Submit an Academic Petition or Appeal

Appeal Number: 6593
Decision Date: April 9, 2020
Associate Dean: Jenn Stephenson, Ph.D.
Student Name: Liam Shaw
Student Email: 14ls50@queensu.ca

Course: MATH 121
Term: Fall/Winter
Year: 2015
Category: Request credit (CR) standing in a course or courses
Instructor: Greenhall

Course: CHEM 112
Term: Fall/Winter
Year: 2015
Category: Request credit (CR) standing in a course or courses
Instructor: John Carran

Course: BIOL 102
Term: Fall
Year: 2015
Category: Request credit (CR) standing in a course or courses
Instructor: Adam Chippindale

Course: BIOL 103
Term: Winter
Year: 2016
Category: Request credit (CR) standing in a course or courses
Instructor: Virginia Walker

Course: GEOL 104
Term: Fall
Year: 2015
Category: Request credit (CR) standing in a course or courses
Instructor: Daniel Layton

Course: CLST 214
Term: Fall
Year: 2016
Category: Request credit (CR) standing in a course or courses
Instructor: Daryn Lehoux

Course: GPHY 102
Term: Winter
Year: 2017
Category: Request credit (CR) standing in a course or courses
Instructor: Nathan Manion

Course: DEVS 220
Term: Fall
Year: 2017
Category: Request credit (CR) standing in a course or courses
Instructor: Robert Lovelace

Course: MUSC 171
Term: Fall
Year: 2017
Category: Request credit (CR) standing in a course or courses
Instructor: Kip Pegly

Course: RELS 162
Term: Fall
Year: 2017
Category: Request credit (CR) standing in a course or courses
Instructor: Jason Kelly

Course: ENSC 301
Term: Winter
Year: 2018
Category: Request credit (CR) standing in a course or courses
Instructor: Graham Whitelaw

Course: ENSC 321
Term: Winter
Year: 2018
Category: Request credit (CR) standing in a course or courses
Instructor: Alison Goebel


Dear Liam Shaw:

I am sorry to have read of the challenges you have reported in your letter of appeal and I understand that you are seeking Credit standing in MATH 121, CHEM 112 (FW 2015/16); BIOL 102, GEOL 104 (F 2015); BIOL 103 (W 2016); CLST 214 (F 2016); DEVS 220, MUSC 171, RELS 162 (F 2017); ENSC 301, ENSC 321 (W 2018) due to the impact those circumstances had on these courses. After reviewing your appeal letter and documentation, 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, the documentation submitted is insufficient to make changes of this magnitude and adjust a transcript to such an extent. You would require documentation which specifically addresses how your circumstances impacted these courses and assignments particularly, as well as these specific timelines.

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) 10189257Shaw