Decision Letter
Appeal Number: 6537
Decision Date: March 2, 2020
Associate Dean: Jenn Stephenson, Ph.D.
Student Name: Simmona Coelho
Student Email: 15sc103@queensu.ca
Course: PHIL 301
Term: Fall
Year: 2019
Category: Request credit (CR) standing in a course or courses
Instructor: Dr. Kerah Gordon-Solmon
Dear Simmona Coelho:
I am sorry to have read of your reported health related challenges during Fall term 2019 and I understand that you are seeking Credit standing in PHIL 301 (F 2019) due to the impact those circumstances had on this course. After carefully reviewing your appeal, 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, granting an appeal due to technical issues is not considered a reason to alter a transcript. In addition, your instructor accommodated you in this course since she generously reduced the penalty imposed on the submission of your late essay by reweighting it so it would count for less in your final grade.
In addition, your Short-Term Academic Accommodation (STAA) form indicates that you met with a Counsellor on November 13, 2019 and states that you are €unable to complete Essay 2€. However, the information we received from you instructor notes that you had already submitted that essay on November 11 (Essay 2 was due on November 4th and you were given a one week extension). That you met with a Counsellor seeking an accommodation to not submit the essay even after you had submitted it is of concern to me.
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 (Academic)
Cc: Professor K. Gordon-Solmon
20009670Coelho
Decision Date: March 2, 2020
Associate Dean: Jenn Stephenson, Ph.D.
Student Name: Simmona Coelho
Student Email: 15sc103@queensu.ca
Course: PHIL 301
Term: Fall
Year: 2019
Category: Request credit (CR) standing in a course or courses
Instructor: Dr. Kerah Gordon-Solmon
Dear Simmona Coelho:
I am sorry to have read of your reported health related challenges during Fall term 2019 and I understand that you are seeking Credit standing in PHIL 301 (F 2019) due to the impact those circumstances had on this course. After carefully reviewing your appeal, 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, granting an appeal due to technical issues is not considered a reason to alter a transcript. In addition, your instructor accommodated you in this course since she generously reduced the penalty imposed on the submission of your late essay by reweighting it so it would count for less in your final grade.
In addition, your Short-Term Academic Accommodation (STAA) form indicates that you met with a Counsellor on November 13, 2019 and states that you are €unable to complete Essay 2€. However, the information we received from you instructor notes that you had already submitted that essay on November 11 (Essay 2 was due on November 4th and you were given a one week extension). That you met with a Counsellor seeking an accommodation to not submit the essay even after you had submitted it is of concern to me.
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 (Academic)
Cc: Professor K. Gordon-Solmon
20009670Coelho
Generated March 2, 2020 at 9:50:34 AM.