Submit an Academic Petition or Appeal

Petition Letter: After meeting with Academic Advisor, Kerri Andrews on Wednesday, December 14th, 2022, at 10:30 am, I received clarification regarding the option for Arts and Science students to apply for Personal Interest Credits (PICs) and the pass or fail nature of taking courses under this classification. I spoke with Kerri regarding my experience of extenuating circumstances during the summer 2020 term and the option of applying PIC to two courses where their successful completion was impeded. These courses were BIOL 102 (Failed) and PHAR 100 (D-). I had inquired about the possibility of applying PICs to these courses as I had just learned about them this year, as a fourth-year student, where I was redirected by Kerri to this appeal process. It is for this reason I am writing an appeal to Drop BIOL 102 and receive Credit Standing in PHAR 100 on my transcript as suggested by Kerri. I am interested in completing graduate studies and feel that the 2020 summer term was not an accurate representation of my academic abilities.

Along with this, I have been in contact with Melissa O'Meara of QSAS to set-up academic accommodation for my two seminar courses in my final term and have contacted Amanda Taillefer requesting the release of my Disability Verification Form (DVF) to QSAS and for it to be emailed to myself for this purpose. The DVF was completed by Psychiatrist, Dr. Colin John MacPherson prior to beginning my studies at Queen's and can be provided to supplement this letter once I receive it.

This disability status explained by the DVF was directly linked to the extenuating circumstances I was experiencing during the completion of BIOL 102 and PHAR 100 during the summer 2020 term. After being sent home from residency at Queen's during my first year of studies because of the Covid-19 Pandemic and the commencement of mandatory lockdowns, my mental health drastically started to decline. It was during this time where I suffered the exacerbation of pre-existing impairments to my functioning, more specifically lack of focus and decreases in my memory, decreases in motivation, declines in the energy to complete routine tasks, and sleep impairments. These impairments directly impacted my successful completion of the BIOL 102 and PHAR 100 courses during the 2020 summer term by causing me difficulty in keeping up with course lectures, modules, and assessments. Consequently, I submitted labs late, had trouble completing basic assessments and had extreme difficulty studying properly. Upon starting these summer courses, it was within my sincere intentions to complete the courses but found I was unable to do so successfully because of ongoing mental health issues that were worsened because of the sense of isolation and lack of social support during lockdowns. Again, I am asking for BIOL 102 to be Dropped and to receive Credit Standing for PHAR 100, both of which were not part of my degree requirements.

Finally, Kerri informed me that there was a one-year deadline for the appeal process for which I am asking for forgiveness. I was unaware of said deadline until our meeting. With the prospects of applying for graduate studies I have been greatly concerned with having the summer 2020 term on my transcript because of my subpar performance caused by the exacerbation of ongoing mental health issues in response to lockdowns. To support my letter, I have emailed Amanda Taillefer from the Student Awards office to request the release of my DVF to QSAS and to have a copy emailed to myself as well. Furthermore, I am able to have my mother, Shelley Haggarty write a letter to accompany mine and to offer her account of the extenuating circumstances I experienced during the summer 2020 term.

Thank you kindly for consideration of my appeal letter,
Samuel