Decision Letter
Appeal Number: 9508
Decision Date: October 5, 2022
Associate Dean: 0
Student Name: Shantal Johnson
Student Email: 21sej6@queensu.ca
Dear Shantal,
On Thursday, 29 September, the Board of Studies reviewed your appeal of Associate Dean (Academic) Jenn Stephenson??s decision to deny your petition to drop ASTR 101 (Fall 2021) after the official deadline. Board members present that day were Scott-Morgan Straker (Chair), Karine Bertrand (Faculty member), Elizabeth Goodyear-Grant (Faculty member) and Emma Farrell (Student representative). Pamela Briand (Arts and Science resource staff) was also present. The Board carefully considered the written submissions contained in your file, and voted to uphold the Associate Dean??s decision to deny your petition to drop ASTR 101.
The Board acknowledges that your result on the final exam was not in keeping with your other marks in the course, but notes that past performance is never a guarantee of future performance, and that exams, being summative assessments, are typically different from other assignments in a course. ASTR 101 is not the only online course that requires students to pass the exam to earn credit for the course; furthermore, that fact is stated in the course syllabus, to which students assent in enrolling in the course. The Board notes your concern over the high failure rate on this exam, but must clarify that it is not the within the mandate of the Board of Studies to comment on matters of course design. We note in your appeal letter that you have been in touch with the University Ombudsperson; you have therefore raised the matter in a more appropriate venue. The Board of Studies may only determine whether the Associate Dean??s decision was reasonable in view of Appeal Regulation 3.3.2, which specifies that students must demonstrate significant extenuating circumstances, beyond their control, that prevented them from dropping a course by the published deadline. In the absence of documentation demonstrating such extenuating circumstances, the Board must uphold the Associate Dean??s decision to deny your appeal.
In April 2021, the Queen??s University Senate released a new appeals policy, which you can read here: https://www.queensu.ca/secretariat/policies/senate/student-academic-appeals-policy. According to this new policy, this is the last step in the appeal process for this matter, since your ability to progress to the next level is not affected by this decision.
I understand that this result comes as a disappointment. Nevertheless, on behalf of the Board of Studies I wish you every success in the current academic year, and in the years to come.
Sincerely,
Scott-Morgan Straker
Chair, Board of Studies
Decision Date: October 5, 2022
Associate Dean: 0
Student Name: Shantal Johnson
Student Email: 21sej6@queensu.ca
Dear Shantal,
On Thursday, 29 September, the Board of Studies reviewed your appeal of Associate Dean (Academic) Jenn Stephenson??s decision to deny your petition to drop ASTR 101 (Fall 2021) after the official deadline. Board members present that day were Scott-Morgan Straker (Chair), Karine Bertrand (Faculty member), Elizabeth Goodyear-Grant (Faculty member) and Emma Farrell (Student representative). Pamela Briand (Arts and Science resource staff) was also present. The Board carefully considered the written submissions contained in your file, and voted to uphold the Associate Dean??s decision to deny your petition to drop ASTR 101.
The Board acknowledges that your result on the final exam was not in keeping with your other marks in the course, but notes that past performance is never a guarantee of future performance, and that exams, being summative assessments, are typically different from other assignments in a course. ASTR 101 is not the only online course that requires students to pass the exam to earn credit for the course; furthermore, that fact is stated in the course syllabus, to which students assent in enrolling in the course. The Board notes your concern over the high failure rate on this exam, but must clarify that it is not the within the mandate of the Board of Studies to comment on matters of course design. We note in your appeal letter that you have been in touch with the University Ombudsperson; you have therefore raised the matter in a more appropriate venue. The Board of Studies may only determine whether the Associate Dean??s decision was reasonable in view of Appeal Regulation 3.3.2, which specifies that students must demonstrate significant extenuating circumstances, beyond their control, that prevented them from dropping a course by the published deadline. In the absence of documentation demonstrating such extenuating circumstances, the Board must uphold the Associate Dean??s decision to deny your appeal.
In April 2021, the Queen??s University Senate released a new appeals policy, which you can read here: https://www.queensu.ca/secretariat/policies/senate/student-academic-appeals-policy. According to this new policy, this is the last step in the appeal process for this matter, since your ability to progress to the next level is not affected by this decision.
I understand that this result comes as a disappointment. Nevertheless, on behalf of the Board of Studies I wish you every success in the current academic year, and in the years to come.
Sincerely,
Scott-Morgan Straker
Chair, Board of Studies
Generated October 5, 2022 at 11:59:23 AM.