Petition Letter
To the Academic Appeals Committee,
I am respectfully requesting the removal of my Winter 2026 grades CHEM 321, HIST 223, and CLST 209 from my academic record due to exceptional personal and medical circumstances that substantially impaired my ability to participate in and complete my academic responsibilities during that semester.
In February 2025, my mother passed away. I initially attempted to continue with my studies and maintain my responsibilities, but I severely underestimated the long-term impact that her death would have on my mental health and daily functioning. Rather than improving with time, my grief intensified as I began to fully process the reality of the loss. As noted in the attached letter from my grief counsellor, my ability to concentrate was profoundly affected by this experience.
At the same time, I was struggling with depression and ADHD, both of which further complicated my ability to cope with my grief and maintain my academic responsibilities. The combination of these challenges resulted in a significant deterioration in my ability to function academically and personally throughout the Winter 2026 semester.
My difficulties extended well beyond poor academic performance. During this period, I frequently slept excessively, struggled to maintain basic self-care, and often neglected regular meals. I became increasingly withdrawn and isolated. As I fell behind academically, I became overwhelmed by feelings of anxiety, guilt, and fear regarding my coursework. Rather than addressing missed assignments and deadlines, I began avoiding emails and course communications altogether because seeing how far behind I had fallen wa terrifying and completely overwhelming. Days and weeks often passed without me fully appreciating the passage of time, and tasks that would normally have been manageable became increasingly difficult to complete.
These challenges obviously had a direct impact on my academic performance. I missed classes, assignments, tests, and examinations throughout the semester. As the semester progressed, I eventually stopped attending classes altogether. There were occasions where I completed coursework but was unable to submit it because I lacked the capacity to follow through on even basic academic and administrative tasks. My academic difficulties were not the result of a lack of effort, motivation, or commitment to my education. Rather, they reflected the extent to which grief, depression, and impaired functioning had affected my ability to participate in university life.
I recognize that I did not withdraw from my courses before the applicable deadlines. I would like to explain that this was not because I had abandoned my studies or accepted failure. Throughout much of the semester, I genuinely believed that I would be able to recover academically and complete my coursework. I continued to hope that I could catch up despite mounting difficulties. The fear of what my family and my father would think of me if I withdrew from all my courses overwhelmed me and only worsened my condition. By the time it became clear that I could not successfully complete the semester, I felt incapable of navigating the administrative processes necessary to withdraw from my courses. The same circumstances that prevented me from attending classes, completing assignments, and responding to academic communications also prevented me from taking the steps required to formally withdraw before the deadlines passed.
Despite these challenges, I did seek support. I attended grief support programming through Queen's University and remained engaged with my grief counsellor throughout this period. The attached letter confirms both my participation in these supports and the significant impact that grief had on my concentration and overall functioning.
The outcome of the Winter 2026 semester reflects the severity of these circumstances. I failed every course in which I was enrolled, including one course in which I was ultimately unable to participate. While my academic record is not without challenges, I have previously demonstrated my academic ability, including earning A-range grades in some courses. The results from Winter 2026 are not representative of my academic potential or effort. Rather, they reflect a period during which I was experiencing extraordinary personal and mental health difficulties that significantly impaired my ability to function.
Since that semester, I have taken meaningful steps toward recovery and academic re-engagement. I am receiving additional support, continuing treatment, and actively working to rebuild my academic standing. I am currently enrolled in a summer course as part of this process and remain committed to completing my degree successfully.
I have attached supporting documentation, including my mother's death certificate and a letter from my grief counsellor. Together, these documents provide evidence of the circumstances described above and the impact they had on my academic performance during the Winter 2026 semester.
I respectfully ask the committee to consider these exceptional circumstances and approve the removal of my Winter 2026 grades from my academic record. Thank you for your time, consideration, and understanding.
Sincerely,
Gabriel Wood
I am respectfully requesting the removal of my Winter 2026 grades CHEM 321, HIST 223, and CLST 209 from my academic record due to exceptional personal and medical circumstances that substantially impaired my ability to participate in and complete my academic responsibilities during that semester.
In February 2025, my mother passed away. I initially attempted to continue with my studies and maintain my responsibilities, but I severely underestimated the long-term impact that her death would have on my mental health and daily functioning. Rather than improving with time, my grief intensified as I began to fully process the reality of the loss. As noted in the attached letter from my grief counsellor, my ability to concentrate was profoundly affected by this experience.
At the same time, I was struggling with depression and ADHD, both of which further complicated my ability to cope with my grief and maintain my academic responsibilities. The combination of these challenges resulted in a significant deterioration in my ability to function academically and personally throughout the Winter 2026 semester.
My difficulties extended well beyond poor academic performance. During this period, I frequently slept excessively, struggled to maintain basic self-care, and often neglected regular meals. I became increasingly withdrawn and isolated. As I fell behind academically, I became overwhelmed by feelings of anxiety, guilt, and fear regarding my coursework. Rather than addressing missed assignments and deadlines, I began avoiding emails and course communications altogether because seeing how far behind I had fallen wa terrifying and completely overwhelming. Days and weeks often passed without me fully appreciating the passage of time, and tasks that would normally have been manageable became increasingly difficult to complete.
These challenges obviously had a direct impact on my academic performance. I missed classes, assignments, tests, and examinations throughout the semester. As the semester progressed, I eventually stopped attending classes altogether. There were occasions where I completed coursework but was unable to submit it because I lacked the capacity to follow through on even basic academic and administrative tasks. My academic difficulties were not the result of a lack of effort, motivation, or commitment to my education. Rather, they reflected the extent to which grief, depression, and impaired functioning had affected my ability to participate in university life.
I recognize that I did not withdraw from my courses before the applicable deadlines. I would like to explain that this was not because I had abandoned my studies or accepted failure. Throughout much of the semester, I genuinely believed that I would be able to recover academically and complete my coursework. I continued to hope that I could catch up despite mounting difficulties. The fear of what my family and my father would think of me if I withdrew from all my courses overwhelmed me and only worsened my condition. By the time it became clear that I could not successfully complete the semester, I felt incapable of navigating the administrative processes necessary to withdraw from my courses. The same circumstances that prevented me from attending classes, completing assignments, and responding to academic communications also prevented me from taking the steps required to formally withdraw before the deadlines passed.
Despite these challenges, I did seek support. I attended grief support programming through Queen's University and remained engaged with my grief counsellor throughout this period. The attached letter confirms both my participation in these supports and the significant impact that grief had on my concentration and overall functioning.
The outcome of the Winter 2026 semester reflects the severity of these circumstances. I failed every course in which I was enrolled, including one course in which I was ultimately unable to participate. While my academic record is not without challenges, I have previously demonstrated my academic ability, including earning A-range grades in some courses. The results from Winter 2026 are not representative of my academic potential or effort. Rather, they reflect a period during which I was experiencing extraordinary personal and mental health difficulties that significantly impaired my ability to function.
Since that semester, I have taken meaningful steps toward recovery and academic re-engagement. I am receiving additional support, continuing treatment, and actively working to rebuild my academic standing. I am currently enrolled in a summer course as part of this process and remain committed to completing my degree successfully.
I have attached supporting documentation, including my mother's death certificate and a letter from my grief counsellor. Together, these documents provide evidence of the circumstances described above and the impact they had on my academic performance during the Winter 2026 semester.
I respectfully ask the committee to consider these exceptional circumstances and approve the removal of my Winter 2026 grades from my academic record. Thank you for your time, consideration, and understanding.
Sincerely,
Gabriel Wood