Submit an Academic Petition or Appeal

Petition Letter: Monday, August 17, 2020.

To the Associate Dean,

I am appealing for Aegrotat Standing (Academic Regulation 10) for ENGL 451, which I took in the Winter 2020 semester. I failed the course due to submitting the wrong file for the online exam.
At the end of the Spring 2020 semester I was forced to finish my semester online. I had to vacate my living accommodations in Kingston and move in with my parents. Due to their remote location, I had incredibly poor internet that could not be improved. Because of my poor internet and some other family issues I was barely able to finish all the work I needed to get done for all my courses, let alone ENGL 451. After the ENGL 451 exam was written on April 17, I started a full time job in addition to two other jobs I was already working during the school year while trying to finish my semester.
Professor Evans chose to make the exam twice as long as originally anticipated. Should the exam have been written as an in person the exam would have taken two hours to write. I did write the exam for ENGL 451 and it took me five hours to write it. However, I accidentally submitted the wrong file and due to my time constraints because of my busy work schedule and family issues, as well as my unreliable internet I was not able to check any of the emails or go through my grades until recently. I have not modified it or opened the exam file since the day that it was written and I have proof of that. I have emailed Professor Evans and asked if she would consider reading my exam or changing my mark but was told that that was not an option.
I realize that by appealing for Aegrotat standing my final exam will not be counted, however I felt I should communicate the fact that a simple mistake mixed with unforeseen stressors caused me to fail a course, which I have never done before in the history of my academic career. I have found accommodations in Kingston for the continuation of my studies in the Fall of 2020 and the challenges that I overcame during the spring and summer will no longer be an issue. I work incredibly hard to be able to go to this university and I am very grateful to be able to do so. However, I do not want one mistake made during a global pandemic to take away from the amount of work I put into ENGL 451 and my other courses last semester.

Thank you for your time and consideration.

Robyn Stronge
20084012