Petition Letter
The reason for my appeal is to ask that I be allowed to enroll in History 280: Gender in North American History, an online course offered by the University, past the add/drop period. I found myself in a course that was cross-listed with my department in which the course material was out of my depth. Coming from a Gender Studies background and not an Art History background proved difficult in the first two weeks of classes but I initially thought that it would get easier as the course progressed. Unfortunately, I felt the best thing to do was drop the course as I only foresaw myself receiving a poor grade and not putting as much time or effort into the course as it deserved. I was unaware that the date to add courses had already past, which is why I dropped the course so nonchalantly. I feel as though taking HIST 280 would be better suited to my academic background while also allowing me to enter a different department for a different outlook on Gender in North America. I've taken History courses before, so I do feel as though I am somewhat accustomed to the writing style and work that is put into this courses, unlike the Art History course I dropped. Additionally, the course contains material that I enjoy engaging with and that I am passionate about, which typically results in better academic performance as I've noticed over the course of my degree. I've received the support from both the instructor of the course, Valerie Martin, and the undergraduate chair, who are both confident I will be able to catch up to the rest of the class. I hope you understand my reasoning for wanting to enroll in HIST 280 after dropping out of another course - I believe this course will allow me to succeed academically in the way I know that I can.