Decision Letter
Appeal Number: 1558
Decision Date: December 7, 2015
Associate Dean: Sue Blake
Student Name: Rana Soyak
Student Email: 14rss3@queensu.ca
Course: psyc 271
Term: Fall
Year: 2015
Category: Drop a course after the academic deadline
Dear Ms. Soyak:
I have carefully considered your appeal to drop PSYC 271 (F 2015) past the academic deadline. After reviewing your file I have decided to deny your request.
As you know, courses must be dropped on SOLUS within the published deadlines. The Academic Regulations (Appeal of Academic Decisions, IIIb) stress that exceptions to this will only be waived under exceptional circumstances. The integrity of Arts and Science transcripts in general would be greatly diminished if the Faculty were to effect changes to students€™ records without clear and compelling documentation indicating that the student€™s performance was significantly compromised by extenuating circumstances beyond his or her control.
The deadlines for dropping courses have been designed and established in order to provide sufficient time for students to determine their interest in the course material, to consider their ability to handle each course, and to evaluate their overall workload.
Extenuating circumstances normally involve a significant physical or psychological event that is beyond your control and debilitating to your overall academic performance. Additionally, these kinds of extraordinary situations are normally supported by documentation from a professional.
The main argument you present in your appeal is that the course material in PSYC271 is too scientific in nature. This is not a circumstance that would warrant waiving the academic regulations as you had a sufficient amount of time to assess the course material and determine whether or not it was a good fit for you and make a decision to drop it by the November 6 deadline. I am quite sympathetic to your family situation but unfortunately, you did not seek any professional help. The letter from your brother is very supportive but what we are looking for in an appeal is a letter from a healthcare professional that provides information concerning the extent of the circumstances on the student€™s academics. Unfortunately, your brother is not qualified to provide this information.
If you wish to appeal the Associate Dean€™s decision to the Board of Studies, you must submit an appeal to the Board of Studies within 21 days of the date this decision was sent. Guidelines for appealing to the Board of Studies and the appeal form can be found at: http://www.queensu.ca/artsci/students-at-queens/academic-appeals (click on €œBoard of Studies€) Do not use the on-line application for this process. You may contact Mr. Harry Smith, Office of the Ombudsperson for advice on matters of procedure and on obtaining a representative. His office is located in room 421 Robert Sutherland Hall and he can be reached by phone (533-6495) or e-mail (ombuds@queensu.ca).
Sincerely,
Sue Blake
Assistant Dean (Studies)
10153184Soyak
Decision Date: December 7, 2015
Associate Dean: Sue Blake
Student Name: Rana Soyak
Student Email: 14rss3@queensu.ca
Course: psyc 271
Term: Fall
Year: 2015
Category: Drop a course after the academic deadline
Dear Ms. Soyak:
I have carefully considered your appeal to drop PSYC 271 (F 2015) past the academic deadline. After reviewing your file I have decided to deny your request.
As you know, courses must be dropped on SOLUS within the published deadlines. The Academic Regulations (Appeal of Academic Decisions, IIIb) stress that exceptions to this will only be waived under exceptional circumstances. The integrity of Arts and Science transcripts in general would be greatly diminished if the Faculty were to effect changes to students€™ records without clear and compelling documentation indicating that the student€™s performance was significantly compromised by extenuating circumstances beyond his or her control.
The deadlines for dropping courses have been designed and established in order to provide sufficient time for students to determine their interest in the course material, to consider their ability to handle each course, and to evaluate their overall workload.
Extenuating circumstances normally involve a significant physical or psychological event that is beyond your control and debilitating to your overall academic performance. Additionally, these kinds of extraordinary situations are normally supported by documentation from a professional.
The main argument you present in your appeal is that the course material in PSYC271 is too scientific in nature. This is not a circumstance that would warrant waiving the academic regulations as you had a sufficient amount of time to assess the course material and determine whether or not it was a good fit for you and make a decision to drop it by the November 6 deadline. I am quite sympathetic to your family situation but unfortunately, you did not seek any professional help. The letter from your brother is very supportive but what we are looking for in an appeal is a letter from a healthcare professional that provides information concerning the extent of the circumstances on the student€™s academics. Unfortunately, your brother is not qualified to provide this information.
If you wish to appeal the Associate Dean€™s decision to the Board of Studies, you must submit an appeal to the Board of Studies within 21 days of the date this decision was sent. Guidelines for appealing to the Board of Studies and the appeal form can be found at: http://www.queensu.ca/artsci/students-at-queens/academic-appeals (click on €œBoard of Studies€) Do not use the on-line application for this process. You may contact Mr. Harry Smith, Office of the Ombudsperson for advice on matters of procedure and on obtaining a representative. His office is located in room 421 Robert Sutherland Hall and he can be reached by phone (533-6495) or e-mail (ombuds@queensu.ca).
Sincerely,
Sue Blake
Assistant Dean (Studies)
10153184Soyak
Generated December 7, 2015 at 1:53:31 PM.