Submit an Academic Petition or Appeal

Appeal Number: 6184
Decision Date: October 10, 2019
Associate Dean: Jenn Stephenson, Ph.D.
Student Name: Yixuan Lin
Student Email: 17yl60@queensu.ca

Course: PHGY 215
Term: Winter
Year: 2019
Category: Drop a course after the academic deadline

Course: MICR 270
Term: Winter
Year: 2019
Category: Drop a course after the academic deadline

Course: BIOL 102
Term: Winter
Year: 2019
Category: Drop a course after the academic deadline

Course: BCHM 270
Term: Winter
Year: 2019
Category: Drop a course after the academic deadline

Course: CHEM 281
Term: Fall
Year: 2018
Category: Drop a course after the academic deadline


Dear Yixuan Lin:

I was sorry to have read in your appeal of the difficulties you report that you experienced during the past year and I have carefully considered your appeal to drop CHEM 281 (F 2018) and PHGY 215, MICR 270, BIOL 102, BCHM 270 (W 2019). 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 but unfortunately your documentation is insufficient since you were not seen at Student Wellness Services during the 2018/2019 academic year. The letter of support provided, dated September 16, 2019, is based on information you outlined to your counsellor after the fact.

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.

Let me also remind you of the repeat policy. If you repeat a course, the higher grade will be included in your GPA and your lower grade will be excluded from your GPA.

I am pleased to see that you will be utilizing the supports provided by Student Wellness Services this year and encourage you to consider registering with QSAS if your challenges continue and are chronic in nature. They can help support both your health and academics going forward.

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)

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