Decision Letter
Appeal Number: 4628
Decision Date: June 11, 2018
Associate Dean: Johanne Benard, Ph.D.
Student Name: Rachel Moore
Student Email: moore.rachel3@gmail.com
Course: LAW 516
Term: Fall
Year: 2011
Category: Drop a course after the academic deadline
Course: GNDS 321
Term: Winter
Year: 2012
Category: Drop a course after the academic deadline
Course: ENGL 277
Term: Winter
Year: 2012
Category: Drop a course after the academic deadline
Course: COMM 251
Term: Winter
Year: 2012
Category: Drop a course after the academic deadline
Course: COMM 251
Term: Summer
Year: 2013
Category: Drop a course after the academic deadline
Course: FILM 260
Term: Summer
Year: 2013
Category: Drop a course after the academic deadline
Course: HIST 272
Term: Winter
Year: 2014
Category: Drop a course after the academic deadline
Course: HIST 260
Term: Winter
Year: 2016
Category: Drop a course after the academic deadline
Dear Ms. Moore:
I have carefully considered your appeal to drop LAW 516 (F 2011), GNDS 321 (W 2012), ENGL 277 (W 2012), COMM 251 (W 2012), COMM 251 (S 2013), FILM 260 (S 2013), HIST 272 (W 2014) and HIST 260 (W 2016) 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 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.
While your appeal does describe some circumstances that sound extenuating in nature, the documentation supplied is not sufficient. The letter from Dr. Schatz states that you were unable to complete your courses between 2011 and 2016 due to medical reasons and a life event but it does not confirm whether or not Dr. Schatz was treating you during this time or if this was based on your self-report. It also fails to address the severity of your health condition and the specific impact it had on your performance in these classes. Your appeal letter also does not explain why you were not able to drop any of these classes by the Week 8 drop deadlines. Without such information and documentation, I cannot justify altering your transcript.
You require a further 6.0 units in electives to meet the requirements to graduate with your Bachelor of Arts General degree but it does not appear that you will be able to raise your cumulative GPA to 1.60 within these 6.0 units only. I would recommend that you consider retaking some courses you failed previously, as we only count the higher grade toward the GPA. For example, if you repeated 12.0 units of failed courses and earned an average grade of B- or higher, this would bring your GPA to 1.60, the minimum threshold required to graduate. If you would like to go over more scenarios or receive some help formulating an academic plan, you are welcome to contact the Faculty Office at 613-533-2470 to set up an appointment to speak with an academic advisor who can assist you.
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,
Johanne Bénard, Ph.D.
Associate Dean (Studies)
05930496Moore
Decision Date: June 11, 2018
Associate Dean: Johanne Benard, Ph.D.
Student Name: Rachel Moore
Student Email: moore.rachel3@gmail.com
Course: LAW 516
Term: Fall
Year: 2011
Category: Drop a course after the academic deadline
Course: GNDS 321
Term: Winter
Year: 2012
Category: Drop a course after the academic deadline
Course: ENGL 277
Term: Winter
Year: 2012
Category: Drop a course after the academic deadline
Course: COMM 251
Term: Winter
Year: 2012
Category: Drop a course after the academic deadline
Course: COMM 251
Term: Summer
Year: 2013
Category: Drop a course after the academic deadline
Course: FILM 260
Term: Summer
Year: 2013
Category: Drop a course after the academic deadline
Course: HIST 272
Term: Winter
Year: 2014
Category: Drop a course after the academic deadline
Course: HIST 260
Term: Winter
Year: 2016
Category: Drop a course after the academic deadline
Dear Ms. Moore:
I have carefully considered your appeal to drop LAW 516 (F 2011), GNDS 321 (W 2012), ENGL 277 (W 2012), COMM 251 (W 2012), COMM 251 (S 2013), FILM 260 (S 2013), HIST 272 (W 2014) and HIST 260 (W 2016) 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 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.
While your appeal does describe some circumstances that sound extenuating in nature, the documentation supplied is not sufficient. The letter from Dr. Schatz states that you were unable to complete your courses between 2011 and 2016 due to medical reasons and a life event but it does not confirm whether or not Dr. Schatz was treating you during this time or if this was based on your self-report. It also fails to address the severity of your health condition and the specific impact it had on your performance in these classes. Your appeal letter also does not explain why you were not able to drop any of these classes by the Week 8 drop deadlines. Without such information and documentation, I cannot justify altering your transcript.
You require a further 6.0 units in electives to meet the requirements to graduate with your Bachelor of Arts General degree but it does not appear that you will be able to raise your cumulative GPA to 1.60 within these 6.0 units only. I would recommend that you consider retaking some courses you failed previously, as we only count the higher grade toward the GPA. For example, if you repeated 12.0 units of failed courses and earned an average grade of B- or higher, this would bring your GPA to 1.60, the minimum threshold required to graduate. If you would like to go over more scenarios or receive some help formulating an academic plan, you are welcome to contact the Faculty Office at 613-533-2470 to set up an appointment to speak with an academic advisor who can assist you.
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,
Johanne Bénard, Ph.D.
Associate Dean (Studies)
05930496Moore
Generated June 11, 2018 at 9:01:56 AM.