Decision Letter
Appeal Number: 3864
Decision Date: October 16, 2017
Associate Dean: Jill Atkinson, Ph.D.
Student Name: Alexander Aston
Student Email: 16ana@queensu.ca
Course: PSYC 251
Term: Fall/Winter
Year: 2017
Category: Add a course after the academic deadline
Instructor: Elizabeth Kelly
Dear Mr. Aston:
I have carefully considered your appeal to add PSYC 251 (F 2017) after the academic deadline. After reviewing your file, I have decided to deny your request.
As you know, courses must be added 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 ability to add a course within the deadline was significantly compromised by extenuating circumstances beyond his or her control.
The deadlines for adding courses have been designed and established in order to provide sufficient time for students to obtain the relevant permission, determine their interest in the course material, to consider their ability to handle each course, and to evaluate their overall workload. In the absence of extenuating circumstances, beyond your control, which would have prevented you from meeting the add deadline as published in the Arts and Science Calendar, I can not reasonably waive the Faculty Regulation.
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.
Your appeal does not present any extenuating circumstances which prevented you from adding these courses by the deadline, nor does it supply any sufficient supporting documentation.
I am also concerned that adding this course at this late date would not be in your best academic interests. We are entering Week 6 of Fall term and you have now missed nearly half of the material covered in this class. This course is also offered in the Winter term and it appears that you have space in your schedule so I would suggest this option instead or taking a PSYC class online over the summer, should you change your Degree Plan and need to catch up. PSYC 251 is an option course, not a core course for the BAH Major in PSYC so there is no rush or priority to take it now.
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,
Jill Atkinson, Ph.D.
Associate Dean (Studies)
20025631Aston
Decision Date: October 16, 2017
Associate Dean: Jill Atkinson, Ph.D.
Student Name: Alexander Aston
Student Email: 16ana@queensu.ca
Course: PSYC 251
Term: Fall/Winter
Year: 2017
Category: Add a course after the academic deadline
Instructor: Elizabeth Kelly
Dear Mr. Aston:
I have carefully considered your appeal to add PSYC 251 (F 2017) after the academic deadline. After reviewing your file, I have decided to deny your request.
As you know, courses must be added 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 ability to add a course within the deadline was significantly compromised by extenuating circumstances beyond his or her control.
The deadlines for adding courses have been designed and established in order to provide sufficient time for students to obtain the relevant permission, determine their interest in the course material, to consider their ability to handle each course, and to evaluate their overall workload. In the absence of extenuating circumstances, beyond your control, which would have prevented you from meeting the add deadline as published in the Arts and Science Calendar, I can not reasonably waive the Faculty Regulation.
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.
Your appeal does not present any extenuating circumstances which prevented you from adding these courses by the deadline, nor does it supply any sufficient supporting documentation.
I am also concerned that adding this course at this late date would not be in your best academic interests. We are entering Week 6 of Fall term and you have now missed nearly half of the material covered in this class. This course is also offered in the Winter term and it appears that you have space in your schedule so I would suggest this option instead or taking a PSYC class online over the summer, should you change your Degree Plan and need to catch up. PSYC 251 is an option course, not a core course for the BAH Major in PSYC so there is no rush or priority to take it now.
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,
Jill Atkinson, Ph.D.
Associate Dean (Studies)
20025631Aston
Generated October 16, 2017 at 3:49:12 PM.