Decision Letter
Appeal Number: 307
Decision Date: September 3, 2014
Associate Dean: Johanne Bnard, Ph.D.
Student Name: Lynn Nguyen
Student Email: 0ln3@queensu.ca
Course: CHEM 281
Term: Summer
Year: 2014
Category: Drop a course after the academic deadline
Ms. Lynn Nguyen
0ln3@queensu.ca
Dear Ms. Nguyen:
I have carefully considered your appeal to drop CHEM 281 (S 2014) 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 describe some circumstances that are extenuating in nature, there is no clear explanation as to why only CHEM 281 was affected by these circumstances. Your letter details that your unexpected departure of your roommate occurred on July 18, 2014, but this CHEM 281 course finished in mid-June. Furthermore, there is no adequate explanation provided as to why your other summer term courses (which ran from May to the end of July and you earned grades of B in) were not affected by these circumstances. Without clear evidence to show that your extenuating circumstances were the primary cause of your failing performance in CHEM 281, 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 a letter of intent to appeal within 21 days of receiving this decision. Appeal forms are available from this office (F200 Mackintosh-Corry Hall) or on the web: http://www.queensu.ca/artsci/help/forms General information on appeals is available at http://www.queensu.ca/artsci/academics/academic-appeals. You may contact Mr. Harry Smith, Dispute Resolution Mechanisms Coordinator for advice on matters of procedure and on obtaining a representative. His office is located in room 153 Richardson Hall and he can be reached by phone (533-6495) or e-mail (drm@queensu.ca).
Sincerely,
Johanne Bénard, Ph.D.
Associate Dean (Studies)
10000286Nguyen2
Decision Date: September 3, 2014
Associate Dean: Johanne Bnard, Ph.D.
Student Name: Lynn Nguyen
Student Email: 0ln3@queensu.ca
Course: CHEM 281
Term: Summer
Year: 2014
Category: Drop a course after the academic deadline
Ms. Lynn Nguyen
0ln3@queensu.ca
Dear Ms. Nguyen:
I have carefully considered your appeal to drop CHEM 281 (S 2014) 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 describe some circumstances that are extenuating in nature, there is no clear explanation as to why only CHEM 281 was affected by these circumstances. Your letter details that your unexpected departure of your roommate occurred on July 18, 2014, but this CHEM 281 course finished in mid-June. Furthermore, there is no adequate explanation provided as to why your other summer term courses (which ran from May to the end of July and you earned grades of B in) were not affected by these circumstances. Without clear evidence to show that your extenuating circumstances were the primary cause of your failing performance in CHEM 281, 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 a letter of intent to appeal within 21 days of receiving this decision. Appeal forms are available from this office (F200 Mackintosh-Corry Hall) or on the web: http://www.queensu.ca/artsci/help/forms General information on appeals is available at http://www.queensu.ca/artsci/academics/academic-appeals. You may contact Mr. Harry Smith, Dispute Resolution Mechanisms Coordinator for advice on matters of procedure and on obtaining a representative. His office is located in room 153 Richardson Hall and he can be reached by phone (533-6495) or e-mail (drm@queensu.ca).
Sincerely,
Johanne Bénard, Ph.D.
Associate Dean (Studies)
10000286Nguyen2
Generated September 3, 2014 at 1:07:44 PM.