Decision Letter
Submission Number: 11765
Decision Date: May 21, 2024
Associate Dean: Jenn Stephenson, Ph.D.
Student Name: Joud Qumizakis
Student Email: joudqumizakis@icloud.com
Course: MATH 121
Term: Summer
Year: 2023
Category: Drop a course after the academic deadline
Dear Joud:
I have carefully considered your appeal request to drop MATH 121 (S23) past the academic deadline. After reviewing your file, I have decided to deny your request.
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 their control.
I am sympathetic to your situation and understand that this is a difficult decision, however, I want you to know that I considered this request very thoroughly. In making this decision, I reviewed your petition letter, and the two pieces of documentation that you supplied.
I acknowledge that this was your second attempt at MATH 121, and I recognize that you experienced health issues during the 2023 Summer term. I have denied this request as the petition process is not meant to be used to manage chronic circumstances. Academic impacts from ongoing circumstances should be managed proactively by utilizing options such as dropping a course by the deadline, or by utilizing academic consideration or accommodations through Queen’s Student Accessibility Services (QSAS). While I see from the documentation that you supplied dated January 11, 2024, that you were in contact with your QSAS Advisor during the 2023 Summer term, this documentation also suggests that you were provided with appropriate accommodations at that time.
The documentation that you supplied dated January 22, 2024, suggests that your academic ability had been impacted over the past 12 months. As you were aware of the academic impacts that your circumstances had on this course prior to the drop deadline of the Summer term and you were accommodated appropriately by the instructor of MATH 121, I cannot grant your request.
As you know, it is the student’s responsibility to pause and evaluate the impact of extenuating circumstances on their classes prior to the drop deadline of the term. If they have fallen behind in a course or find the material too difficult, they should drop the course by the 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.
If you are concerned with the impact that this course has on your GPA, I would suggest that you consider repeating it in a future term. When repeating the exact same course code, both attempts will appear on your transcript however, only the higher grade will be included within the calculation of your cumulative GPA.
If you wish to appeal the Associate Dean’s decision to the Board of Studies, information and deadlines can be found at 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 queensu.ca/ombuds/appeal-process/procedural-fairness and guidance on policy and procedure by visiting their website at queensu.ca/ombuds/.
Sincerely,
Jenn Stephenson, Ph.D.
Associate Dean (Academic)
Decision Date: May 21, 2024
Associate Dean: Jenn Stephenson, Ph.D.
Student Name: Joud Qumizakis
Student Email: joudqumizakis@icloud.com
Course: MATH 121
Term: Summer
Year: 2023
Category: Drop a course after the academic deadline
Dear Joud:
I have carefully considered your appeal request to drop MATH 121 (S23) past the academic deadline. After reviewing your file, I have decided to deny your request.
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 their control.
I am sympathetic to your situation and understand that this is a difficult decision, however, I want you to know that I considered this request very thoroughly. In making this decision, I reviewed your petition letter, and the two pieces of documentation that you supplied.
I acknowledge that this was your second attempt at MATH 121, and I recognize that you experienced health issues during the 2023 Summer term. I have denied this request as the petition process is not meant to be used to manage chronic circumstances. Academic impacts from ongoing circumstances should be managed proactively by utilizing options such as dropping a course by the deadline, or by utilizing academic consideration or accommodations through Queen’s Student Accessibility Services (QSAS). While I see from the documentation that you supplied dated January 11, 2024, that you were in contact with your QSAS Advisor during the 2023 Summer term, this documentation also suggests that you were provided with appropriate accommodations at that time.
The documentation that you supplied dated January 22, 2024, suggests that your academic ability had been impacted over the past 12 months. As you were aware of the academic impacts that your circumstances had on this course prior to the drop deadline of the Summer term and you were accommodated appropriately by the instructor of MATH 121, I cannot grant your request.
As you know, it is the student’s responsibility to pause and evaluate the impact of extenuating circumstances on their classes prior to the drop deadline of the term. If they have fallen behind in a course or find the material too difficult, they should drop the course by the 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.
If you are concerned with the impact that this course has on your GPA, I would suggest that you consider repeating it in a future term. When repeating the exact same course code, both attempts will appear on your transcript however, only the higher grade will be included within the calculation of your cumulative GPA.
If you wish to appeal the Associate Dean’s decision to the Board of Studies, information and deadlines can be found at 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 queensu.ca/ombuds/appeal-process/procedural-fairness and guidance on policy and procedure by visiting their website at queensu.ca/ombuds/.
Sincerely,
Jenn Stephenson, Ph.D.
Associate Dean (Academic)
Generated May 21, 2024 at 9:53:56 AM.