Decision Letter
Appeal Number: 6132
Decision Date: October 2, 2019
Associate Dean: Jenn Stephenson, Ph.D.
Student Name: Mitchell Kirby
Student Email: 16msk@queensu.ca
Course: PHYS 118
Term: Summer
Year: 2019
Category: Drop a course after the academic deadline
Dear Mitchell Kirby:
I have read with interest your appeal to drop PHYS 118 (S 2019), taking note of the circumstances you have outlined. 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 not being made aware of a Major that does not require PHYS 118 is not considered an extenuating circumstance. You also note in your letter of appeal that were dealing with family circumstances but are unable to provide documentation to support those challenges. In the future, I encourage you to carefully evaluate your progress in a course by the drop dates, 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 drop deadline. The drop deadline is designed to allow students 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 Mitchell but let me also remind you that if a student repeats a course, the lower grade will be excluded from their GPA and the higher grade will be included in their GPA.
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)
20026176Kirby
Decision Date: October 2, 2019
Associate Dean: Jenn Stephenson, Ph.D.
Student Name: Mitchell Kirby
Student Email: 16msk@queensu.ca
Course: PHYS 118
Term: Summer
Year: 2019
Category: Drop a course after the academic deadline
Dear Mitchell Kirby:
I have read with interest your appeal to drop PHYS 118 (S 2019), taking note of the circumstances you have outlined. 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 not being made aware of a Major that does not require PHYS 118 is not considered an extenuating circumstance. You also note in your letter of appeal that were dealing with family circumstances but are unable to provide documentation to support those challenges. In the future, I encourage you to carefully evaluate your progress in a course by the drop dates, 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 drop deadline. The drop deadline is designed to allow students 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 Mitchell but let me also remind you that if a student repeats a course, the lower grade will be excluded from their GPA and the higher grade will be included in their GPA.
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)
20026176Kirby
Generated October 2, 2019 at 2:30:05 PM.