Decision Letter
Submission Number: 13627
Decision Date: September 30, 2025
Associate Dean: Dorit Naaman (Associate Dean Academic)
Student Name: Lauren Jeffrey
Student Email: lauren.m.jeffrey@gmail.com
Dear Lauren:
I have carefully considered your petition request to Waive the Petition Deadline related to the last date to add a course for the 2025 Fall term and while I’m unable to grant your petition, I want to assure you that I’ve taken your circumstances into account as part of this decision.
As you know, courses must be added on SOLUS within the published deadlines. The deadlines for adding courses have been designed and established to provide sufficient time for students to obtain the relevant permission, determine their interest in the course material, to consider their ability to handle each course, and to evaluate their overall workload.
I acknowledge the circumstances that you described within your petition letter and recognize the efforts you made in seeking support for enrolment into GEOL 341 (F25). That said, Fall term course enrollment began in July, and starting a course in week 5 of a 12-week term places a student at a great disadvantage, and structurally inhibits their chance at success. Instructors are not obligated to accommodate a student for missed work resulting from late enrollment, and the academic deadlines are in place to ensure fairness and clarity for all students.
While I understand that GEOL 341 requires Department Consent, your petition did not demonstrate that an extenuating circumstance beyond your control impacted your ability to gain the appropriate permissions before the last date to add this Fall term course. In addition, your petition did not include documentation in the form of support from the instructor of the course or the Undergraduate Chair of the department of Geology.
Going forward, I suggest that you meet with your Department to discuss the possibility of taking this course in the 2026 Winter term instead.
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 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.
Sincerely,
Dorit Naaman, Ph.D.
Associate Dean (Academics)
Decision Date: September 30, 2025
Associate Dean: Dorit Naaman (Associate Dean Academic)
Student Name: Lauren Jeffrey
Student Email: lauren.m.jeffrey@gmail.com
Dear Lauren:
I have carefully considered your petition request to Waive the Petition Deadline related to the last date to add a course for the 2025 Fall term and while I’m unable to grant your petition, I want to assure you that I’ve taken your circumstances into account as part of this decision.
As you know, courses must be added on SOLUS within the published deadlines. The deadlines for adding courses have been designed and established to provide sufficient time for students to obtain the relevant permission, determine their interest in the course material, to consider their ability to handle each course, and to evaluate their overall workload.
I acknowledge the circumstances that you described within your petition letter and recognize the efforts you made in seeking support for enrolment into GEOL 341 (F25). That said, Fall term course enrollment began in July, and starting a course in week 5 of a 12-week term places a student at a great disadvantage, and structurally inhibits their chance at success. Instructors are not obligated to accommodate a student for missed work resulting from late enrollment, and the academic deadlines are in place to ensure fairness and clarity for all students.
While I understand that GEOL 341 requires Department Consent, your petition did not demonstrate that an extenuating circumstance beyond your control impacted your ability to gain the appropriate permissions before the last date to add this Fall term course. In addition, your petition did not include documentation in the form of support from the instructor of the course or the Undergraduate Chair of the department of Geology.
Going forward, I suggest that you meet with your Department to discuss the possibility of taking this course in the 2026 Winter term instead.
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 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.
Sincerely,
Dorit Naaman, Ph.D.
Associate Dean (Academics)
Generated September 30, 2025 at 9:47:22 AM.