Decision Letter
Appeal Number: 7261
Decision Date: March 1, 2021
Associate Dean: Jenn Stephenson, Ph.D.
Student Name: Summer Kargus
Student Email: 16sak2@queensu.ca
Course: ARTH 120
Term: Summer
Year: 2020
Category: Request credit (CR) standing in a course or courses
Instructor: Jane Russell-Corbett
Course: WRIT 120
Term: Summer
Year: 2020
Category: Request credit (CR) standing in a course or courses
Instructor: Martina Hardwick
Course: MUSC 104
Term: Summer
Year: 2020
Category: Drop a course after the academic deadline
Course: PHIL 318
Term: Fall
Year: 2020
Category: Drop a course after the academic deadline
Dear Summer Kargus:
I am sorry to read of the challenges you outlined in your appeal letter and I have carefully considered your appeal to drop MUSC 104 (S 2020) and PHIL 318 (F 2020) after the drop date. You have also appealed for Credit standing in ARTH 120 and WRIT 120 (S 2020). After reviewing your file I have decided the following:
1. To grant your request to drop MUSC 104 (S 2020) based the circumstances outlined that relate to your internet access. This is a lenient decision however Summer, since technological issues are not usually considered grounds for an appeal.
2. To deny your request to drop PHIL 318 (F 2020). If you were continuing to experience internet challenges during that term, you should have dropped your courses by the academic drop date deadline. In addition, you have offered no explanation as to why this course was impacted during Fall term 2020 more so than your other courses taken that term and you have not been able to provide documentation which related to the Fall term 2020.
3. To deny your request for Credit standing in ARTH 120 and WRIT 120 (S 2020). 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 Regulations note that 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.
Summer, I am sure this is a disappointing decision but the documentation you have submitted does not support the extenuating circumstances you have outlined, specifically during the summer and fall terms. In addition, the instructor of ARTH 120 has provided us with important input indicating that the mark you earned is an accurate reflection of the learning outcomes achieved. I understand that students were to choose a theme for the exhibition assignment which related to the second half of the course, but the assignment you submitted dealt with a topic from the first part of the course.
Let me remind you that if a student repeats a course, the higher grade will be included with the GPA and the lower grade will be excluded. This may be a good strategy for you to consider as you select courses in the future.
If you wish to appeal the Associate Dean€™s decision to the Board of Studies, you must do so within 21 days of receiving this letter. Information 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).
Going forward, I strongly suggest that you pause and evaluate your progress in your courses prior to the drop date deadlines. If you have fallen behind in your studies due to your health or other extenuating circumstances, you should drop courses by the week 8 drop deadline date.
Sincerely,
Jenn Stephenson, Ph.D.
Associate Dean (Academic)
20047724Kargus1
Decision Date: March 1, 2021
Associate Dean: Jenn Stephenson, Ph.D.
Student Name: Summer Kargus
Student Email: 16sak2@queensu.ca
Course: ARTH 120
Term: Summer
Year: 2020
Category: Request credit (CR) standing in a course or courses
Instructor: Jane Russell-Corbett
Course: WRIT 120
Term: Summer
Year: 2020
Category: Request credit (CR) standing in a course or courses
Instructor: Martina Hardwick
Course: MUSC 104
Term: Summer
Year: 2020
Category: Drop a course after the academic deadline
Course: PHIL 318
Term: Fall
Year: 2020
Category: Drop a course after the academic deadline
Dear Summer Kargus:
I am sorry to read of the challenges you outlined in your appeal letter and I have carefully considered your appeal to drop MUSC 104 (S 2020) and PHIL 318 (F 2020) after the drop date. You have also appealed for Credit standing in ARTH 120 and WRIT 120 (S 2020). After reviewing your file I have decided the following:
1. To grant your request to drop MUSC 104 (S 2020) based the circumstances outlined that relate to your internet access. This is a lenient decision however Summer, since technological issues are not usually considered grounds for an appeal.
2. To deny your request to drop PHIL 318 (F 2020). If you were continuing to experience internet challenges during that term, you should have dropped your courses by the academic drop date deadline. In addition, you have offered no explanation as to why this course was impacted during Fall term 2020 more so than your other courses taken that term and you have not been able to provide documentation which related to the Fall term 2020.
3. To deny your request for Credit standing in ARTH 120 and WRIT 120 (S 2020). 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 Regulations note that 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.
Summer, I am sure this is a disappointing decision but the documentation you have submitted does not support the extenuating circumstances you have outlined, specifically during the summer and fall terms. In addition, the instructor of ARTH 120 has provided us with important input indicating that the mark you earned is an accurate reflection of the learning outcomes achieved. I understand that students were to choose a theme for the exhibition assignment which related to the second half of the course, but the assignment you submitted dealt with a topic from the first part of the course.
Let me remind you that if a student repeats a course, the higher grade will be included with the GPA and the lower grade will be excluded. This may be a good strategy for you to consider as you select courses in the future.
If you wish to appeal the Associate Dean€™s decision to the Board of Studies, you must do so within 21 days of receiving this letter. Information 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).
Going forward, I strongly suggest that you pause and evaluate your progress in your courses prior to the drop date deadlines. If you have fallen behind in your studies due to your health or other extenuating circumstances, you should drop courses by the week 8 drop deadline date.
Sincerely,
Jenn Stephenson, Ph.D.
Associate Dean (Academic)
20047724Kargus1
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