Decision Letter
Submission Number: 10280
Decision Date: April 24, 2023
Associate Dean: Jenn Stephenson, Ph.D.
Student Name: Vansh Panwar
Student Email: 19vp8@queensu.ca
Course: CISC 235
Term: Winter
Year: 2023
Category: Drop a course after the academic deadline
Course: CISC 223
Term: Winter
Year: 2023
Category: Drop a course after the academic deadline
Dear Vanish:
I have read with interest your petition to drop CISC 235 and CISC 223 (W 2023), taking note of the challenges you outlined. After reviewing your petition fully, I have decided to deny your request.
As you know, courses must be dropped on SOLUS within the published deadlines. Appeal Regulation 3.3.1.2 stresses that ??a petition to drop a class late must clearly demonstrate the significant extenuating circumstances, beyond the student??s control, which prevented them from dropping the class by the deadline. Extenuating circumstances normally involve a significant physical or psychological event that is beyond your control and debilitating to your overall academic performance, often taking place after the drop deadline.
I am certainly sympathetic to your situation and realize that this is a disappointing decision, however you have experienced similar challenges previously and have been advised that you should drop courses prior to drop deadlines if you encountered additional challenges. You note that you had difficulty connecting with Student Wellness Services, but that is not the only option available to assist students, and it is not clear as to whether the challenges connecting with SWS were due to cancellation of appointments at your end. I am pleased to see that you are currently connected with SWS, and I encourage you to continue to seek support from that service.
In the future, I encourage you once again to carefully evaluate your progress in courses by week 7 of the term and if you are finding the material too difficult or have not kept up with the course work, you should drop the course by the week 8 drop deadline. The drop deadline is set at week 8 to allow students plenty of time to assess their progress in a class and withdraw without any academic penalty if they feel that they cannot keep up with the demands or have the academic background needed to successfully complete it.
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 had to 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
If you wish to appeal the Associate Dean??s decision to the Board of Studies, information and deadlines can be found at https://www.queensu.ca/artsci/undergraduate/student-services/academic-petitions-and-appeals (click on ??Submit a Board of Studies Appeal Here?). 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)
20206467Panwar
Decision Date: April 24, 2023
Associate Dean: Jenn Stephenson, Ph.D.
Student Name: Vansh Panwar
Student Email: 19vp8@queensu.ca
Course: CISC 235
Term: Winter
Year: 2023
Category: Drop a course after the academic deadline
Course: CISC 223
Term: Winter
Year: 2023
Category: Drop a course after the academic deadline
Dear Vanish:
I have read with interest your petition to drop CISC 235 and CISC 223 (W 2023), taking note of the challenges you outlined. After reviewing your petition fully, I have decided to deny your request.
As you know, courses must be dropped on SOLUS within the published deadlines. Appeal Regulation 3.3.1.2 stresses that ??a petition to drop a class late must clearly demonstrate the significant extenuating circumstances, beyond the student??s control, which prevented them from dropping the class by the deadline. Extenuating circumstances normally involve a significant physical or psychological event that is beyond your control and debilitating to your overall academic performance, often taking place after the drop deadline.
I am certainly sympathetic to your situation and realize that this is a disappointing decision, however you have experienced similar challenges previously and have been advised that you should drop courses prior to drop deadlines if you encountered additional challenges. You note that you had difficulty connecting with Student Wellness Services, but that is not the only option available to assist students, and it is not clear as to whether the challenges connecting with SWS were due to cancellation of appointments at your end. I am pleased to see that you are currently connected with SWS, and I encourage you to continue to seek support from that service.
In the future, I encourage you once again to carefully evaluate your progress in courses by week 7 of the term and if you are finding the material too difficult or have not kept up with the course work, you should drop the course by the week 8 drop deadline. The drop deadline is set at week 8 to allow students plenty of time to assess their progress in a class and withdraw without any academic penalty if they feel that they cannot keep up with the demands or have the academic background needed to successfully complete it.
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 had to 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
If you wish to appeal the Associate Dean??s decision to the Board of Studies, information and deadlines can be found at https://www.queensu.ca/artsci/undergraduate/student-services/academic-petitions-and-appeals (click on ??Submit a Board of Studies Appeal Here?). 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)
20206467Panwar
Generated April 24, 2023 at 8:44:24 AM.