Decision Letter
Appeal Number: 6188
Decision Date: October 21, 2019
Associate Dean: Jenn Stephenson, Ph.D.
Student Name: Diana Ingham
Student Email: 16di@queensu.ca
Course: PSYC 204
Term: Winter
Year: 2019
Category: Request an extension of an incomplete grade
Instructor: Meghan Norris
Course: BIOL 103
Term: Winter
Year: 2019
Category: Request an extension of an incomplete grade
Instructor: Barb Vanderbeld
Dear Diana Ingham:
I have carefully considered your appeal to extend the Incomplete grades in PSYC 204 and BIOL 103 (W 2019). After reviewing your file I have decided to deny your request.
As you know, Appeal Regulation 3.3.5 notes that Incomplete grades are approved by instructors with outstanding work deadlines extended for a period of one full term after the completion of a class. If this timeline is not met, any further request to submit incomplete work or to write a final examination after that term has elapsed must be made through a formal appeal. A medical certificate or other documentation outlining how the personal extenuating circumstances prevented the student from completing the outstanding work by the end of that next term must be provided. A note from the instructor agreeing to a further extension is also required.
The circumstance you outline in your letter that taking three exams (PSYC 204, BIOL 103 and the deferred summer term PSYC 100 mid-term and final) in four days is not considered an extenuating circumstance. In addition, the documentation you have submitted dated September 24, 2019 indicates that you met with a counsellor on September 6th, 2019 when you self-reported circumstances which moderately impacted your academic performance. Unfortunately that documentation does not address a level of severity and impact to grant you additional time to complete these courses.
I am certainly sympathetic to your situation and realize that this is a disappointing decision, however continuing to extend course timelines may not be in your best interest considering you also have a full course load this term.
Let me remind you that if a student repeats a course, the low grade will be excluded from their cumulative GPA and the higher grade will be included. This may be a good strategy for you to consider if you are concerned about the impact these grades will have on your GPA.
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.
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)
20024622Ingham6
Cc: Professor M. Norris
Professor B. Vanderbeld
Decision Date: October 21, 2019
Associate Dean: Jenn Stephenson, Ph.D.
Student Name: Diana Ingham
Student Email: 16di@queensu.ca
Course: PSYC 204
Term: Winter
Year: 2019
Category: Request an extension of an incomplete grade
Instructor: Meghan Norris
Course: BIOL 103
Term: Winter
Year: 2019
Category: Request an extension of an incomplete grade
Instructor: Barb Vanderbeld
Dear Diana Ingham:
I have carefully considered your appeal to extend the Incomplete grades in PSYC 204 and BIOL 103 (W 2019). After reviewing your file I have decided to deny your request.
As you know, Appeal Regulation 3.3.5 notes that Incomplete grades are approved by instructors with outstanding work deadlines extended for a period of one full term after the completion of a class. If this timeline is not met, any further request to submit incomplete work or to write a final examination after that term has elapsed must be made through a formal appeal. A medical certificate or other documentation outlining how the personal extenuating circumstances prevented the student from completing the outstanding work by the end of that next term must be provided. A note from the instructor agreeing to a further extension is also required.
The circumstance you outline in your letter that taking three exams (PSYC 204, BIOL 103 and the deferred summer term PSYC 100 mid-term and final) in four days is not considered an extenuating circumstance. In addition, the documentation you have submitted dated September 24, 2019 indicates that you met with a counsellor on September 6th, 2019 when you self-reported circumstances which moderately impacted your academic performance. Unfortunately that documentation does not address a level of severity and impact to grant you additional time to complete these courses.
I am certainly sympathetic to your situation and realize that this is a disappointing decision, however continuing to extend course timelines may not be in your best interest considering you also have a full course load this term.
Let me remind you that if a student repeats a course, the low grade will be excluded from their cumulative GPA and the higher grade will be included. This may be a good strategy for you to consider if you are concerned about the impact these grades will have on your GPA.
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.
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)
20024622Ingham6
Cc: Professor M. Norris
Professor B. Vanderbeld
Generated October 21, 2019 at 9:26:10 AM.