Submit an Academic Petition or Appeal

Petition Letter: To the Associate Dean (Academic),

I am writing to request an appeal regarding my summer courses, SPAN 111, IDIS 199, and WRIT 125. I would like to request these courses be dropped and not affect my continued attendance of Queen??s University. I experienced what I believe to be extenuating circumstances that justify my request. From the end of April 2022 to August 2nd, 2022, my daughter and I were forced to live in a women??s shelter for domestic violence. In the winter semester I requested extensions for my final assignments as I moved to the shelter around exam time. I completed those courses and decided to take summer courses to try and get back on track with my degree plan. I was kept from completing coursework in the Fall 2021 semester by my abuser (leading to me failing two courses) and took a lesser course load in the winter semester to try and make sure I could pass the courses. However, living in the shelter and trying to work with my abuser amicably to figure out custody took a much higher mental and physical toll on me than I anticipated. In addition, there were issues in the shelter that made it difficult to focus on school, such as drugs being present as well as some health and safety issues. Because of these issues it was really important I find somewhere else for my daughter and I to live. Searching for an apartment on top of the other issues I was facing became too much for me to balance with my course work, but it was too late to drop the courses. Finding a safe place for me, but more importantly, my daughter, became my top priority. The consequences of this was that my school work and responsibilities were severely affected. In addition, I only now have gotten internet access in my new apartment, which is why this letter has come so late.

I understand it is a privilege to study at Queen??s, and it is not one I take lightly. I am honoured to be a Queen??s student and I truly apologize for the way my studies have been affected this summer. Should my appeal be granted and I continue my education at Queen??s, I plan to regularly speak to a professional about my recent experiences with domestic violence, stay on top of my course work, and regularly take my medication for the treatment of ADHD.

I am a single teen mother to a wonderful little girl, and Queen??s has given me the opportunity to get higher education and build a better life for us. My long term goal is to graduate with my bachelors degree so I can provide a wonderful and fulfilled life for my daughter. I realize it may not look like it based on this past summer, but I really value my education at Queen??s and genuinely hope that I can continue and complete it.


Blessed be,
Kali Schmidt
20302763