Decision Letter
Appeal Number: 3741
Decision Date: October 23, 2017
Associate Dean: Jill Atkinson, Ph.D.
Student Name: Kristen Murray
Student Email: 14km30@queensu.ca
Course: BIOL 334
Term: Fall
Year: 2016
Category: Request credit (CR) standing in a course or courses
Instructor: Dr. Plaxton
Course: PHGY 350
Term: Fall
Year: 2016
Category: Request credit (CR) standing in a course or courses
Instructor: Dr. Baer
Course: BIOL 322
Term: Winter
Year: 2017
Category: Request credit (CR) standing in a course or courses
Instructor: Dr. Wang
Dear Ms. Murray:
I have carefully considered your appeal to receive Credit standing in BIOL 334, PHGY 350 (F 2016) and BIOL 322 (W 2017). After reviewing your file I have decided to deny your request.
As you know, Academic Regulation 10.3.2. states that, Credit standing in a course is reserved for situations in which a student, who has completed and passed all of the work of the course including the final examination, but because of illness or other extenuating circumstances beyond their control, earned a substantially lower grade than might have been expected, normally a grade of C or lower€. Credit standing is only granted in cases where there are well documented and unforeseen extenuating circumstances outside of a student€™s control. 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.
Normally, when a student appeals for Credit standing in a course, we expect to see a clear distinction in grades during the time in which the extenuating circumstances took place. The grades on the transcript prior to the time of the circumstances occurring are usually higher and give a good indication of what the student€™s usual academic performance is. The grades on the transcript during the time of the extenuating circumstances tend to be significantly lower, indicating that the circumstances had a direct impact on the student€™s academic performance. In reviewing your transcript and your grades in BIOL 334, PHGY 350 and BIOL 322, there is no clear distinction when comparing your pattern of grades earned before and during the time of your personal difficulties. While I acknowledge that there were extenuating circumstances that may have had an effect on your grades in these courses, there is not enough direct evidence to show that these grades have been affected enough to warrant Credit standing (i.e. no good indication that you would have performed significantly better had these circumstances not taken place.)
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)
10160356Murray2
Decision Date: October 23, 2017
Associate Dean: Jill Atkinson, Ph.D.
Student Name: Kristen Murray
Student Email: 14km30@queensu.ca
Course: BIOL 334
Term: Fall
Year: 2016
Category: Request credit (CR) standing in a course or courses
Instructor: Dr. Plaxton
Course: PHGY 350
Term: Fall
Year: 2016
Category: Request credit (CR) standing in a course or courses
Instructor: Dr. Baer
Course: BIOL 322
Term: Winter
Year: 2017
Category: Request credit (CR) standing in a course or courses
Instructor: Dr. Wang
Dear Ms. Murray:
I have carefully considered your appeal to receive Credit standing in BIOL 334, PHGY 350 (F 2016) and BIOL 322 (W 2017). After reviewing your file I have decided to deny your request.
As you know, Academic Regulation 10.3.2. states that, Credit standing in a course is reserved for situations in which a student, who has completed and passed all of the work of the course including the final examination, but because of illness or other extenuating circumstances beyond their control, earned a substantially lower grade than might have been expected, normally a grade of C or lower€. Credit standing is only granted in cases where there are well documented and unforeseen extenuating circumstances outside of a student€™s control. 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.
Normally, when a student appeals for Credit standing in a course, we expect to see a clear distinction in grades during the time in which the extenuating circumstances took place. The grades on the transcript prior to the time of the circumstances occurring are usually higher and give a good indication of what the student€™s usual academic performance is. The grades on the transcript during the time of the extenuating circumstances tend to be significantly lower, indicating that the circumstances had a direct impact on the student€™s academic performance. In reviewing your transcript and your grades in BIOL 334, PHGY 350 and BIOL 322, there is no clear distinction when comparing your pattern of grades earned before and during the time of your personal difficulties. While I acknowledge that there were extenuating circumstances that may have had an effect on your grades in these courses, there is not enough direct evidence to show that these grades have been affected enough to warrant Credit standing (i.e. no good indication that you would have performed significantly better had these circumstances not taken place.)
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)
10160356Murray2
Generated October 23, 2017 at 9:11:52 AM.