Petition Letter
July 12, 2024
Katie Donsky
Student ID: 20413888
43 Coldstream Ave.
Toronto, Ontario, M5N 1X7
E: 22glv4@queensu.ca
C: 647-991-5284
Dunning Hall – First Floor,
94 University Avenue
Queen’s University
Kingston, ON Canada
K7L 3N6
Dear Dr. Jenn Stephenson, Associate Dean (Academic) Faculty of Arts and Science
Re: Petition to Waive 21- Day Appeal Deadline
Thank you in advance for taking the time to assess my submission request to waive the 21-day petition deadline. My name is Katie Donsky. On June 29th, 2024, I finally found the courage to open my laptop and read my emails from Queens. I discovered that I had received the devastating letter requiring me to withdraw for one year from the Faculty of Arts and Science. Shortly thereafter, I also learned that I had missed the petition deadline to request a waive requirement to withdraw for one year.
I immediately scheduled the earliest available meeting with Ms. Mary Buynak, from the QSAS office. This meeting took place on Thursday July 4th, 2024. Subsequently, I arranged an urgent meeting with student advisor Ms. Jenna King from the academic advisory team, which took place on July 9th, 2024.
I take complete responsibility for missing the above petition deadline. I have learned the hard way, that avoiding potentially difficult and or disappointing news only sets me back further and perpetuates feelings of anxiety, hopelessness and helplessness. I recognize the importance of keeping up with reading emails and any other necessary forms of communication that require a response from me in a timely manner.
As a first-year student at Queen’s, I was excited to begin this new chapter in my life. Unfortunately, I had a very difficult time managing my mental health and my Type 1 diabetes. All of this in short, greatly impacted my academic performance and eventually my self-confidence. By the winter term, I was trying to process what I was going through and regrettably I did not share my feelings of failure and despair with anyone including my family or doctor. As my situation worsened, I felt completely immobilized, I finally confided in my parents, and with their support, I have taken several steps to address these challenges. I contacted the QSAS office and began the process of obtaining academic accommodations. Please see attached supporting documents.
In addition, I met with my family doctor who determined that my current medications were not working. She did not feel that changing my medications while in Kingston would be safe and determined that the necessary changes should be done once I was home in Toronto at the end of the semester.
Since I have returned home for the summer, I have begun weekly sessions with my therapist, which will continue throughout the year.
My lack of following up, and avoiding emails, and anything else that felt daunting, was all part of my anxiety, fear of failing, my lack of communication with my supports and last but not least my medications that were simply not effective.
As a result, I am respectfully requesting your approval to the Waive 21- day appeal deadline. If you require any further information, I am happy to provide you with whatever you need.
Sincerely,
Katie Donsky
Katie Donsky
Student ID: 20413888
43 Coldstream Ave.
Toronto, Ontario, M5N 1X7
E: 22glv4@queensu.ca
C: 647-991-5284
Dunning Hall – First Floor,
94 University Avenue
Queen’s University
Kingston, ON Canada
K7L 3N6
Dear Dr. Jenn Stephenson, Associate Dean (Academic) Faculty of Arts and Science
Re: Petition to Waive 21- Day Appeal Deadline
Thank you in advance for taking the time to assess my submission request to waive the 21-day petition deadline. My name is Katie Donsky. On June 29th, 2024, I finally found the courage to open my laptop and read my emails from Queens. I discovered that I had received the devastating letter requiring me to withdraw for one year from the Faculty of Arts and Science. Shortly thereafter, I also learned that I had missed the petition deadline to request a waive requirement to withdraw for one year.
I immediately scheduled the earliest available meeting with Ms. Mary Buynak, from the QSAS office. This meeting took place on Thursday July 4th, 2024. Subsequently, I arranged an urgent meeting with student advisor Ms. Jenna King from the academic advisory team, which took place on July 9th, 2024.
I take complete responsibility for missing the above petition deadline. I have learned the hard way, that avoiding potentially difficult and or disappointing news only sets me back further and perpetuates feelings of anxiety, hopelessness and helplessness. I recognize the importance of keeping up with reading emails and any other necessary forms of communication that require a response from me in a timely manner.
As a first-year student at Queen’s, I was excited to begin this new chapter in my life. Unfortunately, I had a very difficult time managing my mental health and my Type 1 diabetes. All of this in short, greatly impacted my academic performance and eventually my self-confidence. By the winter term, I was trying to process what I was going through and regrettably I did not share my feelings of failure and despair with anyone including my family or doctor. As my situation worsened, I felt completely immobilized, I finally confided in my parents, and with their support, I have taken several steps to address these challenges. I contacted the QSAS office and began the process of obtaining academic accommodations. Please see attached supporting documents.
In addition, I met with my family doctor who determined that my current medications were not working. She did not feel that changing my medications while in Kingston would be safe and determined that the necessary changes should be done once I was home in Toronto at the end of the semester.
Since I have returned home for the summer, I have begun weekly sessions with my therapist, which will continue throughout the year.
My lack of following up, and avoiding emails, and anything else that felt daunting, was all part of my anxiety, fear of failing, my lack of communication with my supports and last but not least my medications that were simply not effective.
As a result, I am respectfully requesting your approval to the Waive 21- day appeal deadline. If you require any further information, I am happy to provide you with whatever you need.
Sincerely,
Katie Donsky