Submit an Academic Petition or Appeal

Appeal Number: 2616
Decision Date: November 22, 2016
Associate Dean: Johanne Benard, Ph.D.
Student Name: Hannah Mueller
Student Email: 12hrwm@queensu.ca

Course: FREN 325
Term: Winter
Year: 2016
Category: Drop a course after the academic deadline

Course: FREN 323
Term: Winter
Year: 2016
Category: Drop a course after the academic deadline

Course: FREN 320
Term: Winter
Year: 2016
Category: Drop a course after the academic deadline

Course: FREN 342
Term: Winter
Year: 2016
Category: Drop a course after the academic deadline

Course: SPAN 302
Term: Winter
Year: 2016
Category: Drop a course after the academic deadline


Dear Ms. Mueller:

I have carefully considered your appeal to drop FREN 320, FREN 323, FREN 325, FREN 342 and SPAN 302 (W 2016) 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.

While your appeal does certainly describe some circumstances that sound extenuating in nature, there is unfortunately no documentation supplied to confirm them. Without the presence of any documentation from a healthcare professional that confirms the full timeline and severity of your extenuating circumstances and the effect that they have had on your ability to successfully complete these courses, I cannot reasonably waive the Faculty Regulation.

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 Ombudsman 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)



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