Decision Letter
Submission Number: 13985
Decision Date: February 17, 2026
Associate Dean: Dorit Naaman (Associate Dean Academic)
Student Name: Anthony Colatosti
Student Email: 22avc@queensu.ca
Dear Anthony:
I have carefully considered your petition request to waive the petition deadline for adding a Winter 2026 course after the academic deadline. While I’m unable to grant this request, 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 and Winter term enrolment began during the 2025 Summer term in July. 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.
The deadline to add Winter term courses through SOLUS was January 16, and the petition deadline to request permission to add a course late was January 23, 2026.
I understand that a financial-related hold on your SOLUS account that prevented you from enrolling in additional courses prior to the add deadline. However, owing past-due fees to the University is not considered to be an unexpected extenuating circumstance under the Academic Appeal and Petition Regulations. While I am empathetic to your situation, and I appreciate the efforts you made to seek instructor support regarding enrollment in this course, your petition did not include documentation demonstrating that an extenuating circumstance beyond your control prevented you from submitting a petition by the January 23 deadline. As a result, I am unable to grant this request.
I want you to understand that starting a course in week 4 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. Also, according to your Academic Progress Report in SOLUS you are meeting your final degree requirements with your existing Winter term courses.
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: February 17, 2026
Associate Dean: Dorit Naaman (Associate Dean Academic)
Student Name: Anthony Colatosti
Student Email: 22avc@queensu.ca
Dear Anthony:
I have carefully considered your petition request to waive the petition deadline for adding a Winter 2026 course after the academic deadline. While I’m unable to grant this request, 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 and Winter term enrolment began during the 2025 Summer term in July. 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.
The deadline to add Winter term courses through SOLUS was January 16, and the petition deadline to request permission to add a course late was January 23, 2026.
I understand that a financial-related hold on your SOLUS account that prevented you from enrolling in additional courses prior to the add deadline. However, owing past-due fees to the University is not considered to be an unexpected extenuating circumstance under the Academic Appeal and Petition Regulations. While I am empathetic to your situation, and I appreciate the efforts you made to seek instructor support regarding enrollment in this course, your petition did not include documentation demonstrating that an extenuating circumstance beyond your control prevented you from submitting a petition by the January 23 deadline. As a result, I am unable to grant this request.
I want you to understand that starting a course in week 4 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. Also, according to your Academic Progress Report in SOLUS you are meeting your final degree requirements with your existing Winter term courses.
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 February 17, 2026 at 9:58:41 AM.