Decision Letter
Appeal Number: 5592
Decision Date: April 30, 2019
Associate Dean: Jenn Stephenson, Ph.D.
Student Name: Lalique Allan
Student Email: 17lsa@queensu.ca
Course: CLST 103
Term: Winter
Year: 2019
Category: Drop a course after the academic deadline
Dear Lalique Allan:
I have read with interest your appeal to drop CLST 103 (W 2019), taking note of the challenges you had this term regarding your personal circumstances. After reviewing your appeal fully, 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. Extenuating circumstances normally involve a significant physical or psychological event that is beyond your control and debilitating to your overall academic performance.
I am certainly sympathetic to your situation and realize that this is a disappointing decision, however you do note in your letter of appeal that you struggled in this course from the beginning of the term. That was the indicator that you should have considered dropping the course. In the future, I encourage you to carefully evaluate your progress in a course by week 7 of the term and if you are finding the material too difficult or have not kept up with the course work, you should drop the course by the week 8 drop deadline. The drop deadline is set at Week 8 to allow students plenty of time to assess their progress in a class and withdraw without any academic penalty if they feel that they cannot keep up with the demands or have the academic background needed to successfully complete it.
This is a difficult learning experience Lalique but let me remind you that if a student repeats a course, the low grade is excluded from their grade point average and the higher grade is included which would mean there would be no long term negative impact on your GPA.
I encourage you to follow through with your plan to utilize the services available at Queen€™s, including the Student Wellness Centre should you require support with your health related challenges in the future.
.
If you wish to appeal the Associate Dean€™s decision to the Board of Studies, information and deadlines can be found at 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 (www.queensu.ca/ombudsman) for advice on matters of procedure and on obtaining a representative.
Sincerely,
Jenn Stephenson, Ph.D.
Associate Dean (Studies) 20103438Allan
Decision Date: April 30, 2019
Associate Dean: Jenn Stephenson, Ph.D.
Student Name: Lalique Allan
Student Email: 17lsa@queensu.ca
Course: CLST 103
Term: Winter
Year: 2019
Category: Drop a course after the academic deadline
Dear Lalique Allan:
I have read with interest your appeal to drop CLST 103 (W 2019), taking note of the challenges you had this term regarding your personal circumstances. After reviewing your appeal fully, 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. Extenuating circumstances normally involve a significant physical or psychological event that is beyond your control and debilitating to your overall academic performance.
I am certainly sympathetic to your situation and realize that this is a disappointing decision, however you do note in your letter of appeal that you struggled in this course from the beginning of the term. That was the indicator that you should have considered dropping the course. In the future, I encourage you to carefully evaluate your progress in a course by week 7 of the term and if you are finding the material too difficult or have not kept up with the course work, you should drop the course by the week 8 drop deadline. The drop deadline is set at Week 8 to allow students plenty of time to assess their progress in a class and withdraw without any academic penalty if they feel that they cannot keep up with the demands or have the academic background needed to successfully complete it.
This is a difficult learning experience Lalique but let me remind you that if a student repeats a course, the low grade is excluded from their grade point average and the higher grade is included which would mean there would be no long term negative impact on your GPA.
I encourage you to follow through with your plan to utilize the services available at Queen€™s, including the Student Wellness Centre should you require support with your health related challenges in the future.
.
If you wish to appeal the Associate Dean€™s decision to the Board of Studies, information and deadlines can be found at 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 (www.queensu.ca/ombudsman) for advice on matters of procedure and on obtaining a representative.
Sincerely,
Jenn Stephenson, Ph.D.
Associate Dean (Studies) 20103438Allan
Generated April 30, 2019 at 8:57:06 AM.