Petition Letter
To the Associate Dean of Studies:
I am writing with a request to appeal the 21 day course drop period due to extenuating circumstances regarding my mental health condition for the 2012-2013 school year. With this letter and supporting documentation, I hope to outline the nature of my condition and the extenuating circumstances that prevented me from appealing within the eligible period. If this is granted I would hope to submit an appeal to waive my failed grades from my last year of studies.
Since my early teens, I have suffered from clinical anxiety and depression. In the 2012-2013 term, I experienced multiple extended mental health episodes which interfered with my ability to complete my courses and appeal my grades within the eligible time frame. Until recently, I was unable to enrol for studies due to financial difficulties and was unaware of my ability to submit this appeal.
The primary symptoms I experienced in 2012-2013 included the inability to focus, insomnia, decreased energy and motivation, central sleep apnea, prolonged feelings of hopelessness and despair, thoughts of suicide and self harm.¿The events of the years prior to 2012 also contributed to the severity of my symptoms including my aunt's suicide, parent's divorce and my mother's subsequent recurring mental health issues. During the Spring and Summer of 2013, I experienced significant amounts of social anxiety and asking for help did not seem to be in the realm of possibilities. I could not concentrate enough to complete my course work and leaving my apartment became a seemingly insurmountable task. At this time, I was only able to secure appointments with Queen's Wellness Services every couple of months so I would visit a private social worker bi-weekly and was prescribed a medication which had minimal effects on my symptoms. My condition was not adequately treated I was unable to function, perform academically, or submit any appeal to explain these extenuating circumstances.
After moving home to Toronto to live with and look after my mother (in the Winter Term of 2013,) my symptoms did not improve and my low academic achievement was a trigger for further mental health episodes. I felt as though I would never be able to function at the level required to complete my degree, however,In the fall of 2013, I consulted with a General Practitioner and began seeking regular treatment with a professional social worker. I have included letters from both of them explaining the condition of my mental state at this time, and the period preceding it. I began to experience a improvement in mood and was prescribed a different medication from which I was taking before. I owed a financial debt to Queen's which I was able to pay down completely by June 2017. At this time, my mood disorder had stabilized and I felt I could function well enough to reenrolled for classes for the fall term. In my conversations with Student Services, they notified me that it was worth explaining the circumstances of my last year.
To finish my degree, I plan to complete courses via distance learning from Toronto where I live and am supported by a large network of friends, family and professionals who are aware of my struggles with mental health and will provide an emotional safety net. I am currently taking Music 102 via distance learning and am having no trouble concentrating and completing the course material. I will take one course per term as to not be overwhelmed and maximize my potential for success and will continue to receive therapy from my professional councillor, who has helped me develop the tools and strategy to persevere past the hurdles that my condition presents. I will continue regular treatment from my family doctor with regards to medication and remain on that which I have been prescribed. I will continue to follow a dedicated routine of mindfulness based meditation and physical exercise. This has aided my ability to pay attention, absorb information cope with difficult situations.¿ I believe the combination of each of the aforementioned will be the key to my successful graduation.¿
I have a total of 1.5 credits remaining and If this appeal should be granted, I hope to appeal the grades from my last year of studies, as they were affected by these extenuating circumstances. These grades have had an adverse affect on my GPA and after completing the remaining 1.5 credits, may interfere with my ability to graduate with that which is required by my program. After my Bachelors, It is my goal and intention to pursue a Masters of Business Administration, hopefully with Queen's. I am confident that I am now ready to take on the challenges and achievements of completing my Bachelors degree.¿
Thank you very much for your time and consideration.
Sincerely
Liam Fraser MacLean
I am writing with a request to appeal the 21 day course drop period due to extenuating circumstances regarding my mental health condition for the 2012-2013 school year. With this letter and supporting documentation, I hope to outline the nature of my condition and the extenuating circumstances that prevented me from appealing within the eligible period. If this is granted I would hope to submit an appeal to waive my failed grades from my last year of studies.
Since my early teens, I have suffered from clinical anxiety and depression. In the 2012-2013 term, I experienced multiple extended mental health episodes which interfered with my ability to complete my courses and appeal my grades within the eligible time frame. Until recently, I was unable to enrol for studies due to financial difficulties and was unaware of my ability to submit this appeal.
The primary symptoms I experienced in 2012-2013 included the inability to focus, insomnia, decreased energy and motivation, central sleep apnea, prolonged feelings of hopelessness and despair, thoughts of suicide and self harm.¿The events of the years prior to 2012 also contributed to the severity of my symptoms including my aunt's suicide, parent's divorce and my mother's subsequent recurring mental health issues. During the Spring and Summer of 2013, I experienced significant amounts of social anxiety and asking for help did not seem to be in the realm of possibilities. I could not concentrate enough to complete my course work and leaving my apartment became a seemingly insurmountable task. At this time, I was only able to secure appointments with Queen's Wellness Services every couple of months so I would visit a private social worker bi-weekly and was prescribed a medication which had minimal effects on my symptoms. My condition was not adequately treated I was unable to function, perform academically, or submit any appeal to explain these extenuating circumstances.
After moving home to Toronto to live with and look after my mother (in the Winter Term of 2013,) my symptoms did not improve and my low academic achievement was a trigger for further mental health episodes. I felt as though I would never be able to function at the level required to complete my degree, however,In the fall of 2013, I consulted with a General Practitioner and began seeking regular treatment with a professional social worker. I have included letters from both of them explaining the condition of my mental state at this time, and the period preceding it. I began to experience a improvement in mood and was prescribed a different medication from which I was taking before. I owed a financial debt to Queen's which I was able to pay down completely by June 2017. At this time, my mood disorder had stabilized and I felt I could function well enough to reenrolled for classes for the fall term. In my conversations with Student Services, they notified me that it was worth explaining the circumstances of my last year.
To finish my degree, I plan to complete courses via distance learning from Toronto where I live and am supported by a large network of friends, family and professionals who are aware of my struggles with mental health and will provide an emotional safety net. I am currently taking Music 102 via distance learning and am having no trouble concentrating and completing the course material. I will take one course per term as to not be overwhelmed and maximize my potential for success and will continue to receive therapy from my professional councillor, who has helped me develop the tools and strategy to persevere past the hurdles that my condition presents. I will continue regular treatment from my family doctor with regards to medication and remain on that which I have been prescribed. I will continue to follow a dedicated routine of mindfulness based meditation and physical exercise. This has aided my ability to pay attention, absorb information cope with difficult situations.¿ I believe the combination of each of the aforementioned will be the key to my successful graduation.¿
I have a total of 1.5 credits remaining and If this appeal should be granted, I hope to appeal the grades from my last year of studies, as they were affected by these extenuating circumstances. These grades have had an adverse affect on my GPA and after completing the remaining 1.5 credits, may interfere with my ability to graduate with that which is required by my program. After my Bachelors, It is my goal and intention to pursue a Masters of Business Administration, hopefully with Queen's. I am confident that I am now ready to take on the challenges and achievements of completing my Bachelors degree.¿
Thank you very much for your time and consideration.
Sincerely
Liam Fraser MacLean