Submit an Academic Petition or Appeal

Petition Letter: Hello faculty of arts and science,

I am Aidan Simpson and I am appealing the 21-day deadline as well as the requirement to withdraw. I missed the deadline because I was working with an athlete services manager who was helping me prepare my documents. They ended up going on maternity leave 2 weeks early and once I was able to get in contact with an athlete services coordinator I had missed the June 14th deadline. With the help of my coordinator I now have put my academic plan together for this coming fall and am ready to submit these appeals.

There are reasons as to why I believe I should get another chance in the school. I have had issues with non-academic matters. The first one is that I have ADHD that wasn't getting treated during the second semester of 2022. And it caused a lot of distraction while working and trying to work.

I am getting some medication for it and I will be able to sit down in front of my work and get it finished. I initially came into the school with struggles in my classes and I never knew why until one of my teammates asked me if I have the disability because he noticed my lack of focus and twitches. I realised this last year and I am getting treated for it this summer. My fear was that focus would be blinded by the disorder and took me a long time to realise it needed medical treatment. This can keep on top of my school which I am doing now in summer. School is the most important thing going on in my life and I will not let the ADHD blind me from achieving my goals any longer.

Since I have come to the university my grandma has been very sick and I have been going back home to see her. She gave me a necklace before the winter semester and I have been worried about her since and is another form of distraction I was struggling to lose focus of when doing school work. She is my world and that necklace was her telling me she is scared that she may go soon. She has called me every day and has been able to calm me down from the stress and sadness I am having in other aspects of my life. I often but sometimes I get in my own head. I have been able to focus on my summer courses because I'm doing a lot of my school while I'm with her and while I talk to her on the phone when I'm in Kingston and I've been focused.

The way I learn is very unique, I was finally able to adjust to online work and made a work schedule and plan with coaches and academic helpers such as Carleigh Collins etc. and online meetings to get good work one but then half way through the semester we switched back to in person in i had to adjust again which made school 2 times harder. I am now getting adjusted to in person classes and in fall would be able to go to class where I can focus as I have always been a visual learner.

I had resources from caring coaches and academic advisors and I believed I would be able to do the work on my own like everybody else, i let my pride get in the way of my future and I am now realising what is more important. I have put my pride aside and will start using the help that is given to me by the people who care. I have already started accepting the help and my summer classes are going well as of late. They give me calendars, tutors, and they check in frequently. If I use these tools, there will be no late assignments or missed quizzes any more and I will be using the tools every day.

There are three summer classes I am in that can get my average above .7 and I am confident on how I'm starting. I need a 1.6 by the end of winter 2023 and am keeping on track with summer school so far, I need this school and football. It motivates me to do well in life and if i'm not in it i honestly don't know what i will do when i move back home.. I'm just asking for the year to show I can get work done and keep up with the grades. There will be no more excuses from me from this point forward, and you won't regret it if you give me one more chance. You will also possibly be saving my life.

Thank you for your time and consideration. Sincerely,

Aidan Simpson

Aidan Simpson
20244439
20ams13@queensu.ca
289.892.6737