Decision Letter
Appeal Number: 6352
Decision Date: January 28, 2020
Associate Dean: Jenn Stephenson, Ph.D.
Student Name: Shivam Patel
Student Email: shivam.patel@queensu.ca
Course: ANAT 215
Term: Fall
Year: 2017
Category: Request credit (CR) standing in a course or courses
Instructor: Dr. Les McKenzie
Course: MICR 221
Term: Winter
Year: 2018
Category: Request credit (CR) standing in a course or courses
Instructor: Dr. Keith Poole and Dr. Bruce Banfield
Dear Shivam Patel:
I am sorry to have read of the challenges you outlined in your letter of appeal and I am sorry for your lose. I understand that you are seeking Credit standing in ANAT 215 (F 2017) and MICR 221 (W 2018) due to the impact those circumstances had on these courses. After reviewing your appeal letter and the documentation you have submitted, I have decided to deny your request.
As you know, Academic Regulation 10.3.2. states that, Credit standing in a course is reserved for situations in which a student, who has completed all of the work in the course including the final examination, and achieved a passing grade in the course, but because of illness or other extenuating circumstances beyond their control, earned a substantially lower grade than might have been expected, normally a grade of C or lower.€ Credit standing is only granted in cases where there are well documented and unforeseen extenuating circumstances outside of a student€™s control. 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 extenuating circumstances beyond his or her control.
I am certainly sympathetic to your situation and realize that this is a disappointing decision, however, there is no relevant documentation submitted which confirms the impact your circumstances had on your studies and these courses in particular. The passing of your grandmother took place in March 2018 which therefore does not impact ANAT 215 which you took during the Fall term 2017. In addition, although the passing of your grandmother may well have impacted your studies during the latter half of Winter term 2018, the information we received from your instructor offers proof that you struggled in both the mid-term (which was prior to your grandmother€™s passing) and the final exam and that the grade received accurately reflects the learning outcomes you achieved in this course and is a clear reflection of your mastery of the course content.
Going forward, I suggest that you inform yourself of the academic regulations concerning deadlines as they are outlined in the Important Dates section on the Arts and Science web page and assess your progress in your courses or discuss your options with an Academic Advisor during week 7 or 8 of the term. If you find that you have fallen behind in your attendance, readings or assignments, it is your responsibility to drop by the end of week 8.
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 University Ombudsperson for information about student rights and responsibilities as well as guidance on policy and procedure (www.queensu.ca/ombuds).
Sincerely,
Jenn Stephenson, Ph.D.
Associate Dean (Studies)
20001309Patel
Decision Date: January 28, 2020
Associate Dean: Jenn Stephenson, Ph.D.
Student Name: Shivam Patel
Student Email: shivam.patel@queensu.ca
Course: ANAT 215
Term: Fall
Year: 2017
Category: Request credit (CR) standing in a course or courses
Instructor: Dr. Les McKenzie
Course: MICR 221
Term: Winter
Year: 2018
Category: Request credit (CR) standing in a course or courses
Instructor: Dr. Keith Poole and Dr. Bruce Banfield
Dear Shivam Patel:
I am sorry to have read of the challenges you outlined in your letter of appeal and I am sorry for your lose. I understand that you are seeking Credit standing in ANAT 215 (F 2017) and MICR 221 (W 2018) due to the impact those circumstances had on these courses. After reviewing your appeal letter and the documentation you have submitted, I have decided to deny your request.
As you know, Academic Regulation 10.3.2. states that, Credit standing in a course is reserved for situations in which a student, who has completed all of the work in the course including the final examination, and achieved a passing grade in the course, but because of illness or other extenuating circumstances beyond their control, earned a substantially lower grade than might have been expected, normally a grade of C or lower.€ Credit standing is only granted in cases where there are well documented and unforeseen extenuating circumstances outside of a student€™s control. 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 extenuating circumstances beyond his or her control.
I am certainly sympathetic to your situation and realize that this is a disappointing decision, however, there is no relevant documentation submitted which confirms the impact your circumstances had on your studies and these courses in particular. The passing of your grandmother took place in March 2018 which therefore does not impact ANAT 215 which you took during the Fall term 2017. In addition, although the passing of your grandmother may well have impacted your studies during the latter half of Winter term 2018, the information we received from your instructor offers proof that you struggled in both the mid-term (which was prior to your grandmother€™s passing) and the final exam and that the grade received accurately reflects the learning outcomes you achieved in this course and is a clear reflection of your mastery of the course content.
Going forward, I suggest that you inform yourself of the academic regulations concerning deadlines as they are outlined in the Important Dates section on the Arts and Science web page and assess your progress in your courses or discuss your options with an Academic Advisor during week 7 or 8 of the term. If you find that you have fallen behind in your attendance, readings or assignments, it is your responsibility to drop by the end of week 8.
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 University Ombudsperson for information about student rights and responsibilities as well as guidance on policy and procedure (www.queensu.ca/ombuds).
Sincerely,
Jenn Stephenson, Ph.D.
Associate Dean (Studies)
20001309Patel
Generated January 28, 2020 at 3:02:37 PM.