
Queen¿¿s University Faculty of Arts and Science

May 22, 2018

Dear Madam,

I am appealing my grades in a number of courses throughout my undergraduate career due to my mental health concerns. Specifically, for Credit Standing in MATH 121, BIOL 201, BIOL 202, BIOL 206, and Aegrotat Standing in PHGY 214, and ANAT 316.

Throughout 2015, I noticed I felt drastically unmotivated, relative to my ¿high school self¿¿. My ¿high school self¿¿ was driven and high-achieving, in and out of the classroom, with an extensive social network and even, humbly, valedictorian. The latter half of first year and the summer prior to second year presented some unprecedented challenges for me in terms of my mental health: I was unable to attend class or properly work on coursework. In second year, when I realized I was unable to change anything for the better using resources from Student Academic Success Services and Residence Staff training, I sought help from a Residence Outreach Counsellor, Freeman Woolnough.

I expressed to him that I had been experiencing a lack of motivation, self-concept issues, and anxiety-related problems. Due to all this, I missed more class than ever, over-slept or under-slept, gained 25 pounds from poor eating habits, and basically had no positive lifestyle habits (e.g. going to the gym, socializing with friends and others, etc.). I would only save face by doing my duties as a Residence Don for my floor. Freeman suggested several reasons I could be feeling this way and a number of lifestyle changes and strategies to help me ¿get back on track¿¿. Eager to turn things around, I implemented these (e.g. having a gym buddy, cleaning up my sleep hygiene, and confiding in those close to me for further support) over the course of our eleven sessions (from December 2015 through to April 2017). Although Freeman¿¿s tips would work at the outset, I would constantly find myself falling back into the same depressed mood, anxious about school and life, and just unable to recover.

So, driven to change things, in the spring of 2017, I met with Dr. Elizabeth Nguyen, at Student Wellness Services. I filled her in on how I felt, the ups and downs of the past two and a half years, and conveyed that I really wanted to ¿get better¿¿. We agreed that I experienced a lot of anxiety and how everything affected my ability to attend class, complete coursework, and engage in my courses. Before trying any medication, I met with both a counsellor at Student Wellness Services, and a psychologist for cognitive behavioural therapy, as per her recommendation. While both sessions encouraged lifestyle changes, when I tried applying the strategies, nothing seemed to work. However, my meeting with the psychologist did seem more effective than sessions with Freeman, as the conversation and insight there really put things into perspective (e.g. struggling as a perfectionist and someone that strives to please everyone else, dangerously so). Then, after having been diagnosed with anxiety disorder with depressive features, Dr. Nguyen and I started a course of medication, along with lifestyle changes to help me (e.g. I wanted to lose the weight I had put on during the course of all this, eat and sleep better, and simply be less anxious). Although the first round of medication was not too helpful, combining two medications for my treatment seemed to work well, and I felt things really turn around near the fall of 2017.

I continued the medication and lifestyle changes through to January 2018, when I really felt a better grasp on my mental state, anxiety, and lack of motivation. In fact, the lifestyle changes enabled me to lose the 25 pounds, and get more and more back to that ¿high school self¿¿.

While I kept a full-time course load, and took summer courses, I never really considered an academic appeal (besides the one I had submitted in second year) as I really focused on simply getting better, and taking care of my health. Further, I did not realize that my official diagnosis and my medical treatment were grounds for an appeal. This was pointed out to me by Spring Forsberg, my academic advisor, who I advised of my situation. Therefore, from when I began experiencing difficulties (fall 2015) until when I was diagnosed (summer 2017), I felt my schoolwork took a big hit. Undoubtedly, my anxiety interfered with my ability to focus, accomplish assignments, and study effectively, and my depressive symptoms hindered by ability to attend class at all. I feel the reason I received a good grade in the occasional course (e.g. BIOL 243 and MICR 270) was because they were mostly online, and let me work at odd hours, and not attend anything in person, thereby catering to my anxiety disorder. Essentially, I genuinely wanted to focus on my underlying health problems, and then take care of school. As an academically-driven and high-achieving student, I realized, through the sessions with counsellors, the psychologist, and the physician, as well as close friends that were aware of my situation, that school was not the top priority, especially when compared to my (mental) health. While not a top priority at the time, my academic success remained important.

In order to get ¿back on track¿¿ and take steps in the right direction, I contacted Spring throughout my undergraduate career to organize my courses and figure out a realistic plan towards graduation. This includes another aspect of my plan with a focus on the future, as I intend to take a fifth year to raise my GPA and complete any required courses. On top of this, my Residence Life Coordinator, Melyssa Kerr, is aware of my history and path moving forward, and is willing to give me days off from work, move appointments and commitments to suit my needs, and provide support in any way possible. Finally, I am keeping up with the lifestyle changes suggested to me by Dr. Nguyen, after having been titrated off the medication at the beginning of this year. Dr. Nguyen mentioned that symptoms could flare up once I am off the medication, and frankly, they have, so I fully intend on seeing her again very soon, as the last few months showed a reemergence of my symptoms and therefore resulted in a rather unsuccessful term. But this time, I know exactly how I can manage in the interim and who to see as soon as possible for appropriate support.

Thank you very much for taking the time to review my appeal. I really appreciate your support in all this.

Sincerely,


Vrajesh Dave

Enclosed: Letter from Freeman Woolnough
Medical Report from Dr. Elizabeth Nguyen