Submit an Academic Petition or Appeal

Submission Number: 11042
Decision Date: October 19, 2023
Associate Dean: Jenn Stephenson, Ph.D.
Student Name: Shivani Zhivago
Student Email: 19sz97@queensu.ca

Course: PHIL 296
Term: Fall
Year: 2021
Category: Drop a course after the academic deadline

Course: PHIL 260
Term: Fall
Year: 2021
Category: Drop a course after the academic deadline

Course: PHIL 247
Term: Fall
Year: 2021
Category: Drop a course after the academic deadline

Course: POLS 244
Term: Winter
Year: 2022
Category: Drop a course after the academic deadline

Course: FREN 219
Term: Winter
Year: 2022
Category: Drop a course after the academic deadline

Course: FILM 236
Term: Winter
Year: 2022
Category: Drop a course after the academic deadline

Course: PHIL 257 B
Term: Fall/Winter
Year: 2021
Category: Drop a course after the academic deadline

Course: PHIL 250 B
Term: Fall/Winter
Year: 2021
Category: Drop a course after the academic deadline

Dear Shivani:

I am sorry to have read the circumstances you outlined in your petition letter, and I have carefully considered your request to drop PHIL 296, PHIL 260, PHIL 247 (F 2021); POLS 244, FREN 219, FILM 236 (W 2022); and PHIL 257, PHIL 250 (FW 2021/22) past the academic deadline. After reviewing your file, I have decided to grant your request.

I have granted this petition based on the severity of your circumstances and the documentation provided which notes that you sought out the appropriate supports and services to help you manage the impacts of the difficult circumstances described.

Going forward, a good practise for all students is to carefully evaluate your progress in each of your courses prior to the week 8 drop deadline and if you have fallen behind or you are not performing in courses to your satisfaction, you should drop courses by the drop deadline. The drop deadlines, outlined in the “Important Dates” section on the Faculty of Arts and Science web page, have been established to ensure fair and equitable treatment of all students.

Another tool to manage your academics in addition to dropping a course by the drop date 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

Shivani, I strongly encourage you continue to work with your support network and to proactively manage the impact of the situation on your academics. If and/or when you resume your studies at Queen’s, you may want to discuss with Rebecca Rappeport the possibility of registering with QSAS. A QSAS Advisor may be able to put into place appropriate accommodations to help you manage the impact of your challenges on your academics. 

You also write in your petition letter that you are requesting an official pause in your studies, but you do not need to request that Shivani. Instead, you will need to submit a Return To Studies request when you are ready to resume your studies. Here is the link where you can submit that request: Leaving and Returning to Studies | Queen's University Faculty of Arts and Science (queensu.ca)

And finally, you also ask for permission to receive a Letter of Permission so you can take courses at University of Toronto. With the granting of this petition, you will be eligible to submit a Letter of Permission application directly, and you can find a link to do that at the following website: Course Planning & Options | Queen's University Faculty of Arts and Science (queensu.ca). Since you will now have 2nd year standing (due to the granting of this petition), you will not need to submit a petition to request permission to submit a Letter of Permission application.

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.

Sincerely,


Jenn Stephenson, Ph.D.
Associate Dean (Academic)

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