Submit an Academic Petition or Appeal

Appeal Number: 4978
Decision Date: October 15, 2018
Associate Dean: Johanne Benard, Ph.D.
Student Name: Lei Xi
Student Email: clcscarlet@gmail.com

Course: COMM 221
Term: Fall
Year: 2016
Category: Drop a course after the academic deadline

Course: ECON 222
Term: Fall
Year: 2016
Category: Drop a course after the academic deadline

Course: ECON 255
Term: Fall
Year: 2016
Category: Drop a course after the academic deadline

Course: ECON 331
Term: Fall
Year: 2016
Category: Drop a course after the academic deadline

Course: COMM 328
Term: Winter
Year: 2017
Category: Drop a course after the academic deadline

Course: ECON 322
Term: Winter
Year: 2017
Category: Drop a course after the academic deadline

Course: ECON 351
Term: Winter
Year: 2017
Category: Drop a course after the academic deadline

Course: COMM 221
Term: Fall
Year: 2017
Category: Drop a course after the academic deadline

Course: ECON 222
Term: Fall
Year: 2017
Category: Drop a course after the academic deadline

Course: ECON 255
Term: Fall
Year: 2017
Category: Drop a course after the academic deadline

Course: ECON 322
Term: Fall
Year: 2017
Category: Drop a course after the academic deadline

Course: ECON 351
Term: Fall
Year: 2017
Category: Drop a course after the academic deadline


Dear Mr. Xi:

I have carefully considered your appeal to drop COMM 221, ECON 222, ECON 255, ECON 331 (F 2016); COMM 323, ECON 322, ECON 351 (W 2017); and COMM 221, ECON 222, ECON 255, ECON 322, ECON 351 (F 2017) 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.

While you report that you have experienced discomfort in your head since 2016, your appeal fails to include supporting documentation that addresses the severity and impact your circumstances had on your studies and in fact suggests that your circumstances were worse during the summer of 2018. I can see you were granted Incomplete grades in your summer term courses due to the severity of your circumstances during that time period. In the future I would recommend that you seek out supports and services from Student Wellness Services when you experience symptoms that are impacting your academic performance. I would suggest that you take a lighter course load and evaluate the impact of your health on your studies prior to week 8 of term. The drop deadlines, as they have been outlined in the €œImportant Dates€ section on the Arts and Science web page, have been established by the Faculty of Arts and Science to ensure a fair and equitable treatment of all students and give them adequate time to evaluate their progress in light of their health issues.

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 the Office of the Ombudsman for advice on matters of procedure and on obtaining a representative. Their office is located in room 421 Robert Sutherland Hall and can be reached by phone (613-533-6495) or e-mail (ombuds@queensu.ca).

Sincerely,



Johanne Bénard, Ph.D.
Associate Dean (Studies)


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