Decision Letter
Submission Number: 12706
Decision Date: April 7, 2025
Associate Dean: Jenn Stephenson, Ph.D.
Student Name: Mehar Caur
Student Email: 20mc68@queensu.ca
Course: BIOL 102
Term: Fall
Year: 2024
Category: Request an extension of an incomplete grade
Instructor: Dr. George C diCenzo
Course: BIOL 243
Term: Fall
Year: 2024
Category: Request an extension of an incomplete grade
Instructor: Dr. Sarah Yakimowski
Dear Mehar,
Thank you for your petition regarding a deferral of the final exam in BIOL 102 and BIOL 243 (F24). I have carefully reviewed your request and the information that I received from the instructors of these courses, and while I’m unable to grant all of your requests, I want to assure you that I’ve taken your circumstances into account as part of this decision.
The Academic Petitions and Appeal Regulation 3.3.1.5. states that a student affected by extenuating circumstances may ask the course instructor for incomplete standing (IN) for up to one full term after the completion of a class. If this request is granted, any further request to submit incomplete work or to write a final examination after that term has elapsed must be made through a petition to the Associate Dean (Academic). The instructor will be consulted for their agreement to a further extension and stating a revised final date for completion of the course work in question or the final examination must also be included. Normally such requests are considered if the student has participated actively in the class and only one or two elements of the course work have not been completed due to extenuating circumstances beyond the student’s control. Students with extenuating circumstances who have been unable to complete the majority of the work in a class should consider a petition to drop a class after the deadline rather than an extension of the deadline to submit incomplete work.
I acknowledge that you weren’t able to complete these courses during the January exam deferral period due to extenuating circumstances as confirmed within the documentation that you supplied. After consulting with the instructor of BIOL 102 (F24), I will grant your request for a further exam deferral in this course. It is your responsibility to connect with instructor diCenzo as soon as possible, to make the arrangements to complete the exam within the current 2025 Winter term.
Regarding your request for a deferred exam in BIOL 243 (F23), I regret to inform you that I did not receive instructor support for this request. As the instructor would be the one responsible for facilitating and grading a deferred exam, their support is required for this type of petition to be considered.
That said, as the documentation that you supplied confirms academic impacts of extenuating circumstances during the deferred exam period in January, I will allow you to drop BIOL 243 (F23) after the academic deadline instead. If you would like to accept this offer, please email asc.petitions@queensu.ca within 10 business days of receiving this letter.
Additionally, if you wish to appeal this decision, information on the appeal process and deadlines is available at queensu.ca/artsci/undergraduate/student-services/academic-petitions-and-appeals (click on “Second Level”). The Office of the University Ombudsperson offers guidance on student rights and procedural fairness at queensu.ca/ombuds/appeal-process/procedural-fairness, and they are also available to support you at queensu.ca/ombuds.
I hope that you continue to seek out the support and resources available to you, and I wish you the best in navigating your next steps.
Warm regards,
Jenn Stephenson, Ph.D.
Associate Dean (Academic)
Decision Date: April 7, 2025
Associate Dean: Jenn Stephenson, Ph.D.
Student Name: Mehar Caur
Student Email: 20mc68@queensu.ca
Course: BIOL 102
Term: Fall
Year: 2024
Category: Request an extension of an incomplete grade
Instructor: Dr. George C diCenzo
Course: BIOL 243
Term: Fall
Year: 2024
Category: Request an extension of an incomplete grade
Instructor: Dr. Sarah Yakimowski
Dear Mehar,
Thank you for your petition regarding a deferral of the final exam in BIOL 102 and BIOL 243 (F24). I have carefully reviewed your request and the information that I received from the instructors of these courses, and while I’m unable to grant all of your requests, I want to assure you that I’ve taken your circumstances into account as part of this decision.
The Academic Petitions and Appeal Regulation 3.3.1.5. states that a student affected by extenuating circumstances may ask the course instructor for incomplete standing (IN) for up to one full term after the completion of a class. If this request is granted, any further request to submit incomplete work or to write a final examination after that term has elapsed must be made through a petition to the Associate Dean (Academic). The instructor will be consulted for their agreement to a further extension and stating a revised final date for completion of the course work in question or the final examination must also be included. Normally such requests are considered if the student has participated actively in the class and only one or two elements of the course work have not been completed due to extenuating circumstances beyond the student’s control. Students with extenuating circumstances who have been unable to complete the majority of the work in a class should consider a petition to drop a class after the deadline rather than an extension of the deadline to submit incomplete work.
I acknowledge that you weren’t able to complete these courses during the January exam deferral period due to extenuating circumstances as confirmed within the documentation that you supplied. After consulting with the instructor of BIOL 102 (F24), I will grant your request for a further exam deferral in this course. It is your responsibility to connect with instructor diCenzo as soon as possible, to make the arrangements to complete the exam within the current 2025 Winter term.
Regarding your request for a deferred exam in BIOL 243 (F23), I regret to inform you that I did not receive instructor support for this request. As the instructor would be the one responsible for facilitating and grading a deferred exam, their support is required for this type of petition to be considered.
That said, as the documentation that you supplied confirms academic impacts of extenuating circumstances during the deferred exam period in January, I will allow you to drop BIOL 243 (F23) after the academic deadline instead. If you would like to accept this offer, please email asc.petitions@queensu.ca within 10 business days of receiving this letter.
Additionally, if you wish to appeal this decision, information on the appeal process and deadlines is available at queensu.ca/artsci/undergraduate/student-services/academic-petitions-and-appeals (click on “Second Level”). The Office of the University Ombudsperson offers guidance on student rights and procedural fairness at queensu.ca/ombuds/appeal-process/procedural-fairness, and they are also available to support you at queensu.ca/ombuds.
I hope that you continue to seek out the support and resources available to you, and I wish you the best in navigating your next steps.
Warm regards,
Jenn Stephenson, Ph.D.
Associate Dean (Academic)
Generated April 7, 2025 at 11:00:30 AM.