Decision Letter
Appeal Number: 5698
Decision Date: May 16, 2019
Associate Dean: Jenn Stephenson, Ph.D.
Student Name: Zoe Couillard
Student Email: 16zac@queensu.ca
Course: MATH 121
Term: Fall/Winter
Year: 2019
Category: Drop a course after the academic deadline
Dear Zoe Couillard:
I was sorry to read of the challenges you had with MATH 121 (FW 2018/19) and I have carefully considered your appeal to drop that course after the academic drop deadline date. 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.
I am certainly sympathetic to your situation and realize that this is a disappointing decision. You note in your letter of appeal that your performance was poor in the fall term which was an initial indicator that you should have considered dropping the course. You also mention that after the Christmas break you had a medical procedure done which led to side effects. The last date to drop a F/W course was March 1st which should have given you plenty of time to assess the impact your health was having on this 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, 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.
Zoe, I do want to highlight the repeat policy within the Faculty of Arts and Science which is that if a student repeats course, the lower grade will be excluded for the student€™s GPA and the higher grade earned in the repeated course will be included in the GPA. Therefore, the long term impact of your current grade will be minimal when you repeat MATH 121.
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)
20029117Couillard
Decision Date: May 16, 2019
Associate Dean: Jenn Stephenson, Ph.D.
Student Name: Zoe Couillard
Student Email: 16zac@queensu.ca
Course: MATH 121
Term: Fall/Winter
Year: 2019
Category: Drop a course after the academic deadline
Dear Zoe Couillard:
I was sorry to read of the challenges you had with MATH 121 (FW 2018/19) and I have carefully considered your appeal to drop that course after the academic drop deadline date. 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.
I am certainly sympathetic to your situation and realize that this is a disappointing decision. You note in your letter of appeal that your performance was poor in the fall term which was an initial indicator that you should have considered dropping the course. You also mention that after the Christmas break you had a medical procedure done which led to side effects. The last date to drop a F/W course was March 1st which should have given you plenty of time to assess the impact your health was having on this 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, 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.
Zoe, I do want to highlight the repeat policy within the Faculty of Arts and Science which is that if a student repeats course, the lower grade will be excluded for the student€™s GPA and the higher grade earned in the repeated course will be included in the GPA. Therefore, the long term impact of your current grade will be minimal when you repeat MATH 121.
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)
20029117Couillard
Generated May 16, 2019 at 12:04:25 PM.