Petition Letter
I am writing to formally petition the “Fail” grade I received for the Engagement component of my ICL820 course in the Graduate Diploma in Immigration and Citizenship Law. I believe this outcome does not accurately reflect my academic engagement or intent, and I respectfully request a review based on extenuating circumstances and possible technical issues that affected my submission.
Despite facing significant personal and professional challenges this term—including consistently overtime at work in a high-stress role while managing my academic responsibilities alone—I remained deeply committed to the program. I studied diligently and was able to score 85% on the final exam, demonstrating my knowledge and investment in the course material.
The “Fail” grade appears to stem from a missed submission of the academic integrity undertaking, which I had prepared on time. Unfortunately, my personal laptop frequently encounters errors when uploading files to onQ. I’ve included a screenshot of one such error (from another course), which shows the system’s failure to upload my documents. On the due date (April 14), after multiple unsuccessful upload attempts, I transferred the file to a friend’s computer and submitted it late—likely under the wrong assignment due to the rush and stress of the situation.
These technical difficulties, combined with the high workload I’m balancing, contributed to the error. I accept responsibility for not notifying the instructors sooner, but I genuinely believed the system would alert me, as it had in another course (ICL810), where students were notified of missing engagement items and given the opportunity to correct them.
To address this issue, I emailed both course instructors on April 25 and followed up again on April 30 and again on May 1st . As of today, May 2nd, I have not received a response. I would very much appreciate the opportunity to explain my situation more fully and provide any supporting documentation.
I have consistently attended tutorials, completed assignments, and actively engaged in discussion forums. While I recognize areas where I can grow—particularly in specificity and detail in my skills reflection—I respectfully submit that these circumstances do not warrant a failing engagement grade, especially when viewed in light of my demonstrated effort and academic integrity throughout the course.
I am committed to correcting the technical issues that caused this situation, and I have already contacted IT services for support. I am also committed to implementing instructor feedback in the next term. However, failing this course would pose a serious hardship, delaying my progress and incurring financial strain I am already struggling to manage.
Thank you for taking the time to consider my petition. I am grateful for the learning I’ve received through this program and remain committed to completing it successfully.
Sincerely,
Nayara Schmitz
Despite facing significant personal and professional challenges this term—including consistently overtime at work in a high-stress role while managing my academic responsibilities alone—I remained deeply committed to the program. I studied diligently and was able to score 85% on the final exam, demonstrating my knowledge and investment in the course material.
The “Fail” grade appears to stem from a missed submission of the academic integrity undertaking, which I had prepared on time. Unfortunately, my personal laptop frequently encounters errors when uploading files to onQ. I’ve included a screenshot of one such error (from another course), which shows the system’s failure to upload my documents. On the due date (April 14), after multiple unsuccessful upload attempts, I transferred the file to a friend’s computer and submitted it late—likely under the wrong assignment due to the rush and stress of the situation.
These technical difficulties, combined with the high workload I’m balancing, contributed to the error. I accept responsibility for not notifying the instructors sooner, but I genuinely believed the system would alert me, as it had in another course (ICL810), where students were notified of missing engagement items and given the opportunity to correct them.
To address this issue, I emailed both course instructors on April 25 and followed up again on April 30 and again on May 1st . As of today, May 2nd, I have not received a response. I would very much appreciate the opportunity to explain my situation more fully and provide any supporting documentation.
I have consistently attended tutorials, completed assignments, and actively engaged in discussion forums. While I recognize areas where I can grow—particularly in specificity and detail in my skills reflection—I respectfully submit that these circumstances do not warrant a failing engagement grade, especially when viewed in light of my demonstrated effort and academic integrity throughout the course.
I am committed to correcting the technical issues that caused this situation, and I have already contacted IT services for support. I am also committed to implementing instructor feedback in the next term. However, failing this course would pose a serious hardship, delaying my progress and incurring financial strain I am already struggling to manage.
Thank you for taking the time to consider my petition. I am grateful for the learning I’ve received through this program and remain committed to completing it successfully.
Sincerely,
Nayara Schmitz