Submit an Academic Petition or Appeal

Appeal Number: 4355
Decision Date: April 27, 2018
Associate Dean: Jill Atkinson, Ph.D.
Student Name: James O'Halloran
Student Email: 12jpoh@queensu.ca

Course: Pols 244
Term: Winter
Year: 2015
Category: Drop a course after the academic deadline

Course: Musc 102
Term: Fall
Year: 2015
Category: Drop a course after the academic deadline

Course: Pols 244
Term: Fall
Year: 2015
Category: Drop a course after the academic deadline

Course: Pols 351
Term: Fall
Year: 2015
Category: Drop a course after the academic deadline

Course: Pols 364
Term: Fall
Year: 2015
Category: Request credit (CR) standing in a course or courses
Instructor: Dr. Stefanie von Hlatky

Course: Pols 385
Term: Fall
Year: 2015
Category: Drop a course after the academic deadline

Course: Dram 205
Term: Winter
Year: 2016
Category: Drop a course after the academic deadline

Course: Phys P20
Term: Winter
Year: 2016
Category: Drop a course after the academic deadline

Course: Pols 313
Term: Winter
Year: 2016
Category: Drop a course after the academic deadline

Course: Pols 384
Term: Winter
Year: 2016
Category: Drop a course after the academic deadline

Course: Pols 396
Term: Winter
Year: 2016
Category: Drop a course after the academic deadline

Course: Pols 332
Term: Winter
Year: 2017
Category: Request credit (CR) standing in a course or courses
Instructor: Phillipe Roseberry


Dear Mr. O€™Halloran:

I have carefully considered your appeal to drop POLS 244 (W 2015), MUSC 102, POLS 244, POLS 351, POLS 385 (F 2015), DRAM 205, PHYS P20, POLS 313, POLS 384 and POLS 396 (W 2016) past the academic deadline as well as receive Credit standing in POLS 364 (F 2015) and POLS 332 (W 2017). After reviewing your file I have decided the following:

1. I will grant your request to drop MUSC 102, POLS 244, POLS 351, POLS 385 (F 2015), DRAM 205, PHYS P20, POLS 313, POLS 384 and POLS 396 (W 2016) past the academic deadline and receive Credit standing in POLS 364 (F 2015).

2. I must deny your request to drop POLS 244 (W 2015) past the academic deadline and receive Credit standing in POLS 332 (W 2017).

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 extenuating 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 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.

Your appeal supplies documentation of an untreated, chronic medical condition in later 2015 which could reasonably be expected to have an impact on your coursework over the 2015/2016 academic year and the pattern of your grades supports this request. However, POLS 244 taken in the 2015 winter term and POLS 332 taken in the 2017 winter term take place outside of this timeframe and there is no documentation supplied to cover these dates. Your grades from these particular terms are generally in line with your usual academic performance so the severity of your condition and its specific impact on these courses are not clear.

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)



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