Submit an Academic Petition or Appeal

Petition Letter: Dear Associate Dean,

My name is Alice Yixin Chen, and I'm writing the appeal letter to solve this conflict between my family and academic.

The first happening occurred in early February, I received a call from my family, and they wanted me to fly back to China immediately. After we went through the hospital inspection, my grandfather is diagnosed as in late stage of carcinoma. This happened right before the reading week, and I had to miss the submission of PHIL111, 250, 257 and 256's essay deadline. Both my family and I were in a very difficult situation to response to this sudden change, and I wasn¿¿t sure how to talk to my professors and TA, since it was so devastating. By that time I was told by the doctor that my grandfather can try hard until the end of summer, but things might change. Therefore I decided to drop PHIL257, and after that I also dropped PHIL250 in order to take off some burden on academic.

From February until the late of March, many things which are related to my grandfather's illness happened within my family. I was very stressful and anxious to deal with both school work and family issues. However, I was trying really hard to prepare for this exchange study on my third year, and since I was taking two one-year courses, I didn't want to give up on them. At the very end of March, I was called back to China again, and this time we received a cruel news from the doctor, that my grandfather is in a very bad state, and he wouldn't be able to make it until the summer. At that time, all I thought about was to come back home immediately and stay with him. However after I calmed down and looked at my academic, I realized that I have to make a decision on whether or not giving up my final exams. I struggled a lot on my academic commitments on those two one-year courses, and I was concerned about my exchange in third year as well.

Fortunately, I had this chance to talk to Janice in IPO office, and she advised me to speak to an academic advisor and philosophy professors. I took their advises and thought about my choices cautiously, and I finally decided last weekend, that I will not be taking the three final exams, and going back home. Regarding on the academic decision on those three courses, Professor Najand had an agreement with me to make PHIL204 into an Aegrotat Grade, which is to make the essays worth more percentage than they used to be. I also had several ways of solution in PHIL111 and PHIL257, however, the biggest issue to me is because during the week before reading week break in Feb, I didn't submit neither essays for PHIL111 and PHIL257, and they worth a big percentage. And because what'll be happening in April and May is uncertain to me, I don't think that I'm capable to do take home exams neither. I also had the concern with graduate school, that if I decide to make PHIL111 and PHIL257 into Aegrotat grade as well, I would no longer be able to achieve the target GPA which the graduate schools require.

It's really a difficult decision to make, especially thinking to give up two full year courses and all those effort during my first year in Queen's Campus. At the same time, I'm fully aware that this will possibly cause delay to my graduation, and I have been discussing about this with my parents. They want me to take some time and space to complete my degree in Queen's, rather than just rushing everything. I also received an advise from the advisor in IPO, saying that maybe I can take some summer courses later in July or August, which are compatible to the content of PHIL111 and PHIL257, which later can be transferred back. Therefore I decided to drop PHIL111 and PHIL257, and keep PHIL204 as an Aegrotat Grade. I really appreciate your time and effort on my issue and struggles.

Yours faithfully,
Alice Chen