Petition Letter
March 29th, 2025
Dear Associate Dean, my name is Gillian Snider and I’m a second year student at Queen’s University. I am petitioning to have four courses from the Fall 2024 semester removed from my transcript and for a tuition refund to be issued. The four courses in question are GNDS 212, GNDS 211, HIST 223 and HIST 295.
I was unable to successfully complete these courses due to the following extenuating circumstances, I suffer from multiple mental illnesses that can greatly hinder my ability to function successfully on a day to day basis and to perform academically. I submitted details about my illnesses when first applying for my academic accommodations via the QSAS process. I have also submitted a recent off campus physician’s letter to provide more details about my mental state during the fall semester.
This past semester I experienced more acute symptoms than normal. Due to my mental illnesses, seasons like fall and winter are difficult for me. During these seasons some of my symptoms such as visual and auditory hallucinations can be exasperated. I experience these symptoms every day which can impact my sleep as well as my motivation which in turn make it challenging for me to get my work done and meet deadlines.
One of my academic accommodations is that I have additional time to complete my work. I was under the incorrect impression that my professors and TAs were aware of my accommodations without me explicitly talking with them. This misunderstanding resulted in me receiving late penalties for numerous assignments which adversely affected my grades. These results further triggered my anxiety, which made it difficult for me to reach out to my professors and TAs for help clarifying the issue.
In an attempt to cope with my mental health issues, I talk to family members and participate in regular therapy appointments while also taking my prescribed medications daily. While having these conversations with family or my therapist, we discuss ways to help me persevere, exercises to calm me down, and things to help improve my situation.
For future plans to help me succeed academically, I’m going to take a reduced course load. For the Winter 2025 semester I am currently taking three courses. I am going to increase the frequency of my therapy sessions and I am also planning to do a better job advocating for myself including discussing my academic accommodations with my professors and TAs. I am also going to start using the Queen’s academic resources such as SASS for help with my academic writing and will be enrolling in WRIT 125, Fundamentals of Academic Essay Writing.
I appreciate your consideration in this matter and look forward to your response.
Sincerely,
Gillian Snider
22XCPK@queensu.ca
20409216
Dear Associate Dean, my name is Gillian Snider and I’m a second year student at Queen’s University. I am petitioning to have four courses from the Fall 2024 semester removed from my transcript and for a tuition refund to be issued. The four courses in question are GNDS 212, GNDS 211, HIST 223 and HIST 295.
I was unable to successfully complete these courses due to the following extenuating circumstances, I suffer from multiple mental illnesses that can greatly hinder my ability to function successfully on a day to day basis and to perform academically. I submitted details about my illnesses when first applying for my academic accommodations via the QSAS process. I have also submitted a recent off campus physician’s letter to provide more details about my mental state during the fall semester.
This past semester I experienced more acute symptoms than normal. Due to my mental illnesses, seasons like fall and winter are difficult for me. During these seasons some of my symptoms such as visual and auditory hallucinations can be exasperated. I experience these symptoms every day which can impact my sleep as well as my motivation which in turn make it challenging for me to get my work done and meet deadlines.
One of my academic accommodations is that I have additional time to complete my work. I was under the incorrect impression that my professors and TAs were aware of my accommodations without me explicitly talking with them. This misunderstanding resulted in me receiving late penalties for numerous assignments which adversely affected my grades. These results further triggered my anxiety, which made it difficult for me to reach out to my professors and TAs for help clarifying the issue.
In an attempt to cope with my mental health issues, I talk to family members and participate in regular therapy appointments while also taking my prescribed medications daily. While having these conversations with family or my therapist, we discuss ways to help me persevere, exercises to calm me down, and things to help improve my situation.
For future plans to help me succeed academically, I’m going to take a reduced course load. For the Winter 2025 semester I am currently taking three courses. I am going to increase the frequency of my therapy sessions and I am also planning to do a better job advocating for myself including discussing my academic accommodations with my professors and TAs. I am also going to start using the Queen’s academic resources such as SASS for help with my academic writing and will be enrolling in WRIT 125, Fundamentals of Academic Essay Writing.
I appreciate your consideration in this matter and look forward to your response.
Sincerely,
Gillian Snider
22XCPK@queensu.ca
20409216