Submit an Academic Petition or Appeal

Petition Letter: Associate Dean (Studies),

I am writing to you regarding the request for an appeal for a CR in three courses during the Winter of 2015 even though the one term time period has passed. The course codes are as follows: PSYC 203, PSYC 215 and PSYC 231.
The reasoning behind these appeals comes from severe mental health issues that I have been dealing with since starting at Queen¿¿s in September 2013. In late October of 2016, I came to terms with my issues after hitting ¿¿rock bottom¿. These included depression and anxiety which stemmed from an eating disorder I had been dealing with for years.

I was in my (what I had hoped was) final year at Queen¿¿s University but home was really in New Jersey. I sought treatment in New Jersey around Christmas time knowing I did not want to start the treatment process in Kingston as I knew I would not be there long term.
Upon diagnosis, I was put on three medications to combat the depression and anxiety and began treatment with a team of a psychiatrist, nutritionist and therapist. I saw the psychiatrist each time I was back home in New Jersey to reassess my medications during my last semester at Queen¿¿s. I was weighed weekly by a nurse at Queen¿¿s and she reported back to my nutritionist, who I had weekly sessions with. I had a weight I had to stay above, otherwise my team would have pulled me from school - and for context - I came to within one pound of that weight before the end of the semester. Finally, I had sessions twice a week with my therapist until my time at Queen¿¿s came to a close.

One day after getting home from my last semester as a full time student at Queen¿¿s in April 2017, I was admitted into an Intensive Outpatient Program at Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital in Somerset, New Jersey where I was for over 3 months. Since my release from the IOP, I have continued to seek treatment from my team, even now, a full year out from the hospital.

In the cases of all three courses, all assignments were greatly affected as my body had basically been in starvation mode for three years. Symptoms that came with the starvation included extreme fatigue, irritability, weakness and what I describe as brain fog - clearly all things that would make academics difficult. As mentioned, I was also diagnosed with anxiety and depression - which also made focusing on school nearly impossible.

My depression is under control through my medications, my weight is finally restored, my eating disorder is being supported with food planning and coaching with my nutritionist and I discuss healthier coping strategies with my therapist to stay on the right track and help me succeed academically. In terms of future plans, I will continue to seek treatment from my team until each member of the team, as well as myself, think that I can cope with my issues on my own and am in a stable place.

Thank you,
Courtney Lailey