Decision Letter
Submission Number: 12147
Decision Date: September 3, 2024
Associate Dean: Jenn Stephenson, Ph.D.
Student Name: HAOLIANG LIU
Student Email: 19hl24@queensu.ca
Dear Haoliang Liu:
I have carefully considered your petition to take more than 6.0 units of courses on a Letter of Permission during this 2024/2025 academic year, specifically your request to take 9.0 units of electives during the 2025 Winter term. After reviewing your file, I have decided to deny your request.
As you know, Regulation 14.1 indicates that a student on a degree program in the Faculty of Arts and Science may be permitted to take up to 6.0 units of undergraduate classes elsewhere for credit toward a degree offered by the Faculty of Arts and Science via a Letter of Permission. The Academic Petitions and Appeals Regulation 3.3.1.7 at queensu.ca/academic-calendar/arts-science/appeal-regulations/ stress that petition requests to take more than 6.0 units at another institution must directly address how this is necessary due to extenuating circumstances or an exceptional academic opportunity. Extenuating circumstances normally involve a significant physical or psychological event that is beyond a student’s control and debilitating to their academic performance. 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, the documentation that you supplied and your academic transcript.
I acknowledge that you have not yet obtained a study visa for the 2024/2025 academic year and so cannot return to Kingston at this time to complete in-person courses. I want you to know that visa delays aren’t typically considered an unexpected extenuating circumstance. I have denied this request as your petition didn’t demonstrate an exceptional opportunity at another institution or an extenuating circumstance preventing you from being able to take your remaining elective courses at Queen’s through Arts and Science online during the 2025 Winter term. Going forward, I would suggest that you connect with an Academic Advisor for assistance finding electives so that you can meet your degree requirements in time for your desired graduation date. Alternately, if you are not interested in the available courses that are being offered in the Winter term, you may want to consider taking your final electives in a future term.
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: September 3, 2024
Associate Dean: Jenn Stephenson, Ph.D.
Student Name: HAOLIANG LIU
Student Email: 19hl24@queensu.ca
Dear Haoliang Liu:
I have carefully considered your petition to take more than 6.0 units of courses on a Letter of Permission during this 2024/2025 academic year, specifically your request to take 9.0 units of electives during the 2025 Winter term. After reviewing your file, I have decided to deny your request.
As you know, Regulation 14.1 indicates that a student on a degree program in the Faculty of Arts and Science may be permitted to take up to 6.0 units of undergraduate classes elsewhere for credit toward a degree offered by the Faculty of Arts and Science via a Letter of Permission. The Academic Petitions and Appeals Regulation 3.3.1.7 at queensu.ca/academic-calendar/arts-science/appeal-regulations/ stress that petition requests to take more than 6.0 units at another institution must directly address how this is necessary due to extenuating circumstances or an exceptional academic opportunity. Extenuating circumstances normally involve a significant physical or psychological event that is beyond a student’s control and debilitating to their academic performance. 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, the documentation that you supplied and your academic transcript.
I acknowledge that you have not yet obtained a study visa for the 2024/2025 academic year and so cannot return to Kingston at this time to complete in-person courses. I want you to know that visa delays aren’t typically considered an unexpected extenuating circumstance. I have denied this request as your petition didn’t demonstrate an exceptional opportunity at another institution or an extenuating circumstance preventing you from being able to take your remaining elective courses at Queen’s through Arts and Science online during the 2025 Winter term. Going forward, I would suggest that you connect with an Academic Advisor for assistance finding electives so that you can meet your degree requirements in time for your desired graduation date. Alternately, if you are not interested in the available courses that are being offered in the Winter term, you may want to consider taking your final electives in a future term.
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 September 3, 2024 at 9:02:56 AM.