Petition Letter
To the Associate Dean,
I am truly sorry for submitting this appeal so late. I do not want it to seem as though I have no care for my academics or grades, or a lack of respect for the professors involved. I know you have a lot on your plate, and as this is just the first part of the appeal (to waive the 21-day/one-term deadline), I will keep it as concise as possible.
I am appealing three separate courses from the winter semester of last school year. The first two, CLST 201 and PSYC 370, I am appealing to drop after the deadline due to medical illness. During the latter part of the 2016 winter semester, I had become incredibly ill and was hospitalized in the ER at KGH. My illness lasted for several weeks and, as a result, I was unable to complete the required course work for these classes by the deadlines the professors had wanted them by, placing me in a failing position for both courses. I have medical documentation and will provide it in the next step of the appeal process if this first step is approved.
The third course, RELS 131 (a full year course), I am appealing for an extension of an Incomplete (IN) grade. Because I was sick, I asked the professor, Aditi-Sen, if I could submit the remaining portion of the course work at a time agreed upon in the summer. I had spoken to Cindy Butts, who had helped me with all of this, and she supported this. I had sorely misjudged how my summer would look like leading up to and after the deadline, however. My father had been diagnosed with cancer and he was getting worse, even after his surgery. I was still quite weak from my own recovery yet had to take on the responsibilities of my father and run the family business. I was able to complete my final exam around the agreed upon date, and did quite well, achieving a 90+ and maintaining the high A that I had in the course. Even though I was given a month before the exam date, I only managed to get less than a day of studying in before it because of my new responsibilities. That being said, I still thought that I would be able to complete the two small 10 percent essays that were left to fulfill the remaining part of the course as I had already completed one and was ready to complete the other. I did not want to extend the due date any further, especially since Professor Sen had been so kind and accommodating to me. However, right after I wrote my exam my father's health took a turn for the worst. It was very, very serious and seemed like it was the end. My mind went numb and I instantly put everything that wasn't family-related on the back burner. The time commitment was immense and the mental torture of having to balance my father's work life (of which I knew little of how to do) while watching my father's condition deteriorate was too much for me. I was dealing with constant threats of lawsuits and had to arrange loans just to make ends meet (it was a construction business). I had completely forgotten about school and my social life and was under tunnel vision. I had to forgo writing my MCAT as well, which has stopped me from applying to medical school this year, changing my plans for the future. It wasn't until much later on, when I realized I hadn't filled out all of my courses in time for school that I remembered my failure to submit my assignments to my professor. I contacted Arts & Science student services (I spoke to Heather Carter), then contacted my professor explaining the situation, telling her that I would be ready to submit everything to her by September 11th if she allowed. Understandingly, she did not respond to me directly but rather some days later while awaiting a response I was sent an email by Heather letting me know that my professor would only mark my assignments if I appealed and it was approved. It then took me some time to gather all of the documents required to submit the appeal. I was meaning to submit it before the September 15th deadline, but school instantly enveloped me as soon as it started and I haven't had time until now to submit this appeal. I wish I could turn time backward and fix this.
Additionally, I did not know that there would be a two-step process for this appeal, but rather that it would be all-in-one. After having spoken to Carrie, she told me I would have to submit this request to waive first. I apologize deeply for this as it will only further delay this entire process. My academics are INCREDIBLY important to me and I really do not wish for any further harm to come to them because of a situation that was out of my control. I'm already having to take 6 courses each semester this year to make up for the two lost this past winter. Even if I have to fight for every single mark and have sleepless nights every single day, I will make it happen. But the thought of losing a full-year course like Religions, which I worked so hard on and loved every bit of, is so incredibly scary. I can't stop thinking of what would happen to me if this appeal were to fall through and I end up with an F or CR in the course. It feels as though my future is crumbling down in front of me and I'm trying to salvage what's left of it. It is so important to me that I complete Religions fully and receive a proper a grade for it on my transcript. Otherwise, I'm not sure if I can recover. The mental distress this is putting on me is huge.
I've attached the note my doctor wrote me after I had seen him for all of this as well as a note from my sister to further support my appeal. Additionally, I've Thank you so much for the time you took to read this. I truly appreciate it.
Kindest Regards,
Aman Partap
I am truly sorry for submitting this appeal so late. I do not want it to seem as though I have no care for my academics or grades, or a lack of respect for the professors involved. I know you have a lot on your plate, and as this is just the first part of the appeal (to waive the 21-day/one-term deadline), I will keep it as concise as possible.
I am appealing three separate courses from the winter semester of last school year. The first two, CLST 201 and PSYC 370, I am appealing to drop after the deadline due to medical illness. During the latter part of the 2016 winter semester, I had become incredibly ill and was hospitalized in the ER at KGH. My illness lasted for several weeks and, as a result, I was unable to complete the required course work for these classes by the deadlines the professors had wanted them by, placing me in a failing position for both courses. I have medical documentation and will provide it in the next step of the appeal process if this first step is approved.
The third course, RELS 131 (a full year course), I am appealing for an extension of an Incomplete (IN) grade. Because I was sick, I asked the professor, Aditi-Sen, if I could submit the remaining portion of the course work at a time agreed upon in the summer. I had spoken to Cindy Butts, who had helped me with all of this, and she supported this. I had sorely misjudged how my summer would look like leading up to and after the deadline, however. My father had been diagnosed with cancer and he was getting worse, even after his surgery. I was still quite weak from my own recovery yet had to take on the responsibilities of my father and run the family business. I was able to complete my final exam around the agreed upon date, and did quite well, achieving a 90+ and maintaining the high A that I had in the course. Even though I was given a month before the exam date, I only managed to get less than a day of studying in before it because of my new responsibilities. That being said, I still thought that I would be able to complete the two small 10 percent essays that were left to fulfill the remaining part of the course as I had already completed one and was ready to complete the other. I did not want to extend the due date any further, especially since Professor Sen had been so kind and accommodating to me. However, right after I wrote my exam my father's health took a turn for the worst. It was very, very serious and seemed like it was the end. My mind went numb and I instantly put everything that wasn't family-related on the back burner. The time commitment was immense and the mental torture of having to balance my father's work life (of which I knew little of how to do) while watching my father's condition deteriorate was too much for me. I was dealing with constant threats of lawsuits and had to arrange loans just to make ends meet (it was a construction business). I had completely forgotten about school and my social life and was under tunnel vision. I had to forgo writing my MCAT as well, which has stopped me from applying to medical school this year, changing my plans for the future. It wasn't until much later on, when I realized I hadn't filled out all of my courses in time for school that I remembered my failure to submit my assignments to my professor. I contacted Arts & Science student services (I spoke to Heather Carter), then contacted my professor explaining the situation, telling her that I would be ready to submit everything to her by September 11th if she allowed. Understandingly, she did not respond to me directly but rather some days later while awaiting a response I was sent an email by Heather letting me know that my professor would only mark my assignments if I appealed and it was approved. It then took me some time to gather all of the documents required to submit the appeal. I was meaning to submit it before the September 15th deadline, but school instantly enveloped me as soon as it started and I haven't had time until now to submit this appeal. I wish I could turn time backward and fix this.
Additionally, I did not know that there would be a two-step process for this appeal, but rather that it would be all-in-one. After having spoken to Carrie, she told me I would have to submit this request to waive first. I apologize deeply for this as it will only further delay this entire process. My academics are INCREDIBLY important to me and I really do not wish for any further harm to come to them because of a situation that was out of my control. I'm already having to take 6 courses each semester this year to make up for the two lost this past winter. Even if I have to fight for every single mark and have sleepless nights every single day, I will make it happen. But the thought of losing a full-year course like Religions, which I worked so hard on and loved every bit of, is so incredibly scary. I can't stop thinking of what would happen to me if this appeal were to fall through and I end up with an F or CR in the course. It feels as though my future is crumbling down in front of me and I'm trying to salvage what's left of it. It is so important to me that I complete Religions fully and receive a proper a grade for it on my transcript. Otherwise, I'm not sure if I can recover. The mental distress this is putting on me is huge.
I've attached the note my doctor wrote me after I had seen him for all of this as well as a note from my sister to further support my appeal. Additionally, I've Thank you so much for the time you took to read this. I truly appreciate it.
Kindest Regards,
Aman Partap