Petition Letter
Dear Associate Dean,
I am petitioning to have my final grade in PHIL 204 changed from a numerical letter grade to Credit (CR) standing. Two overlapping, uncontrollable factors prevented my performance in this course from accurately reflecting my abilities: (1) the six-week CUPE 901 strike and university lock-out of teaching staff from 9 March to 22 April 2025, and (2) multiple health complications that required three separate, approved Academic Consideration requests earlier this term.
Strike-related disruption (9 March – 22 April)
Immediate communication blackout. At 11 p.m. on 9 March the union went on strike; by 1 a.m. Queen’s IT disabled all instructor accounts. For PHIL 204 this meant zero contact with our professor, no access to OnQ announcements, and no clarity on assignment deadlines or grading changes for six weeks.
Uncertain assessment scheme. The second essay (originally due 18 March) and the take-home final were left in limbo. Because no revised syllabus or weighting was available, any work I completed during the strike was speculative.
Late, condensed timelines. Only on 22 April did our instructor regain access and inform us that: grades must be submitted by 7 May; outstanding assignments could be submitted only until 27 April (a five-day window); the final grading scheme was still being re-weighted on the fly.
This compressed schedule made it impossible to produce the same quality of work I would under normal academic conditions.
Documented health complications (February – March)
Academic Consideration #1 (Feb 3 – 9): Medical Complication (note attached).
Academic Consideration #2 (Feb 9 – 27): Medical Complication (note attached).
Academic Consideration #3 (Mar 17 - Apr 1): Medical Complication (note attached).
Each request was approved, but the cumulative impact left me playing academic catch-up well before the strike began. When the course effectively shut down on 9 March, the uncertainty eliminated any realistic opportunity to stabilize my performance.
The Associate Dean (Studies) has already indicated that the strike qualifies as an extenuating circumstance eligible for a CR conversion. Given the objective obstacles detailed above, a numeric grade this term would disproportionately depress my GPA and misrepresent my academic ability. Converting PHIL 204 to CR will prevent one extraordinary semester from distorting my overall record while still acknowledging that I met the essential learning outcomes for the course.
I am petitioning to have my final grade in PHIL 204 changed from a numerical letter grade to Credit (CR) standing. Two overlapping, uncontrollable factors prevented my performance in this course from accurately reflecting my abilities: (1) the six-week CUPE 901 strike and university lock-out of teaching staff from 9 March to 22 April 2025, and (2) multiple health complications that required three separate, approved Academic Consideration requests earlier this term.
Strike-related disruption (9 March – 22 April)
Immediate communication blackout. At 11 p.m. on 9 March the union went on strike; by 1 a.m. Queen’s IT disabled all instructor accounts. For PHIL 204 this meant zero contact with our professor, no access to OnQ announcements, and no clarity on assignment deadlines or grading changes for six weeks.
Uncertain assessment scheme. The second essay (originally due 18 March) and the take-home final were left in limbo. Because no revised syllabus or weighting was available, any work I completed during the strike was speculative.
Late, condensed timelines. Only on 22 April did our instructor regain access and inform us that: grades must be submitted by 7 May; outstanding assignments could be submitted only until 27 April (a five-day window); the final grading scheme was still being re-weighted on the fly.
This compressed schedule made it impossible to produce the same quality of work I would under normal academic conditions.
Documented health complications (February – March)
Academic Consideration #1 (Feb 3 – 9): Medical Complication (note attached).
Academic Consideration #2 (Feb 9 – 27): Medical Complication (note attached).
Academic Consideration #3 (Mar 17 - Apr 1): Medical Complication (note attached).
Each request was approved, but the cumulative impact left me playing academic catch-up well before the strike began. When the course effectively shut down on 9 March, the uncertainty eliminated any realistic opportunity to stabilize my performance.
The Associate Dean (Studies) has already indicated that the strike qualifies as an extenuating circumstance eligible for a CR conversion. Given the objective obstacles detailed above, a numeric grade this term would disproportionately depress my GPA and misrepresent my academic ability. Converting PHIL 204 to CR will prevent one extraordinary semester from distorting my overall record while still acknowledging that I met the essential learning outcomes for the course.