Submit an Academic Petition or Appeal

Petition Letter: June 10, 2022

Associate Dean (Academic) 94 University Avenue
Queen's University Kingston, ON Canada
K7L 3N6


Dear Associate Dean,

My name is Shaochen Li (20246515), and I am writing to appeal the decision that I have been required to withdraw for one year from the Faculty of Arts and Science. I understand that the situation happens due to my poor academic performance. While I am deeply aware of my problem, I would like an opportunity to explain my circumstances and provide practical solutions to address the issues.

The Covid-19 pandemic has had a substantial negative impact on both my study and life. During the pandemic, my family and I were separated from each other. While feeling lonely and helpless, I was worried about my family's safety and health, especially my mother and my grandfather. My mother had an acute herniated disc in May last year (see appendix 1), which caused her to have difficulty moving around. In September, she had a rheumatoid flare-up after receiving the covid vaccine (see appendix 2). Her joints became inflamed and swollen, making it impossible to take care of herself. What was worse, my grandfather was examined for a malignant tumour in the lower lobe of the left lung last year and had surgery in Beijing (see appendix 3). The long-term medication might weaken his immune system and make him more susceptible to the covid virus than others. The pandemic has also led to a significant increase in the price of airlines and a more complicated repatriation procedure, which prevented me from returning to China to visit and take care of them. I was frustrated with and distracted by this situation and thus could not be concentered on my study.

Additionally, I found myself hardly adapting to the online class delivery method, as it creates a sense of isolation. As an international student, I was hoping to have chances to interact with peers and teachers in person and to attend various school activities, which would allow me to gain a well-rounded university experience and achieve academic success. However, the lockdowns in response to the pandemic have interrupted in-person learning. Several challenges, including technical issues, social isolation, and poor class engagement, contribute to reducing my study efficiency.

Although some objective factors have affected my studies, I realized that there are many ways to help me get through the difficulties before the situation gets severe. I understand now that I should have communicated with and sought helps from my family, friends, and professors. Also, instead of being negative about online study, I should familiarize myself with digital learning tools and techniques, as they increase access to a variety of resources and equip me with tech-savvy skills that can be used in the future.

Queen?s University is my ideal destination, and it would mean so much to me to graduate from this school. Please understand that my low GPA that led to the withdraw does not indicate that I am not capable of studying. I earned excellent grades in high school before the pandemic. I sincerely hope that I can return to the program this September. This opportunity is invaluable to me. Therefore, I will strictly execute my study plan to prove my attitude and abilities. Thank you for considering this appeal.
Sincerely, Shaochen Li
Student number: 20246515