Petition Letter
Dear Associate Dean (Studies),
My name is Patrick Hoy (No. 5106675) and I am appealing to drop multiple courses past the drop deadline, and receive AG or CR status in others, due to the significant impact that chronic mental and physical disabilities have had on my academic performance throughout the entirety of my academic career at Queen's.
In addition to chronic struggles with anxiety and obsessive compulsive disorder, the intermittent flareups that are part and parcel of my bipolar disorder and recently diagnosed ulcerative colitis have meant that despite my considerable progress in managing these illnesses, setbacks can and do occur at times, often in an unpredictable manner.
These recurrent episodes have resulted in a transcript which is marked by a number of low grades and course failures. However, my transcript is also marked by a number of remarkable successes in the form of multiple grades above 80, and even above 90. Further, I have worked exceptionally hard to complete or retake courses which I had originally failed or done poorly in (such as HIST 296, HIST 286 and HIST 125), and through considerable effort manage to receive grades ranging from B+ to A in these courses in particular.
Such results should demonstrate my academic capability and dedication to academic success. It is through this effort on my part, as well as intensive (weekly) work with health care providers such as Dr. S. McNevin; consultations with advisors in Accessibility Services; usage of the Adaptive Technology centre; work with academic advisors such as Barbara Fretz and Linda Williams; and sessions with peer mentors in the history department, that I have managed to not only return to Queen's after being asked to leave multiple times (a result of low grades caused by these medical difficulties), but have come to within two semesters of completing my BAH in History. An achievement which hinges on whether or not this appeal is granted.
My current cumulative GPA has been severely damaged as a result of a large number of failures and low grades incurred directly as a result of my chronic illnesses. Because of this I am presently not able to register in the courses I need in order to complete my degree. This is despite the fact that even with my failures on my GPA, I presently have a 3.4 from the history courses I have completed. And, should this appeal be granted, I will only need to complete approximately two full-year history seminars at the 400 level and two electives.
Dropping the failures which resulted due to extenuating circumstances, and receiving AG and CR standing in certain other courses likewise impacted (yet in which I demonstrated mastery of the learning objectives, as seen by my exam marks) will not only allow me to complete my honours degree, but will repair my GPA to the point that academic work at the graduate level may become a possibility.
In the case of AG requests, for HIST 207 (presently listed as an F), I actually received an 80 on the final exam and a 75 on the major project, while I have completed (yet did not submit) the four discussion segments worth 20. The fact that I have an F listed for a course in which I received an A- on the final exam clearly does not align with my performance in the course. (That being said, I am open to receiving IN status in the course and submitting the remaining two essays necessary to complete it. But since the course was taken in summer 2017, I am not certain if Prof. Renaud would be willing to mark my outstanding projects).
Extensive medical documentation demonstrating the severity of my illnesses and their impact on my work has been submitted by health care professionals. This most recently includes a letter written in June by Dr. Stephen McNevin, as well as a multi-page listing of all the medication changes I have had to undergo over the past three years, while in the process of working towards stability. The purpose of this is to demonstrate that while I have worked with the utmost dedication and consistency to become healthy and perform well academically, the nature of these illnesses required constant modification to treatment methods, in order to optimize results. The new diagnosis of ulcerative colitis last spring presented an enormous challenge, as I needed to significantly alter my existing medication regimen due to negative interactions with the colitis medication needed to keep me out of hospital.
As a result, my transcript of even this past year has been marked by some difficulties, yet once again, the results as listed are not representative of my ability. Regarding the F listed for HIST 462, I in fact received a 78 on the first essay and an A- for participation, which is notable for a graduate level history seminar. I presently only need to submit a take-home exam and revise a draft for a second essay (which I already submitted) in order to complete the course, which Prof. David Parker has stated he is completely open to. (I was unable to include that course in this appeal as I hit the online system's limit to add courses for appeal. However I can forward messages from the Professor sent as recently as yesterday stating his willingness to accept my work).
Meanwhile for Prof. Emily Hill's HIST 499, prior to my most severe recent episode starting around reading week, my performance in seminar was exceptional, as I am sure the Professor can attest. (I would have included HIST 499 in my request to drop courses, although I seemed to have reached the maximum number of courses I can add to the appeal in the online dropdown menu. Though I do hope to retake the course in the winter). Likewise, the B I received in HIST 400 is not reflective of my full ability, as the lower grade derived from these personal difficulties, and Prof. van Deusen herself inquired as to my interest in pursuing a Masters in History based on my quality of work and participation in seminar.
Certain similar issues continued to present themselves this summer, but again, the listed grades do not reflect reality. For ENGL 100, listed as an F, I received an A+ on the first two assessments, a C on the first essay, and managed to earn a 72 on the final exam. Unfortunately, Prof. May has stated he is unwilling to grant me IN status in the course, so I will need to either drop the course, or pay the financial and temporal cost of retaking the entire course. (I did not include this course in the appeal because, as mentioned above, there were not enough drop down options available to include it.)
To sum up, the scattershot results of my transcript are absolutely not representative of my abilities, and are instead reflective of how difficult it can be to persevere and succeed in the face of severe disability. Which I continuously strive to do, despite the reality of recurrent and significant setbacks.
Yet this challenging experience of working to complete my BAH in the face of considerable obstacles has given me significant insight into the nature of living and working with mental and physical illness. This insight is something I try to pass on to my friends and peers at Queen's through my extra-curricular and charity work.
Should this appeal be granted, not only will my GPA be repaired enough that my Honours degree in history will be within reach, but I will be able to return for the third consecutive year as an Executive Member of QBusk, an AMS-certified student music club which provides entertainment at fundraising events for student chapters of charities, free of charge. Not only have I been able to help important groups such as 'Friends of Doctors Without Borders,' the 'Relay For Life,' and the 'Step Above Stigma' mental health awareness group raise money and awareness for their causes by performing at their events on campus and coordinating the performances of other students in my club, but I have been able to gently help my peers in QBusk work through their own fears and struggles with anxiety, by given them the support they need to push out of their comfort zone and get used to performing music in public.
After having played music for over 20 years, and struggling with severe chronic illnesses for nearly as long, I have a deep understanding of how music can be a powerful tool for maintaining psychological health and developing as an individual. And I am passionate about sharing my insights about ways of becoming a stronger version of oneself through music with my fellow students in QBusk, while completing my honours degree.
Unfortunately, if I am unable to achieve the ends I am seeking in this appeal, namely dropping or modifying the transcript status of the courses I performed poorly in due to severe illness, I will be unable to accomplish my lifelong goals of graduating with an honours degree from Queen's University. And I will be unable to continue my work with QBusk, which I hope to cement as a fixture on campus that can support charity organizations at school while providing an avenue for students' personal growth.
Thank you for your consideration,
Patrick Hoy (5106675)
My name is Patrick Hoy (No. 5106675) and I am appealing to drop multiple courses past the drop deadline, and receive AG or CR status in others, due to the significant impact that chronic mental and physical disabilities have had on my academic performance throughout the entirety of my academic career at Queen's.
In addition to chronic struggles with anxiety and obsessive compulsive disorder, the intermittent flareups that are part and parcel of my bipolar disorder and recently diagnosed ulcerative colitis have meant that despite my considerable progress in managing these illnesses, setbacks can and do occur at times, often in an unpredictable manner.
These recurrent episodes have resulted in a transcript which is marked by a number of low grades and course failures. However, my transcript is also marked by a number of remarkable successes in the form of multiple grades above 80, and even above 90. Further, I have worked exceptionally hard to complete or retake courses which I had originally failed or done poorly in (such as HIST 296, HIST 286 and HIST 125), and through considerable effort manage to receive grades ranging from B+ to A in these courses in particular.
Such results should demonstrate my academic capability and dedication to academic success. It is through this effort on my part, as well as intensive (weekly) work with health care providers such as Dr. S. McNevin; consultations with advisors in Accessibility Services; usage of the Adaptive Technology centre; work with academic advisors such as Barbara Fretz and Linda Williams; and sessions with peer mentors in the history department, that I have managed to not only return to Queen's after being asked to leave multiple times (a result of low grades caused by these medical difficulties), but have come to within two semesters of completing my BAH in History. An achievement which hinges on whether or not this appeal is granted.
My current cumulative GPA has been severely damaged as a result of a large number of failures and low grades incurred directly as a result of my chronic illnesses. Because of this I am presently not able to register in the courses I need in order to complete my degree. This is despite the fact that even with my failures on my GPA, I presently have a 3.4 from the history courses I have completed. And, should this appeal be granted, I will only need to complete approximately two full-year history seminars at the 400 level and two electives.
Dropping the failures which resulted due to extenuating circumstances, and receiving AG and CR standing in certain other courses likewise impacted (yet in which I demonstrated mastery of the learning objectives, as seen by my exam marks) will not only allow me to complete my honours degree, but will repair my GPA to the point that academic work at the graduate level may become a possibility.
In the case of AG requests, for HIST 207 (presently listed as an F), I actually received an 80 on the final exam and a 75 on the major project, while I have completed (yet did not submit) the four discussion segments worth 20. The fact that I have an F listed for a course in which I received an A- on the final exam clearly does not align with my performance in the course. (That being said, I am open to receiving IN status in the course and submitting the remaining two essays necessary to complete it. But since the course was taken in summer 2017, I am not certain if Prof. Renaud would be willing to mark my outstanding projects).
Extensive medical documentation demonstrating the severity of my illnesses and their impact on my work has been submitted by health care professionals. This most recently includes a letter written in June by Dr. Stephen McNevin, as well as a multi-page listing of all the medication changes I have had to undergo over the past three years, while in the process of working towards stability. The purpose of this is to demonstrate that while I have worked with the utmost dedication and consistency to become healthy and perform well academically, the nature of these illnesses required constant modification to treatment methods, in order to optimize results. The new diagnosis of ulcerative colitis last spring presented an enormous challenge, as I needed to significantly alter my existing medication regimen due to negative interactions with the colitis medication needed to keep me out of hospital.
As a result, my transcript of even this past year has been marked by some difficulties, yet once again, the results as listed are not representative of my ability. Regarding the F listed for HIST 462, I in fact received a 78 on the first essay and an A- for participation, which is notable for a graduate level history seminar. I presently only need to submit a take-home exam and revise a draft for a second essay (which I already submitted) in order to complete the course, which Prof. David Parker has stated he is completely open to. (I was unable to include that course in this appeal as I hit the online system's limit to add courses for appeal. However I can forward messages from the Professor sent as recently as yesterday stating his willingness to accept my work).
Meanwhile for Prof. Emily Hill's HIST 499, prior to my most severe recent episode starting around reading week, my performance in seminar was exceptional, as I am sure the Professor can attest. (I would have included HIST 499 in my request to drop courses, although I seemed to have reached the maximum number of courses I can add to the appeal in the online dropdown menu. Though I do hope to retake the course in the winter). Likewise, the B I received in HIST 400 is not reflective of my full ability, as the lower grade derived from these personal difficulties, and Prof. van Deusen herself inquired as to my interest in pursuing a Masters in History based on my quality of work and participation in seminar.
Certain similar issues continued to present themselves this summer, but again, the listed grades do not reflect reality. For ENGL 100, listed as an F, I received an A+ on the first two assessments, a C on the first essay, and managed to earn a 72 on the final exam. Unfortunately, Prof. May has stated he is unwilling to grant me IN status in the course, so I will need to either drop the course, or pay the financial and temporal cost of retaking the entire course. (I did not include this course in the appeal because, as mentioned above, there were not enough drop down options available to include it.)
To sum up, the scattershot results of my transcript are absolutely not representative of my abilities, and are instead reflective of how difficult it can be to persevere and succeed in the face of severe disability. Which I continuously strive to do, despite the reality of recurrent and significant setbacks.
Yet this challenging experience of working to complete my BAH in the face of considerable obstacles has given me significant insight into the nature of living and working with mental and physical illness. This insight is something I try to pass on to my friends and peers at Queen's through my extra-curricular and charity work.
Should this appeal be granted, not only will my GPA be repaired enough that my Honours degree in history will be within reach, but I will be able to return for the third consecutive year as an Executive Member of QBusk, an AMS-certified student music club which provides entertainment at fundraising events for student chapters of charities, free of charge. Not only have I been able to help important groups such as 'Friends of Doctors Without Borders,' the 'Relay For Life,' and the 'Step Above Stigma' mental health awareness group raise money and awareness for their causes by performing at their events on campus and coordinating the performances of other students in my club, but I have been able to gently help my peers in QBusk work through their own fears and struggles with anxiety, by given them the support they need to push out of their comfort zone and get used to performing music in public.
After having played music for over 20 years, and struggling with severe chronic illnesses for nearly as long, I have a deep understanding of how music can be a powerful tool for maintaining psychological health and developing as an individual. And I am passionate about sharing my insights about ways of becoming a stronger version of oneself through music with my fellow students in QBusk, while completing my honours degree.
Unfortunately, if I am unable to achieve the ends I am seeking in this appeal, namely dropping or modifying the transcript status of the courses I performed poorly in due to severe illness, I will be unable to accomplish my lifelong goals of graduating with an honours degree from Queen's University. And I will be unable to continue my work with QBusk, which I hope to cement as a fixture on campus that can support charity organizations at school while providing an avenue for students' personal growth.
Thank you for your consideration,
Patrick Hoy (5106675)