Petition Letter
Dr. Hugh Horton
Associate Dean (Studies)
Faculty of Arts & Science
F-200 Mackintosh Corry Hall
Queen¿¿s University
Kingston, ON
May 7th, 2014
RE: Patrick Hoy ¿¿ Appeal to Drop HIST 241 after the Official Drop Date
Student : 5106675
DOB: 08/09/1986
Dear Dr. Horton,
My name is Patrick Hoy (Student No. 5106675), and I am a second-year student in the Faculty of Arts & Science. I am writing to you to request to be able to drop HIST 241 (Winter 2014) after the last official drop date, and also to obtain permission to enroll in one summer term correspondence course for the present semester, namely HIST 125.
Since returning to Queen¿¿s in the winter of 2013, I have made significant improvements in my personal health, which has enabled me to be more successful in my academic endeavours. While my grades from previous years were sub-par due to a history of mental health issues, since re-enrolling in classes last year I earned a B in HIST 252 (Winter 2013), a B in PSYC 241 (Winter 2013), an A in HIST 296 (Fall 2013), and an A this previous term in HIST 274 (Winter 2014).
While these results demonstrate that I have achieved a far greater level of overall stability than before and am capable of doing very well at Queen¿¿s, I do unfortunately still experience occasional personal difficulties due to the chronic nature of my mental health issues, namely Bipolar Disorder, OCD, and anxiety. Such difficulties interfered with my ability to complete the course requirements for HIST 241, and impacted my ability to drop the course on time as well.
During the winter term, I did experience some moderate levels of depression related to my Bipolar Disorder which interfered with my ability to focus on HIST 241. I have included medical documentation from my psychiatrist, Dr. Parmar, and Dr. Lacoursiere of Health, Counseling and Disability services which support this. In spite of this issue, I managed to attend the majority of my remaining classes, and still earned an exceptional grade in HIST 274. While I do currently have outstanding work for a second course, HIST 209, I have made arrangements with the professor, Peter Campbell, to submit the remaining assignments over the next few weeks.
As far as my inability to drop the course on time is concerned, as I have discussed with Haley Everson, the Appeals Coordinator, much of that is related to my issues with anxiety. After I had achieved an A in my fall course of HIST 296 and had my request to subsequently take 3 courses in the winter term of 2014 granted by you personally, I began to experience a significant degree of shame and worry when I found myself struggling with HIST 241 later on in the term. I was anxious about your reaction if I were to go back on my earlier request for a course overload, and ask to be removed from a course for which I had just received your special permission to be enrolled in. My level of anxiety was such that I was afraid that a failure to successfully complete all 3 courses would result in my being asked to leave Queen¿¿s for good. So I (briefly) attempted to complete the course. However, in my depressed and anxious state, that proved to be increasingly difficult, and I finally decided to drop HIST 241 and focus instead on HIST 274 and HIST 209. Unfortunately, I made my decision on the Monday after the last official drop date.
I did notify the instructor of HIST 241, Dr. Pande, that I intended to drop her course, and I did immediately contact Haley Everson about the possibility of removing HIST 241, but I was advised that I would need to go through the appeals process. I have been slightly delayed in submitting the appeal, however, as it did take some time to obtain the appropriate medical documentation, and I have also recently been recovering from strep throat.
Obtaining permission to enroll in one particular course this summer (HIST 125) is itself a critical part of my personal academic plan. My primary objective at the moment is to gain admittance to the History Department. I have been in contact with Prof. D¿¿Elia, the undergraduate chair of the department, who advised me that in order to enter the department, I would need a B average in History courses, as well as to have completed a first-year History course. While I am on the way to achieving this given my recent results, my numerous failures from previous years (when my mental health situation was much more serious) may make entry difficult. Therefore, I will need to earn some History credits this summer to considerably boost my average, and attempt to clean up my transcript.
I have already successfully completed HIST 125, but I achieved a low mark (53). Ms. Everson informed me that should I take the course again, and achieve a higher grade, this new grade would replace the previous one, which would no longer be counted in my GPA. I am absolutely confident that I will be able to do well in this course, as I am very familiar with the material, having completed AP European History in High School, and having taken the equivalent again at Queen's. Further, having achieved both an A and an A in second-year history courses this year, I believe I will definitely be able to do the same in a first-year survey course.
I have put considerable thought into what steps I will need to undertake in order to ensure my academic success in the future. For one, I am presently being treated by my psychiatrist at Health, Counseling and Disability Services, Dr. Parmar, on a regular basis, and as described in his letter, I will continue to be followed by himself and Dr. Stephen McNevin throughout the summer and into the following school year.
Secondly, I have already re-registered with Disability Services and recently had an appointment with Jeanette Parsons, the Disability Services Advisor, wherein the office approved a number of academic accommodations for me for the summer term, including being given extra time on exams and assignments, as well as the option to write in a separate room during tests. Should I be granted permission to register in HIST 125 this summer, I will now be able to immediately provide this documentation to the instructor, Dr. Trofimov, so that he is aware of my personal situation, and the two of us will be able to stay on top of things should any difficulties develop.
Thirdly, I am continuing to see Linda Williams at Learning Strategies at Stauffer Library, who has provided me with invaluable guidance in terms of learning how to manage time effectively, complete assignments, and structure my day.
Fourth, I recently completed a Mindfulness Meditation program run by Dr. Joan Lacoursiere through HCDS which has been useful for learning how to manage my anxiety and depression. Dr. Lacoursiere has also provided me with a number of additional mindfulness resources which I intend to use to further develop my personal meditation practice.
And finally, so as to avoid the type of situation which developed this past term regarding my anxiety surrounding dropping HIST 241 and missing the last official drop date, I would request that I be allowed to meet regularly, perhaps on a monthly basis, with Haley Everson, or another Academic Advisor at Student Services, simply to check in with them regarding my academic and personal status. While I am confident I will continue to achieve excellent results at Queen¿¿s, due to the nature of my illness, it is difficult to say that I will not at some point experience some type of issues in the future, which may possibly impact my ability to complete my work. Therefore, by having set appointments with an Academic Advisor, should any such negative situations arise which might jeopardize my status, I would be able to receive the proper guidance with regards to dropping any courses, if necessary, well before the stated deadlines.
I have already made arrangements to stay in Kingston this summer, as my intention is primarily to focus on school for the next few months, and I wish to have access to all the resources that Queen¿¿s affords in order to ensure my health and personal success. I was initially planning on requesting to be enrolled in two courses this summer, but given my experience with HIST 241, I think it would be wiser to start with just HIST 125. I am not presently employed, and thus apart from my regular appointments with various doctors and counselors, and some volunteer work which I have recently begun, I will be able to focus exclusively on my coursework for the next few months. In fact, apart from finishing my remaining assignments for HIST 209 in the next few weeks, completing HIST 125 would be my only responsibility for the summer. Therefore, since I am not presently working, being able to take the course would be essential to giving my summer months a form of structure and purpose, in addition to setting myself up for future academic success and gaining admittance to the academic department of my choice.
As the summer term has already begun (as of Monday), I eagerly await your response to my appeal to drop HIST 241, and to sign up for HIST 125. I hope that I have presented a strong case in support of my request. I am looking forward to implementing my new academic plan immediately, and am also willing to meet with you and Ms. Everson at any time in the near future if you wish to discuss this situation with me in person, and to make any further arrangements regarding my academic status at Queen¿¿s.
Thank you,
Patrick Hoy (Student No. 5106675)
Associate Dean (Studies)
Faculty of Arts & Science
F-200 Mackintosh Corry Hall
Queen¿¿s University
Kingston, ON
May 7th, 2014
RE: Patrick Hoy ¿¿ Appeal to Drop HIST 241 after the Official Drop Date
Student : 5106675
DOB: 08/09/1986
Dear Dr. Horton,
My name is Patrick Hoy (Student No. 5106675), and I am a second-year student in the Faculty of Arts & Science. I am writing to you to request to be able to drop HIST 241 (Winter 2014) after the last official drop date, and also to obtain permission to enroll in one summer term correspondence course for the present semester, namely HIST 125.
Since returning to Queen¿¿s in the winter of 2013, I have made significant improvements in my personal health, which has enabled me to be more successful in my academic endeavours. While my grades from previous years were sub-par due to a history of mental health issues, since re-enrolling in classes last year I earned a B in HIST 252 (Winter 2013), a B in PSYC 241 (Winter 2013), an A in HIST 296 (Fall 2013), and an A this previous term in HIST 274 (Winter 2014).
While these results demonstrate that I have achieved a far greater level of overall stability than before and am capable of doing very well at Queen¿¿s, I do unfortunately still experience occasional personal difficulties due to the chronic nature of my mental health issues, namely Bipolar Disorder, OCD, and anxiety. Such difficulties interfered with my ability to complete the course requirements for HIST 241, and impacted my ability to drop the course on time as well.
During the winter term, I did experience some moderate levels of depression related to my Bipolar Disorder which interfered with my ability to focus on HIST 241. I have included medical documentation from my psychiatrist, Dr. Parmar, and Dr. Lacoursiere of Health, Counseling and Disability services which support this. In spite of this issue, I managed to attend the majority of my remaining classes, and still earned an exceptional grade in HIST 274. While I do currently have outstanding work for a second course, HIST 209, I have made arrangements with the professor, Peter Campbell, to submit the remaining assignments over the next few weeks.
As far as my inability to drop the course on time is concerned, as I have discussed with Haley Everson, the Appeals Coordinator, much of that is related to my issues with anxiety. After I had achieved an A in my fall course of HIST 296 and had my request to subsequently take 3 courses in the winter term of 2014 granted by you personally, I began to experience a significant degree of shame and worry when I found myself struggling with HIST 241 later on in the term. I was anxious about your reaction if I were to go back on my earlier request for a course overload, and ask to be removed from a course for which I had just received your special permission to be enrolled in. My level of anxiety was such that I was afraid that a failure to successfully complete all 3 courses would result in my being asked to leave Queen¿¿s for good. So I (briefly) attempted to complete the course. However, in my depressed and anxious state, that proved to be increasingly difficult, and I finally decided to drop HIST 241 and focus instead on HIST 274 and HIST 209. Unfortunately, I made my decision on the Monday after the last official drop date.
I did notify the instructor of HIST 241, Dr. Pande, that I intended to drop her course, and I did immediately contact Haley Everson about the possibility of removing HIST 241, but I was advised that I would need to go through the appeals process. I have been slightly delayed in submitting the appeal, however, as it did take some time to obtain the appropriate medical documentation, and I have also recently been recovering from strep throat.
Obtaining permission to enroll in one particular course this summer (HIST 125) is itself a critical part of my personal academic plan. My primary objective at the moment is to gain admittance to the History Department. I have been in contact with Prof. D¿¿Elia, the undergraduate chair of the department, who advised me that in order to enter the department, I would need a B average in History courses, as well as to have completed a first-year History course. While I am on the way to achieving this given my recent results, my numerous failures from previous years (when my mental health situation was much more serious) may make entry difficult. Therefore, I will need to earn some History credits this summer to considerably boost my average, and attempt to clean up my transcript.
I have already successfully completed HIST 125, but I achieved a low mark (53). Ms. Everson informed me that should I take the course again, and achieve a higher grade, this new grade would replace the previous one, which would no longer be counted in my GPA. I am absolutely confident that I will be able to do well in this course, as I am very familiar with the material, having completed AP European History in High School, and having taken the equivalent again at Queen's. Further, having achieved both an A and an A in second-year history courses this year, I believe I will definitely be able to do the same in a first-year survey course.
I have put considerable thought into what steps I will need to undertake in order to ensure my academic success in the future. For one, I am presently being treated by my psychiatrist at Health, Counseling and Disability Services, Dr. Parmar, on a regular basis, and as described in his letter, I will continue to be followed by himself and Dr. Stephen McNevin throughout the summer and into the following school year.
Secondly, I have already re-registered with Disability Services and recently had an appointment with Jeanette Parsons, the Disability Services Advisor, wherein the office approved a number of academic accommodations for me for the summer term, including being given extra time on exams and assignments, as well as the option to write in a separate room during tests. Should I be granted permission to register in HIST 125 this summer, I will now be able to immediately provide this documentation to the instructor, Dr. Trofimov, so that he is aware of my personal situation, and the two of us will be able to stay on top of things should any difficulties develop.
Thirdly, I am continuing to see Linda Williams at Learning Strategies at Stauffer Library, who has provided me with invaluable guidance in terms of learning how to manage time effectively, complete assignments, and structure my day.
Fourth, I recently completed a Mindfulness Meditation program run by Dr. Joan Lacoursiere through HCDS which has been useful for learning how to manage my anxiety and depression. Dr. Lacoursiere has also provided me with a number of additional mindfulness resources which I intend to use to further develop my personal meditation practice.
And finally, so as to avoid the type of situation which developed this past term regarding my anxiety surrounding dropping HIST 241 and missing the last official drop date, I would request that I be allowed to meet regularly, perhaps on a monthly basis, with Haley Everson, or another Academic Advisor at Student Services, simply to check in with them regarding my academic and personal status. While I am confident I will continue to achieve excellent results at Queen¿¿s, due to the nature of my illness, it is difficult to say that I will not at some point experience some type of issues in the future, which may possibly impact my ability to complete my work. Therefore, by having set appointments with an Academic Advisor, should any such negative situations arise which might jeopardize my status, I would be able to receive the proper guidance with regards to dropping any courses, if necessary, well before the stated deadlines.
I have already made arrangements to stay in Kingston this summer, as my intention is primarily to focus on school for the next few months, and I wish to have access to all the resources that Queen¿¿s affords in order to ensure my health and personal success. I was initially planning on requesting to be enrolled in two courses this summer, but given my experience with HIST 241, I think it would be wiser to start with just HIST 125. I am not presently employed, and thus apart from my regular appointments with various doctors and counselors, and some volunteer work which I have recently begun, I will be able to focus exclusively on my coursework for the next few months. In fact, apart from finishing my remaining assignments for HIST 209 in the next few weeks, completing HIST 125 would be my only responsibility for the summer. Therefore, since I am not presently working, being able to take the course would be essential to giving my summer months a form of structure and purpose, in addition to setting myself up for future academic success and gaining admittance to the academic department of my choice.
As the summer term has already begun (as of Monday), I eagerly await your response to my appeal to drop HIST 241, and to sign up for HIST 125. I hope that I have presented a strong case in support of my request. I am looking forward to implementing my new academic plan immediately, and am also willing to meet with you and Ms. Everson at any time in the near future if you wish to discuss this situation with me in person, and to make any further arrangements regarding my academic status at Queen¿¿s.
Thank you,
Patrick Hoy (Student No. 5106675)