Submit an Academic Petition or Appeal

Petition Letter: To the Associate Dean of English,

I am writing this letter because I want to appeal the courses ENGL 441, ENGL 446, ENGL 461, ENGL 466, ENGL 487 and ENGL 489. Additionally I am also looking to be granted credit standing in my RELS 234 and ENGL 471. I am already in the process of taking online electives to make up for some of these credits as I originally took more fourth year seminars than required. The courses I wish to retake are my fourth year seminars in which my performance was largely affected.
I am submitting my appeal to retake the majority of my fourth year courses at this time because the issues that I was dealing with that have lead me to want to retake my courses in the first place did not simply go away with my fourth year opportunities. I found myself struggling to handle the present and unable to consider the future. I spent the summer months and the following year in relative inaction and what has been diagnosed as depression as a result of PTSD. Despite the definite pressure to act and look for a solution to my situation while my peers were graduating and moving on, I found myself withdrawn and unable to focus or make decisions. My hope is that despite the delay you will listen to me.
In regards to the reasoning behind seeking an appeal, I had experienced from early in the November of fourth year onwards family emergencies including death, illness, and fragmentation. In addition to this, I unfortunately carried my own baggage into these conflicts and misfortunes due to sexual violence on the Queen¿¿s campus two years prior. I have since then struggled to succeed and when faced with familial issues I found myself incapable. This resulted in my inability to focus inside and outside class.
Due to what was a struggle with mental health I found it difficult to maintain attendance in courses and, beyond that, manage the course work. I found that isolated myself and stayed in my room. When I tried to ¿buckle down¿¿ in an attempt to force myself to get work done I would often find myself feeling sort of claustrophobic and I would need to go outside to breathe. There were a few occasions of what could be described as potential panic attacks, though that is an issue that had gone unaddressed professionally. Most of these difficulties got increasingly worse as the year continued on.
I would be grateful for the opportunity to retake my courses so that I would have the chance to focus on the course work and learn was I set out to the first time around. My desire is to graduate, despite my personal difficulty, by being granted a second chance to earn it.



Sincerely,


Rachel Romero