Manage Appeals
Petition Type: New
ID: 9279
Submitted: June 13, 2022 at 2:21:24 PM
First Name: Madycyne
Last Name: DolleyJames
Student Number: 20279235
Email: 20tmcd@queensu.ca
Degree Program: BAH
Plan: PSYC
Level of Study: 1
Petition Categories
Petition Categories: Waive the requirement to withdraw for one year
Petition Letter
Petition Letter: To whom it may concern,
Thank you for allowing me the opportunity to explain my circumstances for this academic school year. I am appealing the Faculty??s decision that I withdraw from Queen??s for a year, and I am also appealing to drop LING100 (Winter 2022), SPAN111 (Winter 2022) and LLCU111 (Fall 2021). During the academic school year starting from late October 2021, I have been experiencing an ongoing extenuating circumstance beyond my control that prevented me from fulfilling my academic duties. I take full accountability for this on my part. I began experiencing severe mental and emotional distress due to a now resolved situation, between myself and another party. During that time however, I was not only able to fulfill my academic duties but take care of my personal well being. I experienced insomnia, often going days without sleeping, as well as going days without eating any meals. I found myself isolated for a majority of the time, experiencing poor physical health as a result of the lack of sleep and proper nutrition. The state I was in caused persistent disorientation and being in a state of not knowing what day or time it was. These factors heavily impacted my ability to complete course work, and attend labs/tutorials. I found myself barely lucid enough to complete assignments on time, or hand them in at all. Over the quarantine from January to February due to COVID-19, I found myself sleeping more as opposed to the usual insomnia, missing lessons and assignments. When it came time to return to campus in March, I fell back into the cycle of not sleeping, not eating, and self isolating, all the while being sick due to these circumstances. On the last day of March, I took an ambulance to KGH, and spoke to a social worker and the head doctor of the Emergency Department regarding my situation. Since that visit, I began seeking help through QSAS as well as having received a referral to additional resources, such as a psychiatrist, and long term psychotherapist in my hometown. Since that visit, I reached out to my professors regarding the situation, and made an active effort to make up for whatever was possible at that time. Additionally, I began filling out the form to receive accommodations from Queen??s student accommodations. Throughout the month of April, I was able to discuss the situation with Pamela Hall through QSAS, and complete the make-up work I had received from my professors. Today, in June, I am still working with Pamela as well as my DEVS 100 winter term professor Rebecca Hall, to complete my studies for a final grade. The situation has thankfully since been resolved, and I have found myself moving forward from it and taking care of myself with the aid of professionals. Moving forward, I intend to work out an adjusted and reduced academic plan that will allow me to complete my studies with accommodations, while also receiving psychiatric support from QSAS as well as professionals sought out by myself personally. I fully intend to accommodate for lost credits through this new plan, as well as work with other services provided by Queen??s such as Queen??s Student Success Services, to ensure academic stability and success moving forward.
Thank you for your time,
Madycyne DolleyJames
Thank you for allowing me the opportunity to explain my circumstances for this academic school year. I am appealing the Faculty??s decision that I withdraw from Queen??s for a year, and I am also appealing to drop LING100 (Winter 2022), SPAN111 (Winter 2022) and LLCU111 (Fall 2021). During the academic school year starting from late October 2021, I have been experiencing an ongoing extenuating circumstance beyond my control that prevented me from fulfilling my academic duties. I take full accountability for this on my part. I began experiencing severe mental and emotional distress due to a now resolved situation, between myself and another party. During that time however, I was not only able to fulfill my academic duties but take care of my personal well being. I experienced insomnia, often going days without sleeping, as well as going days without eating any meals. I found myself isolated for a majority of the time, experiencing poor physical health as a result of the lack of sleep and proper nutrition. The state I was in caused persistent disorientation and being in a state of not knowing what day or time it was. These factors heavily impacted my ability to complete course work, and attend labs/tutorials. I found myself barely lucid enough to complete assignments on time, or hand them in at all. Over the quarantine from January to February due to COVID-19, I found myself sleeping more as opposed to the usual insomnia, missing lessons and assignments. When it came time to return to campus in March, I fell back into the cycle of not sleeping, not eating, and self isolating, all the while being sick due to these circumstances. On the last day of March, I took an ambulance to KGH, and spoke to a social worker and the head doctor of the Emergency Department regarding my situation. Since that visit, I began seeking help through QSAS as well as having received a referral to additional resources, such as a psychiatrist, and long term psychotherapist in my hometown. Since that visit, I reached out to my professors regarding the situation, and made an active effort to make up for whatever was possible at that time. Additionally, I began filling out the form to receive accommodations from Queen??s student accommodations. Throughout the month of April, I was able to discuss the situation with Pamela Hall through QSAS, and complete the make-up work I had received from my professors. Today, in June, I am still working with Pamela as well as my DEVS 100 winter term professor Rebecca Hall, to complete my studies for a final grade. The situation has thankfully since been resolved, and I have found myself moving forward from it and taking care of myself with the aid of professionals. Moving forward, I intend to work out an adjusted and reduced academic plan that will allow me to complete my studies with accommodations, while also receiving psychiatric support from QSAS as well as professionals sought out by myself personally. I fully intend to accommodate for lost credits through this new plan, as well as work with other services provided by Queen??s such as Queen??s Student Success Services, to ensure academic stability and success moving forward.
Thank you for your time,
Madycyne DolleyJames
Academic Plan
Academic Plan: Components of The Plan
I am presently familiar with the plan requirements of my desired degree plan. It requires 15.units Core credits across all 4 years, with an additional but optional 45. units that may also be taken. The plan consists of 60.0 total units, but I am required to achieve 120. as part of the bachelor of arts (honors) program. At the end of the program, the completion of an undergraduate thesis, such as PSYC 501 with 9.0 units may be required but is not necessary for Counseling programs. I intend to continue partaking in full time studies, with the intention of reducing the load. I have found the most challenging part of university that has hindered my studies the most to be my mental health. I intend to create a long-term treatment plan that includes medication, therapy, both at home and on campus at Queens through QSAS, as well as create stable support systems in my personal life. Moving forward, I??d like to work on my ability to communicate my needs and shortcomings with faculty, as well as set up long-term accommodations with Queens. Using these supports, I believe I will best be able to support myself in my studies.
Academic plan
In terms of academic demands, I had no issues with the course content, nor did I find it difficult to follow along in lectures or understand the required readings, however, when it came to the completion of course work, I struggled to accommodate the bulk and timeframe (the accumulation of all of my courses). Academic interest was never an area of concern as I had always prioritized the selection of courses that greatly interested me. I found the work fulfilling. I??ve found it incredibly difficult to manage my time and prepare for exams, as I Felt overwhelmed due to my mental health and panicked. Additionally, embarrassed to speak up, with no one to talk to regarding these issues. The work then kept piling up as a result, and I felt paralyzed trying to juggle both it and my mental health, which ultimately affected my grades and assignments. Additionally, this often left me playing catch up, having to watch class recordings later on rather than attend in person (or live, depending on the format). In terms of academic and nonacademic activities, I am not necessarily part of any extracurriculars, nor do I frequently go out on weekends. I spend most of my time inside, thus I don't need to worry about balancing those activities, but that being said, I frequently found myself avoiding the work by any means possible as I thought I would have enough time to do it later (relating to time management). I have dealt quite frequently with personal circumstances, specifically my mental health impeding my academics in the past, and due to being a minor at the time, I was unable to seek out help without parent/guardian approval. Coming into university, I had already been appointed a psychiatrist and placed on medication to help, which in the long run did more harm than good. I am not presently employed, seasonally or part-time, therefore, this work is not a factor impeding my studies.
Moving forward, as of today Wednesday May 25, 2022, I have reached out to an academic advisor to aid in my return to school and appeal to the requirement to withdraw, I have received a referral (at the request of ED head at KGH and the a social worker that works there) to see a new psychiatrist and receive a new psychiatric assessment which should act as the documentation in my started - but not yet completed - form for Queens accommodation services. I also intend to start psychotherapy through the Adult Psychiatry Program at Halton Hills Mental Health Clinic, and continue to book follow up appointments with Pamela Hall, whom I??ve had a couple meetings with, prior to the end of the Winter 2022 academic term. In order to improve the issues regarding time management and course completion, I intend to discuss with a study strategist through QSAS, concerning those skills as well as complete and employ (when needed).
I am presently familiar with the plan requirements of my desired degree plan. It requires 15.units Core credits across all 4 years, with an additional but optional 45. units that may also be taken. The plan consists of 60.0 total units, but I am required to achieve 120. as part of the bachelor of arts (honors) program. At the end of the program, the completion of an undergraduate thesis, such as PSYC 501 with 9.0 units may be required but is not necessary for Counseling programs. I intend to continue partaking in full time studies, with the intention of reducing the load. I have found the most challenging part of university that has hindered my studies the most to be my mental health. I intend to create a long-term treatment plan that includes medication, therapy, both at home and on campus at Queens through QSAS, as well as create stable support systems in my personal life. Moving forward, I??d like to work on my ability to communicate my needs and shortcomings with faculty, as well as set up long-term accommodations with Queens. Using these supports, I believe I will best be able to support myself in my studies.
Academic plan
In terms of academic demands, I had no issues with the course content, nor did I find it difficult to follow along in lectures or understand the required readings, however, when it came to the completion of course work, I struggled to accommodate the bulk and timeframe (the accumulation of all of my courses). Academic interest was never an area of concern as I had always prioritized the selection of courses that greatly interested me. I found the work fulfilling. I??ve found it incredibly difficult to manage my time and prepare for exams, as I Felt overwhelmed due to my mental health and panicked. Additionally, embarrassed to speak up, with no one to talk to regarding these issues. The work then kept piling up as a result, and I felt paralyzed trying to juggle both it and my mental health, which ultimately affected my grades and assignments. Additionally, this often left me playing catch up, having to watch class recordings later on rather than attend in person (or live, depending on the format). In terms of academic and nonacademic activities, I am not necessarily part of any extracurriculars, nor do I frequently go out on weekends. I spend most of my time inside, thus I don't need to worry about balancing those activities, but that being said, I frequently found myself avoiding the work by any means possible as I thought I would have enough time to do it later (relating to time management). I have dealt quite frequently with personal circumstances, specifically my mental health impeding my academics in the past, and due to being a minor at the time, I was unable to seek out help without parent/guardian approval. Coming into university, I had already been appointed a psychiatrist and placed on medication to help, which in the long run did more harm than good. I am not presently employed, seasonally or part-time, therefore, this work is not a factor impeding my studies.
Moving forward, as of today Wednesday May 25, 2022, I have reached out to an academic advisor to aid in my return to school and appeal to the requirement to withdraw, I have received a referral (at the request of ED head at KGH and the a social worker that works there) to see a new psychiatrist and receive a new psychiatric assessment which should act as the documentation in my started - but not yet completed - form for Queens accommodation services. I also intend to start psychotherapy through the Adult Psychiatry Program at Halton Hills Mental Health Clinic, and continue to book follow up appointments with Pamela Hall, whom I??ve had a couple meetings with, prior to the end of the Winter 2022 academic term. In order to improve the issues regarding time management and course completion, I intend to discuss with a study strategist through QSAS, concerning those skills as well as complete and employ (when needed).
Documentation
Professional Letter Detail: letter from professional submitted separately to faculty office