Petition Letter
Dear Dr. Johanne Benard,
Associate Dean (Studies)
Request:
I am appealing the Faculty¿¿s decision that I must withdraw from Queen¿¿s for a minimum of one year.
Explanation of Extenuating Circumstances:
The extenuating circumstance cited in this appeal is my tendency towards anxiety and depression when I fall behind on my coursework. I went to see a counselor at Queen¿¿s Wellness Services four times in the Winter term of 2014 to address feelings of depression. In the Winter term of 2017 I resumed seeing a counselor at Queen¿¿s Wellness Services to address my shortcomings after I was encouraged by a professor to do so. I am using the records of my visits there as evidence of my extenuating circumstances. During my studies at Queen¿¿s University, I have had issues dealing with my workload, which aggravated a predisposition to see things negatively. This became unmanageable as I moved onto 300 level courses. I found that as academic pressure built up, I became unduly stressed and anxious. Addressing coursework became difficult because it would bring even greater feelings of anxiety. I would not complete the coursework because it made me feel depressed and anxious to the point where I would have difficulty waking up in the morning and I would avoid it as a cause of those negative feelings. I would not address any of these problems with my professors because I would feel ashamed of my failures. The result of my circumstances was that I missed deadlines for significant assignments and under-studied for major tests in most of my courses, which resulted in multiple failures.
Future Plan:
I have made significant strides in my last academic term now that I have learned to address and deal with the patterns I see that I am susceptible to and I am coming off a successful term where I earned a 2.92 GPA. Unfortunately, I fell just short of the 1.6 cumulative GPA required to remain, instead raising myself to a 1.56. I am going into my last year at Queen¿¿s and a successful appeal would mean I would be able meet the prerequisites for graduation by the end of the 2018 Summer term.
If my appeal is granted, my plan going forward would be to continuously address both my academic and psychological issues. I have made plans with a counselor at Student Wellness Services to routinely visit in order to keep my feelings of negativity in check. To stay on top of my academics I will be making regular use of the resources at Queen¿¿s Student Academic Success Services. As for the question of workload, my projected graduation date means that I would have to take three 400 level Art History courses, two 300 level Art History courses and 18.0 units of electives over the course of three terms. To ensure academic success I would pursue only 100 level electives which I feel confident I can pass, in order to alleviate any pressure I might feel from the 400 level courses. I would only take one 400 level course in the Fall term with one 300 level course and two 100 level courses, in order to feel out how I am able to manage a 400 level course. Three 100 level courses would be taken in the Summer 2018 term.
I am also pursuing a separate appeal to allow me to drop several of my failed courses past the 1 term deadline. A successful appeal for at least 2 of my failed courses would mean that my GPA is once more above 1.6 and I could be allowed to remain. If none of my courses are dropped, but my appeal to remain is granted, I feel confident I can succeed in my chosen program and significantly raise my GPA by retaking one of the ENGL 200 courses I previously failed.
Thank you,
Peter Sousa Del Mastro
Student 1001662
Associate Dean (Studies)
Request:
I am appealing the Faculty¿¿s decision that I must withdraw from Queen¿¿s for a minimum of one year.
Explanation of Extenuating Circumstances:
The extenuating circumstance cited in this appeal is my tendency towards anxiety and depression when I fall behind on my coursework. I went to see a counselor at Queen¿¿s Wellness Services four times in the Winter term of 2014 to address feelings of depression. In the Winter term of 2017 I resumed seeing a counselor at Queen¿¿s Wellness Services to address my shortcomings after I was encouraged by a professor to do so. I am using the records of my visits there as evidence of my extenuating circumstances. During my studies at Queen¿¿s University, I have had issues dealing with my workload, which aggravated a predisposition to see things negatively. This became unmanageable as I moved onto 300 level courses. I found that as academic pressure built up, I became unduly stressed and anxious. Addressing coursework became difficult because it would bring even greater feelings of anxiety. I would not complete the coursework because it made me feel depressed and anxious to the point where I would have difficulty waking up in the morning and I would avoid it as a cause of those negative feelings. I would not address any of these problems with my professors because I would feel ashamed of my failures. The result of my circumstances was that I missed deadlines for significant assignments and under-studied for major tests in most of my courses, which resulted in multiple failures.
Future Plan:
I have made significant strides in my last academic term now that I have learned to address and deal with the patterns I see that I am susceptible to and I am coming off a successful term where I earned a 2.92 GPA. Unfortunately, I fell just short of the 1.6 cumulative GPA required to remain, instead raising myself to a 1.56. I am going into my last year at Queen¿¿s and a successful appeal would mean I would be able meet the prerequisites for graduation by the end of the 2018 Summer term.
If my appeal is granted, my plan going forward would be to continuously address both my academic and psychological issues. I have made plans with a counselor at Student Wellness Services to routinely visit in order to keep my feelings of negativity in check. To stay on top of my academics I will be making regular use of the resources at Queen¿¿s Student Academic Success Services. As for the question of workload, my projected graduation date means that I would have to take three 400 level Art History courses, two 300 level Art History courses and 18.0 units of electives over the course of three terms. To ensure academic success I would pursue only 100 level electives which I feel confident I can pass, in order to alleviate any pressure I might feel from the 400 level courses. I would only take one 400 level course in the Fall term with one 300 level course and two 100 level courses, in order to feel out how I am able to manage a 400 level course. Three 100 level courses would be taken in the Summer 2018 term.
I am also pursuing a separate appeal to allow me to drop several of my failed courses past the 1 term deadline. A successful appeal for at least 2 of my failed courses would mean that my GPA is once more above 1.6 and I could be allowed to remain. If none of my courses are dropped, but my appeal to remain is granted, I feel confident I can succeed in my chosen program and significantly raise my GPA by retaking one of the ENGL 200 courses I previously failed.
Thank you,
Peter Sousa Del Mastro
Student 1001662