Manage Appeals
Petition Type: New
ID: 7886
Submitted: June 16, 2021 at 5:34:32 PM
First Name: Matheson
Last Name: Goff
Student Number: 10145523
Email: 13mcg9@queensu.ca
Degree Program: BA
Plan: ECON
Level of Study: 3
Petition Categories
Petition Categories: Waive the requirement to withdraw for a minimum of three years
Petition Letter
Petition Letter: To the Associate Dean (Academic),
I am writing to appeal the faculty¿¿s decision that I must withdraw from Queen¿¿s for a minimum of three years. Following this appeal, I will also be submitting an appeal to drop PHIL 157 (Winter 2021). The last year has been difficult for everyone, and as someone who struggles with a mental illness that is specifically aggravated by health-related issues, I found it increasingly difficult to succeed academically. As someone who has a permanent disability, I found a lot of the pandemic related issues overwhelming. Luckily, I am registered with QSAS, who have gone above and beyond to advocate for me and professors who were very understanding and accommodating. Unfortunately, during the last year, my father has been diagnosed with some very serious healt issues (blood cancer, cirrhosis) and was unable to work for quite some time while undergoing diagnostic tests, as well as treatment for the aforementioned issues. My mother, who owns a hair salon, had also been unable to work for quite some time during the lockdowns as well, adding financial worries to my household. As the pandemic pushed on, I felt the increasing stress of my own health concerns, my fathers, my family's financial hardships, and the wave of symptoms I experience due to my disability. Entering into the winter semester, my GPA had reached 1.63, which I knew was above the threshold I needed to meet to be removed from academic probation, and be granted permission to continue my studies at Queen¿¿s. By this time, my mother had been back to work for a few weeks, and everything was appearing to be getting better. However, I knew that due to some of the stresses of the fall semester continuing into the winter, that reducing my course load was something I needed to do. Before the deadline, I reduced my course load to two classes, one I was retaking, and one new class. Only a few weeks after the deadline to drop classes without academic penalty, Ontario once again went into lockdown. My mother came to me as vocalized just how bad things had gotten financially. My father was still recovering from health issues and was not working, and my mother had worked a total of 33 days in 2021. She had exhausted all options of financial assistance for small businesses, and if something didn¿¿t change, they were going to need to shut down their businesses, and potentially even lose the house. After a long conversation, I stepped up and told my parents I would seek out whatever work I could to help financially. After this, I reached out to my professors, who were aware of some of the issues I was facing, and explained the progression of my situation. It was evident I wouldn¿¿t be able to keep up with my classes, and with no indication of when my situation would change, I asked for their support in an appeal to drop their classes late, which they agreed to. Just a couple weeks ago, following the winter semester, a family member reached out to us to offer financial assistance to allow me to continue my studies. My current GPA, even with the winter 2021 semester classes, is 1.57, and I am also currently enrolled in classes over the summer term. I am doing well in these classes, and know that once completed my GPA will be over 1.60. I am hoping that the extenuating circumstances surround the pandemic including my family's health and financial issues, my additional appeal to drop PHIL 157 raising my GPA to 1.60, or the classes I am taking now over the summer to increase my GPA to 1.60, can be taking into serious consideration regarding this appeal. I am close to being able to graduate, and a requirement to withdraw for three years is a lifechanging decision that I absolutely know without doubt would not have happened if the circumstances outlined in this appeal had not occurred. If my appeal is granted, moving forward I feel that since registering with QSAS, I have been doing far better academically, as well as extremely reducing mental stress and disability related symptoms, and intend to continue working with them to reach my goals. I very much appreciate you taking my appeal into consideration.
Matheson Goff
I am writing to appeal the faculty¿¿s decision that I must withdraw from Queen¿¿s for a minimum of three years. Following this appeal, I will also be submitting an appeal to drop PHIL 157 (Winter 2021). The last year has been difficult for everyone, and as someone who struggles with a mental illness that is specifically aggravated by health-related issues, I found it increasingly difficult to succeed academically. As someone who has a permanent disability, I found a lot of the pandemic related issues overwhelming. Luckily, I am registered with QSAS, who have gone above and beyond to advocate for me and professors who were very understanding and accommodating. Unfortunately, during the last year, my father has been diagnosed with some very serious healt issues (blood cancer, cirrhosis) and was unable to work for quite some time while undergoing diagnostic tests, as well as treatment for the aforementioned issues. My mother, who owns a hair salon, had also been unable to work for quite some time during the lockdowns as well, adding financial worries to my household. As the pandemic pushed on, I felt the increasing stress of my own health concerns, my fathers, my family's financial hardships, and the wave of symptoms I experience due to my disability. Entering into the winter semester, my GPA had reached 1.63, which I knew was above the threshold I needed to meet to be removed from academic probation, and be granted permission to continue my studies at Queen¿¿s. By this time, my mother had been back to work for a few weeks, and everything was appearing to be getting better. However, I knew that due to some of the stresses of the fall semester continuing into the winter, that reducing my course load was something I needed to do. Before the deadline, I reduced my course load to two classes, one I was retaking, and one new class. Only a few weeks after the deadline to drop classes without academic penalty, Ontario once again went into lockdown. My mother came to me as vocalized just how bad things had gotten financially. My father was still recovering from health issues and was not working, and my mother had worked a total of 33 days in 2021. She had exhausted all options of financial assistance for small businesses, and if something didn¿¿t change, they were going to need to shut down their businesses, and potentially even lose the house. After a long conversation, I stepped up and told my parents I would seek out whatever work I could to help financially. After this, I reached out to my professors, who were aware of some of the issues I was facing, and explained the progression of my situation. It was evident I wouldn¿¿t be able to keep up with my classes, and with no indication of when my situation would change, I asked for their support in an appeal to drop their classes late, which they agreed to. Just a couple weeks ago, following the winter semester, a family member reached out to us to offer financial assistance to allow me to continue my studies. My current GPA, even with the winter 2021 semester classes, is 1.57, and I am also currently enrolled in classes over the summer term. I am doing well in these classes, and know that once completed my GPA will be over 1.60. I am hoping that the extenuating circumstances surround the pandemic including my family's health and financial issues, my additional appeal to drop PHIL 157 raising my GPA to 1.60, or the classes I am taking now over the summer to increase my GPA to 1.60, can be taking into serious consideration regarding this appeal. I am close to being able to graduate, and a requirement to withdraw for three years is a lifechanging decision that I absolutely know without doubt would not have happened if the circumstances outlined in this appeal had not occurred. If my appeal is granted, moving forward I feel that since registering with QSAS, I have been doing far better academically, as well as extremely reducing mental stress and disability related symptoms, and intend to continue working with them to reach my goals. I very much appreciate you taking my appeal into consideration.
Matheson Goff
Academic Plan
Academic Plan: Matheson Goff Academic Plan
A: Course of Study
I am currently registered in the ECON ¿¿ General (Arts) degree plan. I have also reviewed my Academic Advisement Report in SOLUS to ensure that I understand the remaining degree requirements, which I am working diligently on completing. I have no difficulty understanding the content of the courses demanded in the degree plan, however due to my disability, I do have difficulty keeping up from time to time. To help with this situation, I am registered with QSAS, who provide me with academic accommodations tailored to combat difficulties that arise from my specific disability. I also regularly keep in touch with my professors, to be sure they are fully aware of my current situation. As far as academic interest goes, when I first enrolled at Queen¿¿s University, I had intended on studying political science. However, after taking economics classes in my first year, I became extremely interested, and decided to pursue it as the focus of my degree.
B: Full-time vs Part-time
I currently intend on maintaining a full-time course load moving forward, however, due to the nature of my disability, I sometimes need to extend the due dates of deliverables. In the past this has causes a slight backlog of deliverables due, but I have been able to work through this with the support of QSAS and my professors. Currently, I have no incomplete work from previous academic sessions. I also am not required to work while attending school. My study habits are unique, again due to my disability. There are days where I struggle to meet my goals, and others where I complete more than I initially expected to get done. When I am not experiencing symptoms of my disability, I work through a daily to-do list, and do not find it difficult to manage my time or work through coursework. Due to my disability, I traditionally do find it tricky to manage group assignments, or live-sessions. To work around this, QSAS has included specific wording on my Letter of Accomodation to grant me alternative methods of participation, of which I negotiate with the instructor. I have not had any difficulty with this thus far, and do not expect any moving forward. Once again, due to my disability I can sometimes miss class, but I am very vocal with my instructors at the beginning of each semester about all the potential difficulties of my disability, and have things in place from then on to help work through those situations if the arise.
C: Strategies for Success
I have faced quite a few challenges during my time at Queen¿¿s, and the majority of them were in some regard at least, related to my disability. At the start of my time at Queen¿¿s, I wanted to be ¿¿normal¿ so badly that I refused to reach out to utilize any university resources, and it wasn¿¿t until after being required to withdraw for a year that I finally reached out to QSAS, as well as my family doctor, to get some academic support. Since then, I have had a huge weight lifted off my shoulders. Instead of trying to explain to instructors my situation, and being quite embarrassed doing so, I now have a QSAS Advisor that I meet with regularly to help me with these situations. My disability is something that will never go away, and I accept that now. Instead of fighting it I have learned to accept it and seek help when needed, and work with my strengths instead of spending all my time trying to deal with it on my own. Moving forward I intend to continue my regular meeting with my QSAS advisor, doctor, and therapist to help build my coping methods, and skillset, to allow me to work through the symptoms of my disability more smoothly and efficiently. Additionally, I have been working with the previously mentioned professionals on a detailed regiment of medication, as well as mental health exercises to help me in some cases, work through my disability related symptoms much faster than I was ever able to on my own. My next steps are to continue to work with my mental health team, as well as my professors, to help meet my academic goals. Additionally, I plan to work at having more things in place in my personal and academic life, so that if unforeseen events do happen, I am not put in a place where I have so few options available to me.
A: Course of Study
I am currently registered in the ECON ¿¿ General (Arts) degree plan. I have also reviewed my Academic Advisement Report in SOLUS to ensure that I understand the remaining degree requirements, which I am working diligently on completing. I have no difficulty understanding the content of the courses demanded in the degree plan, however due to my disability, I do have difficulty keeping up from time to time. To help with this situation, I am registered with QSAS, who provide me with academic accommodations tailored to combat difficulties that arise from my specific disability. I also regularly keep in touch with my professors, to be sure they are fully aware of my current situation. As far as academic interest goes, when I first enrolled at Queen¿¿s University, I had intended on studying political science. However, after taking economics classes in my first year, I became extremely interested, and decided to pursue it as the focus of my degree.
B: Full-time vs Part-time
I currently intend on maintaining a full-time course load moving forward, however, due to the nature of my disability, I sometimes need to extend the due dates of deliverables. In the past this has causes a slight backlog of deliverables due, but I have been able to work through this with the support of QSAS and my professors. Currently, I have no incomplete work from previous academic sessions. I also am not required to work while attending school. My study habits are unique, again due to my disability. There are days where I struggle to meet my goals, and others where I complete more than I initially expected to get done. When I am not experiencing symptoms of my disability, I work through a daily to-do list, and do not find it difficult to manage my time or work through coursework. Due to my disability, I traditionally do find it tricky to manage group assignments, or live-sessions. To work around this, QSAS has included specific wording on my Letter of Accomodation to grant me alternative methods of participation, of which I negotiate with the instructor. I have not had any difficulty with this thus far, and do not expect any moving forward. Once again, due to my disability I can sometimes miss class, but I am very vocal with my instructors at the beginning of each semester about all the potential difficulties of my disability, and have things in place from then on to help work through those situations if the arise.
C: Strategies for Success
I have faced quite a few challenges during my time at Queen¿¿s, and the majority of them were in some regard at least, related to my disability. At the start of my time at Queen¿¿s, I wanted to be ¿¿normal¿ so badly that I refused to reach out to utilize any university resources, and it wasn¿¿t until after being required to withdraw for a year that I finally reached out to QSAS, as well as my family doctor, to get some academic support. Since then, I have had a huge weight lifted off my shoulders. Instead of trying to explain to instructors my situation, and being quite embarrassed doing so, I now have a QSAS Advisor that I meet with regularly to help me with these situations. My disability is something that will never go away, and I accept that now. Instead of fighting it I have learned to accept it and seek help when needed, and work with my strengths instead of spending all my time trying to deal with it on my own. Moving forward I intend to continue my regular meeting with my QSAS advisor, doctor, and therapist to help build my coping methods, and skillset, to allow me to work through the symptoms of my disability more smoothly and efficiently. Additionally, I have been working with the previously mentioned professionals on a detailed regiment of medication, as well as mental health exercises to help me in some cases, work through my disability related symptoms much faster than I was ever able to on my own. My next steps are to continue to work with my mental health team, as well as my professors, to help meet my academic goals. Additionally, I plan to work at having more things in place in my personal and academic life, so that if unforeseen events do happen, I am not put in a place where I have so few options available to me.
Documentation
Professional Letter: Matheson Goff Doctors Note.pdf
Document: Professor Davies Appeal Support.pdf
Document: Matheson Goff LOA Summer 2021.pdf