Decision Letter
Appeal Number: 1399
Decision Date: October 2, 2015
Associate Dean: Johanne Benard, Ph.D.
Student Name: Olivier Vanasse
Student Email: 11ov@queensu.ca
Dear Mr. Vanasse:
You have recently submitted three appeals to the Associate Dean (Studies) and I have carefully considered each request. My decisions are as follows:
1. Your request to waive the appeal deadline to have an appeal heard to waive the Requirement to Withdraw for a Minimum of Three Years.
Although the June 16 deadline has passed, I do recognize the considerable difficulties you faced over the summer and for that reason, I will accept and hear your appeal requesting to waive the Requirement to Withdraw for a Minimum of Three Years.
2. Your request to drop HIST 241, HIST 241, HIST 274, HIST 340B and LLCU 320 (W 2015) past the academic deadline.
It is very clear from your appeal amendment letter and your supporting medical documentation that you have experienced some significant mental health issues over the past year and this has had a direct and negative impact on your academic studies. For this reason, I will allow a late drop of these courses.
It is important to note however, that even with the late drop of your Winter term 2015 courses and reassessment of your academic record, the Requirement to Withdraw for a Minimum of Three Years ruling still stands on your academic record.
3. Your request to waive the Requirement to Withdraw for a Minimum of Three Years.
After careful review and consultation with your counsellor, Dr. Bauermann, in Student Wellness Services, I have decided to waive the Requirement to Withdraw with some specific conditions in place which I will explain in detail below.
I would like to note that this was a difficult decision to make. I waived your previous requirement to withdraw in May 2013 and in my decision letter to you, I made some specific recommendations to help you improve your academic standing. Unfortunately, you failed to follow through on any of them and your academic record shows very little improvement to date. I am also very concerned about your current condition and whether or not it is in your best academic interests to return to your studies at this time. It appears that you are still experiencing some significant health challenges and I am not convinced that you will be able to manage them in such a way that they will not continue to negatively impact your grades. However, as part of my decision I must also take into consideration other factors, such as your overall wellbeing. Your counsellor, Dr. Bauermann, expressed some significant concerns about the potential impact that not being enrolled in school could have on your overall wellbeing. She feels that the structure of being in courses and working toward your academic goals as well as having access to all the resources available through Queen€™s will help you to manage your condition and improve your health, so long as the workload is manageable and you are able to set realistic expectations of yourself and not take on too much at a time. Taking both the academic and personal factors into consideration, I agree that allowing you to continue in your studies with the appropriate conditions in place to give you the support your need to move forward in your academic career is the best solution at this time.
As a condition of your return, I have made the decision to place you on part-time status. Note that as a part-time student you will only be allowed a maximum of 18.0 units in the Fall-Winter session with no more than 9.0 units per term. I will also ask that you schedule an appointment to meet with me prior to the drop deadlines each term to discuss your progress and make any needed adjustments to your academic plan.
It is also important to note that you will remain on academic probation and your academic record will continue to be assessed in May of each year. It is my expectation that you will successfully complete the courses you choose to register in over the winter term (or if you find that you cannot successfully complete them, you will drop them within the academic deadlines). If there is no significant improvement in your academic record by the time you have completed a further 18.0 units or more in courses, you could be required to withdraw again at that time.
If you wish to appeal the Associate Dean€™s decision to the Board of Studies, you must submit an appeal to the Board of Studies within 21 days of the date this decision was sent. Guidelines for appealing to the Board of Studies and the appeal form can be found at: http://www.queensu.ca/artsci/students-at-queens/academic-appeals (click on €œBoard of Studies€) Do not use the on-line application for this process. You may contact Mr. Harry Smith, Office of the Ombudsperson for advice on matters of procedure and on obtaining a representative. His office is located in room 421 Robert Sutherland Hall and he can be reached by phone (533-6495) or e-mail (ombuds@queensu.ca).
Upon returning to a regular course of study it is your responsibility to choose courses carefully, seek out the advice necessary to improve your academic performance, and maintain a GPA consistent with the requirements for successful completion of your plan. I hope that you will take advantage of the variety of support services available to you at Queen's. Academic counselling is available through an advisor in the Faculty of Arts and Science Student Services Office (main floor Dunning Hall, phone 533-2470) or through your Plan department. The Learning Commons in Stauffer Library also provides a range of services, including workshops designed to improve study skills and develop strategies for meeting the demands of academic life. Further, the Student Wellness Services Centre located in the LaSalle Building at 146 Stuart Street (613-533-2506) offers personal and academic counselling free of charge to all Queen's students, as well as individual consultation to aid in coping with difficulties of a more personal nature.
If you have any questions about this decision, please feel free to contact the Faculty Office for advice or assistance. I wish you success in your future studies.
Yours sincerely,
Johanne Bénard, Ph.D.
Associate Dean (Studies)
10049503Vanasse3
Decision Date: October 2, 2015
Associate Dean: Johanne Benard, Ph.D.
Student Name: Olivier Vanasse
Student Email: 11ov@queensu.ca
Dear Mr. Vanasse:
You have recently submitted three appeals to the Associate Dean (Studies) and I have carefully considered each request. My decisions are as follows:
1. Your request to waive the appeal deadline to have an appeal heard to waive the Requirement to Withdraw for a Minimum of Three Years.
Although the June 16 deadline has passed, I do recognize the considerable difficulties you faced over the summer and for that reason, I will accept and hear your appeal requesting to waive the Requirement to Withdraw for a Minimum of Three Years.
2. Your request to drop HIST 241, HIST 241, HIST 274, HIST 340B and LLCU 320 (W 2015) past the academic deadline.
It is very clear from your appeal amendment letter and your supporting medical documentation that you have experienced some significant mental health issues over the past year and this has had a direct and negative impact on your academic studies. For this reason, I will allow a late drop of these courses.
It is important to note however, that even with the late drop of your Winter term 2015 courses and reassessment of your academic record, the Requirement to Withdraw for a Minimum of Three Years ruling still stands on your academic record.
3. Your request to waive the Requirement to Withdraw for a Minimum of Three Years.
After careful review and consultation with your counsellor, Dr. Bauermann, in Student Wellness Services, I have decided to waive the Requirement to Withdraw with some specific conditions in place which I will explain in detail below.
I would like to note that this was a difficult decision to make. I waived your previous requirement to withdraw in May 2013 and in my decision letter to you, I made some specific recommendations to help you improve your academic standing. Unfortunately, you failed to follow through on any of them and your academic record shows very little improvement to date. I am also very concerned about your current condition and whether or not it is in your best academic interests to return to your studies at this time. It appears that you are still experiencing some significant health challenges and I am not convinced that you will be able to manage them in such a way that they will not continue to negatively impact your grades. However, as part of my decision I must also take into consideration other factors, such as your overall wellbeing. Your counsellor, Dr. Bauermann, expressed some significant concerns about the potential impact that not being enrolled in school could have on your overall wellbeing. She feels that the structure of being in courses and working toward your academic goals as well as having access to all the resources available through Queen€™s will help you to manage your condition and improve your health, so long as the workload is manageable and you are able to set realistic expectations of yourself and not take on too much at a time. Taking both the academic and personal factors into consideration, I agree that allowing you to continue in your studies with the appropriate conditions in place to give you the support your need to move forward in your academic career is the best solution at this time.
As a condition of your return, I have made the decision to place you on part-time status. Note that as a part-time student you will only be allowed a maximum of 18.0 units in the Fall-Winter session with no more than 9.0 units per term. I will also ask that you schedule an appointment to meet with me prior to the drop deadlines each term to discuss your progress and make any needed adjustments to your academic plan.
It is also important to note that you will remain on academic probation and your academic record will continue to be assessed in May of each year. It is my expectation that you will successfully complete the courses you choose to register in over the winter term (or if you find that you cannot successfully complete them, you will drop them within the academic deadlines). If there is no significant improvement in your academic record by the time you have completed a further 18.0 units or more in courses, you could be required to withdraw again at that time.
If you wish to appeal the Associate Dean€™s decision to the Board of Studies, you must submit an appeal to the Board of Studies within 21 days of the date this decision was sent. Guidelines for appealing to the Board of Studies and the appeal form can be found at: http://www.queensu.ca/artsci/students-at-queens/academic-appeals (click on €œBoard of Studies€) Do not use the on-line application for this process. You may contact Mr. Harry Smith, Office of the Ombudsperson for advice on matters of procedure and on obtaining a representative. His office is located in room 421 Robert Sutherland Hall and he can be reached by phone (533-6495) or e-mail (ombuds@queensu.ca).
Upon returning to a regular course of study it is your responsibility to choose courses carefully, seek out the advice necessary to improve your academic performance, and maintain a GPA consistent with the requirements for successful completion of your plan. I hope that you will take advantage of the variety of support services available to you at Queen's. Academic counselling is available through an advisor in the Faculty of Arts and Science Student Services Office (main floor Dunning Hall, phone 533-2470) or through your Plan department. The Learning Commons in Stauffer Library also provides a range of services, including workshops designed to improve study skills and develop strategies for meeting the demands of academic life. Further, the Student Wellness Services Centre located in the LaSalle Building at 146 Stuart Street (613-533-2506) offers personal and academic counselling free of charge to all Queen's students, as well as individual consultation to aid in coping with difficulties of a more personal nature.
If you have any questions about this decision, please feel free to contact the Faculty Office for advice or assistance. I wish you success in your future studies.
Yours sincerely,
Johanne Bénard, Ph.D.
Associate Dean (Studies)
10049503Vanasse3
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