Decision Letter
Appeal Number: 3581
Decision Date: July 4, 2017
Associate Dean: Johanne Benard, Ph.D.
Student Name: Junho Choi
Student Email: 14jc134@queensu.ca
Dear Mr. Choi:
I have carefully considered your appeal to waive the Faculty ruling that you be Required to Withdraw for One Year. After reviewing your file, I have decided to deny your request.
As you already know, the academic requirements in the Faculty of Arts and Science are clearly outlined in the Academic Regulation section of the Calendar. The requirement to withdraw is invoked only where students experience ongoing or extreme academic difficulties. The ruling is designed to provide the student with time away from the university to reflect on and remedy the factors impeding their academic success.
The Academic Regulations stipulate that waiving the requirement to withdraw can be considered only where a student€™s academic performance is affected by extenuating circumstances beyond his or her control. The requirement to withdraw is waived only in rare and exceptional circumstances where documentation makes clear that the difficulties are temporary rather than ongoing or that these difficulties have been dealt with in such a way that the student may make a successful return to the university. While it is clear that you experienced a difficult year at university and that you are eager to return to classes, the appeal did not demonstrate to me that an early return to classes is warranted.
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 medical documentation supplied does not confirm the full timeline of your health challenges, only the date of your surgery (May 10, 2017). It also does not speak to the severity of your symptoms or the impact to which those symptoms impacted your studies over the course of the academic year.
Your appeal also cites a poor choice of major as one of the reasons for your poor performance this year. While I can certainly appreciate that parental pressures relating to academic decisions can be significant, your decision to remain enrolled in your courses and not dropping them by the deadlines despite your poor performance is ultimately a choice and not an extenuating circumstance beyond your personal control. From your file, it appears that you have been contemplating a change in your Degree Plan for some time now but your chose to remain taking ECON courses over the entirety of both the fall and winter terms, being well aware that you were on academic probation and that you were not earning the grades in your ECON courses needed to be released from academic probation.
Keep in mind that you will be eligible to return to the university when a year has lapsed from the time of the initial ruling. Upon your return we hope that you will take advantage of the support services available to you at Queen's. In returning to a regular course of study it will be your responsibility to choose courses carefully, seek out the advice necessary to improve your academic performance, and maintain an average consistent with the requirements for successful completion of your program.
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).
Yours sincerely,
Johanne Bénard, Ph.D.
Associate Dean (Studies)
10189108Choi
Decision Date: July 4, 2017
Associate Dean: Johanne Benard, Ph.D.
Student Name: Junho Choi
Student Email: 14jc134@queensu.ca
Dear Mr. Choi:
I have carefully considered your appeal to waive the Faculty ruling that you be Required to Withdraw for One Year. After reviewing your file, I have decided to deny your request.
As you already know, the academic requirements in the Faculty of Arts and Science are clearly outlined in the Academic Regulation section of the Calendar. The requirement to withdraw is invoked only where students experience ongoing or extreme academic difficulties. The ruling is designed to provide the student with time away from the university to reflect on and remedy the factors impeding their academic success.
The Academic Regulations stipulate that waiving the requirement to withdraw can be considered only where a student€™s academic performance is affected by extenuating circumstances beyond his or her control. The requirement to withdraw is waived only in rare and exceptional circumstances where documentation makes clear that the difficulties are temporary rather than ongoing or that these difficulties have been dealt with in such a way that the student may make a successful return to the university. While it is clear that you experienced a difficult year at university and that you are eager to return to classes, the appeal did not demonstrate to me that an early return to classes is warranted.
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 medical documentation supplied does not confirm the full timeline of your health challenges, only the date of your surgery (May 10, 2017). It also does not speak to the severity of your symptoms or the impact to which those symptoms impacted your studies over the course of the academic year.
Your appeal also cites a poor choice of major as one of the reasons for your poor performance this year. While I can certainly appreciate that parental pressures relating to academic decisions can be significant, your decision to remain enrolled in your courses and not dropping them by the deadlines despite your poor performance is ultimately a choice and not an extenuating circumstance beyond your personal control. From your file, it appears that you have been contemplating a change in your Degree Plan for some time now but your chose to remain taking ECON courses over the entirety of both the fall and winter terms, being well aware that you were on academic probation and that you were not earning the grades in your ECON courses needed to be released from academic probation.
Keep in mind that you will be eligible to return to the university when a year has lapsed from the time of the initial ruling. Upon your return we hope that you will take advantage of the support services available to you at Queen's. In returning to a regular course of study it will be your responsibility to choose courses carefully, seek out the advice necessary to improve your academic performance, and maintain an average consistent with the requirements for successful completion of your program.
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).
Yours sincerely,
Johanne Bénard, Ph.D.
Associate Dean (Studies)
10189108Choi
Generated July 4, 2017 at 1:31:05 PM.