Submit an Academic Petition or Appeal

Petition Letter: To the Associate Dean of Studies,

My name is Chris (Dong Chan) Song, and I am a fourth year English major student. I am submitting this appeal to add ENGL 259, ECON 111, and WRIT 265 to my Winter 2015 term, as well as to drop PHIL 271, ENGL 481, and ENGL 486 from Winter 2014 term and Fall 2014 term, respectively.

In April 2014, I suffered with pneumomediastinum. Because of this illness, I had to appeal to aegrotat standing in three of my courses that term. Since then, the symptoms of pneumomediastinum have subsided, but the aftermath of the illness left a chronic chest pain that aggravated as time passed. As the Fall term began, the chest pain developed to a point where it was hard for me to breathe. Because of the hardness of breath, I found it extremely hard, if not impossible, to focus on my daily tasks.

Physical impairments aside, this illness revealed a mental illness in me that I had not realized. In September 2013, my close friend passed away in a car accident, which left a deep scar in my life. For weeks, I went through the stages of grief. For weeks, I wept and cried in agony. I had no support other than from those who suffered the same pain, and I had no courage and strength to reach for proper guidance through such grief and sorrow. Since the incident, I thought I have been doing well, but this chest pain and the stress from school brought out the depression with which I was suffering.

After consulting with my father, who is a cardio-thoracic surgeon in South Korea, I had decided to take a leave of absence for medical reasons. An academic advisor (Hayley Everson), Professor Fachinger (ENGL 481), Professor Schlick (ENGL 486), and Professor Dujardin (ENGL 321) all recommended that I go on a medical leave. I believe that I have the potential to do well, but I had been hindered in my academic success since my first year when I suffered with a chronic back pain, which I had no support to receive proper medical attention because of my status as an international student. Going on this medical leave, I promised that I will recover and truly show not only myself but everyone else that the current academic standing is not a true reflection of who I am, and that I am capable of so much more.

Following the meetings with my instructors and the academic advisor, I stopped attending lectures since November to start my medical leave. I was still in consultation with my primary physician, which is my father, to decide the best option for me.

Because of my illness from pneumomediastinum, and the chaos that I experienced since the incident, I was unable to meet the accommodations that my PHIL 271 instructor provided for me, which was an extension to my final paper. And because I was still trying to figure out what I can do to recover from this illness and still suffering heavily because of the illness, I failed to submit a proper appeal to drop the course within the time period. And for this, I sincerely apologize, and I humbly request to drop PHIL 271.

I am also appealing to add ENGL 259, ECON 111, and WRIT 265 because of a complication I only just found out few days ago. I did not realize or know that the one of the conditions of a study permit is that I cannot be away from school for more than three months. In the case that I am, the government will send me back to my home country for failing to meet the conditions.
I am still suffering with the chest pain, with depression, and with the chronic back injury. But in the short two months of rest I was able to enjoy, being able to take medicine when I needed it, and being able to stay away from the stress of academic pressure, I was able to see improvement in my conditions, and I have faith that I will be able to recover significantly with more effort and support from my doctors, my family, and my friends. Although I am not quite fully recovered as I had wished to be before I started school again, I believe that with better knowledge of my current mental and physical state, and with proper physical and mental consultation, I will be able to persevere and endure through it this time. I realize that dropping these three courses and adding three different courses are a lot to request, and I realize the ridiculousness of my situation right now, but I humbly ask that you consider my appeal, and that you understand my situation, and that you give me the chance to pursue my passion in English at Queen¿¿s University and to pursue my academic success.