Decision Letter
Submission Number: 13259
Decision Date: June 26, 2025
Associate Dean: Scott-Morgan Straker (Acting Associate Dean)
Student Name: Sihaimo Kouassi
Student Email: 23rfg1@queensu.ca
Course: MATH 121
Term: Fall/Winter
Year: 2025
Category: Drop a course after the academic deadline
Course: BIOL 103
Term: Winter
Year: 2025
Category: Drop a course after the academic deadline
Dear Benimarc,
I was sorry to read about the challenges you outlined in your petition letter. I have carefully considered your request to waive the Faculty ruling that you be Required to Withdraw for One Year and to drop MATH 121 (FW24/25) and BIOL 103 (W25) after the academic deadline. After reviewing your file, I have decided to waive the Requirement to Withdraw. You may now resume your studies at Queen’s University.
I acknowledge that you are taking the Summer 2025 Term away from your studies and I have granted this request due to your strong academic plan. Upon your return to studies in the Fall Term, I suggest that you consider connecting with Student Wellness Services in Mitchell Hall for ongoing support.
Regarding your request to drop MATH 121 (FW24/25) and BIOL 103 (W25) after the academic deadline, I have denied this part of your request. Academic Petition and Appeals regulation 1.7.1.2. states 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, as indicated in the Faculty’s Sessional Dates. A medical certificate or other documentation that outlines how the personal extenuating circumstances hindered the student’s ability to drop the class prior to the deadline should be provided with the petition.
While I do not doubt the seriousness of the extenuating circumstances you described in your petition letter, and I appreciate the documentation that you provided from your brother, unfortunately, your request does not meet the requirements set out in Regulation 1.7.1.2, which calls for a medical certificate or comparable documentation. Although it is clear you were experiencing challenges, the information provided does not establish why you were unable to drop these courses by the deadline. Specifically, in the case of BIOL 103, the instructor of this course has suggested that you missed a significant number of assignments prior to the drop deadline, which might reasonably have indicated that withdrawing from the course would be in your best interest during the term. Given the lack of documentation specifically explaining your inability to drop the courses on time, I am unable to grant this part of your request.
If you are concerned with the impact that these courses have on your GPA, I would suggest that you consider repeating them in a future term. When repeating the exact same course code, both attempts will appear on your transcrip, but only the higher grade will be included within the calculation of your cumulative GPA.
As you continue in your course of study it is your responsibility to take steps for the successful completion of your program and maintain a GPA consistent with the requirements of your plan. These are some strategies that I strongly encourage you to consider:
Choose courses carefully. As you know, achieving a higher grade in a repeated course will improve your GPA. This course of action will help to ensure you will be in good academic standing and not at risk of being required to withdraw in a future year.
Reflect on your program choice. Are you in the right plan for your interests and aptitudes? Your Academic Advisement Report in SOLUS will allow you to see your remaining requirements and help you plan out future courses. You can read about the other program/plan options that may interest you in the Academic Calendar at queensu.ca/academic-calendar/arts-science/schools-departments-programs/.
Seek out the advice necessary to improve your academic performance. The Arts and Science Faculty Office is located in Dunning Hall (main floor). You can meet with an Academic Advisor online at queensu.ca/artsci/undergrad-students/student-services/academic-advising. Academic advising may also be available through the Department of the Plan that you are pursuing.
Student Academic Success Services (SASS) sass.queensu.ca/ in Stauffer Library provides a range of services, including workshops designed to improve study skills and develop strategies for meeting the demands of academic life.
The Student Wellness Services Centre queensu.ca/studentwellness/ located in Mitchell Hall, is available to all Queen’s students. SWS offers counselling as well as individual consultation to aid in coping with difficulties of a more personal nature.
Academic Consideration is a process for the university community to provide a compassionate response to assist students experiencing a short-term extenuating circumstance. You can familiarize yourself with your consideration options at: queensu.ca/artsci/accommodations.
Additionally, if you wish to appeal this decision, you are welcome to submit an appeal to the Board of Studies. 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 wish you success in your studies next year.
Sincerely,
Scott-Morgan Straker
Associate Dean (Acting)
Decision Date: June 26, 2025
Associate Dean: Scott-Morgan Straker (Acting Associate Dean)
Student Name: Sihaimo Kouassi
Student Email: 23rfg1@queensu.ca
Course: MATH 121
Term: Fall/Winter
Year: 2025
Category: Drop a course after the academic deadline
Course: BIOL 103
Term: Winter
Year: 2025
Category: Drop a course after the academic deadline
Dear Benimarc,
I was sorry to read about the challenges you outlined in your petition letter. I have carefully considered your request to waive the Faculty ruling that you be Required to Withdraw for One Year and to drop MATH 121 (FW24/25) and BIOL 103 (W25) after the academic deadline. After reviewing your file, I have decided to waive the Requirement to Withdraw. You may now resume your studies at Queen’s University.
I acknowledge that you are taking the Summer 2025 Term away from your studies and I have granted this request due to your strong academic plan. Upon your return to studies in the Fall Term, I suggest that you consider connecting with Student Wellness Services in Mitchell Hall for ongoing support.
Regarding your request to drop MATH 121 (FW24/25) and BIOL 103 (W25) after the academic deadline, I have denied this part of your request. Academic Petition and Appeals regulation 1.7.1.2. states 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, as indicated in the Faculty’s Sessional Dates. A medical certificate or other documentation that outlines how the personal extenuating circumstances hindered the student’s ability to drop the class prior to the deadline should be provided with the petition.
While I do not doubt the seriousness of the extenuating circumstances you described in your petition letter, and I appreciate the documentation that you provided from your brother, unfortunately, your request does not meet the requirements set out in Regulation 1.7.1.2, which calls for a medical certificate or comparable documentation. Although it is clear you were experiencing challenges, the information provided does not establish why you were unable to drop these courses by the deadline. Specifically, in the case of BIOL 103, the instructor of this course has suggested that you missed a significant number of assignments prior to the drop deadline, which might reasonably have indicated that withdrawing from the course would be in your best interest during the term. Given the lack of documentation specifically explaining your inability to drop the courses on time, I am unable to grant this part of your request.
If you are concerned with the impact that these courses have on your GPA, I would suggest that you consider repeating them in a future term. When repeating the exact same course code, both attempts will appear on your transcrip, but only the higher grade will be included within the calculation of your cumulative GPA.
As you continue in your course of study it is your responsibility to take steps for the successful completion of your program and maintain a GPA consistent with the requirements of your plan. These are some strategies that I strongly encourage you to consider:
Choose courses carefully. As you know, achieving a higher grade in a repeated course will improve your GPA. This course of action will help to ensure you will be in good academic standing and not at risk of being required to withdraw in a future year.
Reflect on your program choice. Are you in the right plan for your interests and aptitudes? Your Academic Advisement Report in SOLUS will allow you to see your remaining requirements and help you plan out future courses. You can read about the other program/plan options that may interest you in the Academic Calendar at queensu.ca/academic-calendar/arts-science/schools-departments-programs/.
Seek out the advice necessary to improve your academic performance. The Arts and Science Faculty Office is located in Dunning Hall (main floor). You can meet with an Academic Advisor online at queensu.ca/artsci/undergrad-students/student-services/academic-advising. Academic advising may also be available through the Department of the Plan that you are pursuing.
Student Academic Success Services (SASS) sass.queensu.ca/ in Stauffer Library provides a range of services, including workshops designed to improve study skills and develop strategies for meeting the demands of academic life.
The Student Wellness Services Centre queensu.ca/studentwellness/ located in Mitchell Hall, is available to all Queen’s students. SWS offers counselling as well as individual consultation to aid in coping with difficulties of a more personal nature.
Academic Consideration is a process for the university community to provide a compassionate response to assist students experiencing a short-term extenuating circumstance. You can familiarize yourself with your consideration options at: queensu.ca/artsci/accommodations.
Additionally, if you wish to appeal this decision, you are welcome to submit an appeal to the Board of Studies. 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 wish you success in your studies next year.
Sincerely,
Scott-Morgan Straker
Associate Dean (Acting)
Generated June 26, 2025 at 10:08:27 AM.