Decision Letter
Appeal Number: 9402
Decision Date: July 28, 2022
Associate Dean: Jenn Stephenson, Ph.D.
Student Name: Matthew Sinclair
Student Email: 19mas26@queensu.ca
Course: GEOL 104
Term: Winter
Year: 2021
Category: Drop a course after the academic deadline
Course: WRIT 125
Term: Summer
Year: 2021
Category: Drop a course after the academic deadline
Course: GPHY 250
Term: Summer
Year: 2021
Category: Drop a course after the academic deadline
Course: HIST 242
Term: Summer
Year: 2021
Category: Drop a course after the academic deadline
Course: DEVS 230
Term: Fall
Year: 2021
Category: Drop a course after the academic deadline
Course: GPHY 230
Term: Winter
Year: 2022
Category: Drop a course after the academic deadline
Course: GPHY 229
Term: Winter
Year: 2022
Category: Drop a course after the academic deadline
Dear Matthew:
I was sorry to read of the challenges you explained in your letter of appeal and I have carefully considered your appeal to drop GEOL 104 (W 2021); WRIT 125, GPHY 250, HIST 242 (S 2021); DEVS 230 (F 2021); and GPHY 230, GPHY 229 (W 2022). After reviewing your file I have decided the following:
1. To grant your appeal to drop GEOL 104 (W 2021); WRIT 125, GPHY 250, HIST 242 (S 2021). I recognize that the circumstances you outlined inhibited your academic success during the timeframe of these courses and that the documentation you submitted supports this timeframe.
2. To deny your request to drop DEVS 230 (F 2021) and GPHY 230, GPHY 229 (W 2022). As you know, courses must be dropped on SOLUS within the published deadlines. The Academic Regulations (Appeal of Academic Decisions, IIIb) stress that exceptions to this will only be waived under extenuating circumstances. 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 circumstances beyond his or her control. Extenuating circumstances normally involve a significant physical or psychological event that is beyond your control and debilitating to your overall academic performance which occurred after the drop date deadline. I do not see a basis for granting the late drop of these courses since by that time, your accommodations were in place, and you were registered with QSAS.
Going forward I suggest you pause and evaluate your progress in your courses during week 7 of term. 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.
Another tool to manage your academics in addition to dropping a course by the drop deadline is our Academic Consideration protocol. A student can request short term consideration if they need more time to complete an assignment or miss a class due to documented extenuating circumstances. Here is the link for information about that process:
https://www.queensu.ca/artsci/undergrad-students/academic-consideration-for-students
Note that any change in academic registration may impact government or private-firm student financial assistance eligibility and/or funding. Please consult with the Student Awards Office, Office of the University Registrar, Gordon Hall, to understand the potential implications of changes to course or program registration and/or the consequences of not successfully completing the required course load.
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 ??Board of Studies?). You may contact the Office of the University Ombudsperson for information about student rights and responsibilities https://www.queensu.ca/ombuds/appeal-process/procedural-fairness and guidance on policy and procedure by visiting their website at https://www.queensu.ca/ombuds/.
Student Academic Appeals Policy (SAAP) https://www.queensu.ca/secretariat/policies/senate/student-academic-appeals-policyE and Rules of Procedure for USAB https://www.queensu.ca/secretariat/policies/senate/student-academic-appeals-policy/usab-rules-of-procedure are Queen??s university Senate approved appeal policies. In the event that an inconsistency arises between these policies and Arts & Science regulations, SAAP and USAB will supersede.
Sincerely,
Jenn Stephenson, Ph.D.
Associate Dean (Academic)
20208426Sinclair
Decision Date: July 28, 2022
Associate Dean: Jenn Stephenson, Ph.D.
Student Name: Matthew Sinclair
Student Email: 19mas26@queensu.ca
Course: GEOL 104
Term: Winter
Year: 2021
Category: Drop a course after the academic deadline
Course: WRIT 125
Term: Summer
Year: 2021
Category: Drop a course after the academic deadline
Course: GPHY 250
Term: Summer
Year: 2021
Category: Drop a course after the academic deadline
Course: HIST 242
Term: Summer
Year: 2021
Category: Drop a course after the academic deadline
Course: DEVS 230
Term: Fall
Year: 2021
Category: Drop a course after the academic deadline
Course: GPHY 230
Term: Winter
Year: 2022
Category: Drop a course after the academic deadline
Course: GPHY 229
Term: Winter
Year: 2022
Category: Drop a course after the academic deadline
Dear Matthew:
I was sorry to read of the challenges you explained in your letter of appeal and I have carefully considered your appeal to drop GEOL 104 (W 2021); WRIT 125, GPHY 250, HIST 242 (S 2021); DEVS 230 (F 2021); and GPHY 230, GPHY 229 (W 2022). After reviewing your file I have decided the following:
1. To grant your appeal to drop GEOL 104 (W 2021); WRIT 125, GPHY 250, HIST 242 (S 2021). I recognize that the circumstances you outlined inhibited your academic success during the timeframe of these courses and that the documentation you submitted supports this timeframe.
2. To deny your request to drop DEVS 230 (F 2021) and GPHY 230, GPHY 229 (W 2022). As you know, courses must be dropped on SOLUS within the published deadlines. The Academic Regulations (Appeal of Academic Decisions, IIIb) stress that exceptions to this will only be waived under extenuating circumstances. 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 circumstances beyond his or her control. Extenuating circumstances normally involve a significant physical or psychological event that is beyond your control and debilitating to your overall academic performance which occurred after the drop date deadline. I do not see a basis for granting the late drop of these courses since by that time, your accommodations were in place, and you were registered with QSAS.
Going forward I suggest you pause and evaluate your progress in your courses during week 7 of term. 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.
Another tool to manage your academics in addition to dropping a course by the drop deadline is our Academic Consideration protocol. A student can request short term consideration if they need more time to complete an assignment or miss a class due to documented extenuating circumstances. Here is the link for information about that process:
https://www.queensu.ca/artsci/undergrad-students/academic-consideration-for-students
Note that any change in academic registration may impact government or private-firm student financial assistance eligibility and/or funding. Please consult with the Student Awards Office, Office of the University Registrar, Gordon Hall, to understand the potential implications of changes to course or program registration and/or the consequences of not successfully completing the required course load.
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 ??Board of Studies?). You may contact the Office of the University Ombudsperson for information about student rights and responsibilities https://www.queensu.ca/ombuds/appeal-process/procedural-fairness and guidance on policy and procedure by visiting their website at https://www.queensu.ca/ombuds/.
Student Academic Appeals Policy (SAAP) https://www.queensu.ca/secretariat/policies/senate/student-academic-appeals-policyE and Rules of Procedure for USAB https://www.queensu.ca/secretariat/policies/senate/student-academic-appeals-policy/usab-rules-of-procedure are Queen??s university Senate approved appeal policies. In the event that an inconsistency arises between these policies and Arts & Science regulations, SAAP and USAB will supersede.
Sincerely,
Jenn Stephenson, Ph.D.
Associate Dean (Academic)
20208426Sinclair
Generated July 28, 2022 at 9:25:18 AM.