Submit an Academic Petition or Appeal

Decision Letter

Submission Number: 14387
Decision Date: June 1, 2026
Associate Dean: Dorit Naaman (Associate Dean Academic)
Student Name: Omer Alpsan
Student Email: 23hp13@queensu.ca

Dear Omer Alpsan: 

I have carefully considered your request to Waive the Petition Deadline related to adding a 2026 Summer term course after the academic deadline. While I am unable to grant this request, I want to assure you that I have taken your circumstances into account as part of this decision.

As you know, courses must be added on SOLUS within the published deadlines, and Summer term enrolment began during the Winter term in February. These deadlines are established to provide sufficient time for students to obtain the necessary permissions, assess their interest in the course material, consider their ability to manage each course, and evaluate their overall workload.

According to Academic Petitions and Appeals regulation 1.1, petitions are only granted where there are significantly extenuating circumstances, which would merit the waiving of a particular Faculty regulation or decision. Extenuating circumstances normally involve a significant physical or psychological event that is beyond a student’s control and debilitating to their academic performance. These kinds of extraordinary situations should be supported by official documentation from a health care practitioner or other relevant professional.

I recognize that you wished to take courses during the Summer term to complement a potential graduate school application, and I appreciate the steps you took to seek support from the Registrar’s Office regarding enrolment prior to the petition deadline.

As your petition does not demonstrate that an unexpected extenuating circumstance prevented you from enrolling in this course through SOLUS prior to the academic add deadline, or from petitioning to add the course prior to the petition deadline, I am unable to grant this request.

While I appreciate your situation and your motivation to begin new courses at this time, starting a course in week 4 of a 12-week term places a student at a significant disadvantage and may negatively affect their likelihood of success. Instructors are not obligated to accommodate missed work resulting from late enrolment, and academic deadlines are in place to ensure fairness and consistency for all students.

If you wish to appeal this decision, you may submit an appeal to the Board of Studies. Information on the appeal process and deadlines is available at queensu.ca/artsci/undergraduate/student-services/academic-petitions-and-appeals (click on Second Level). Appeals must be submitted within 10 business days of the date of this decision. The Office of the University Ombudsperson offers guidance on student rights and procedural fairness at queensu.ca/ombuds/appeal-process/procedural-fairness, and they are also available to support you at queensu.ca/ombuds.  

I hope that you continue to seek out the support and resources available to you, and I wish you the best in navigating your next steps.  

Sincerely, 

Dorit Naaman, Ph.D. 
Associate Dean (Academics) 

Generated June 1, 2026 at 10:23:20 AM.