Petition Letter
To the Associate Dean (Studies),
To begin, I would like to express my sincere gratitude for the support that you and the Faculty of Arts and Sciences have provided me. I have been suffering from a progressively debilitating mental illness since April 2015 that has affected not only my coursework, but also my ability to engage with academics and related processes. Now that my condition is stable thanks to a new treatment program, I am ready to re-engage with my academic life; to complete my Bachelor of Science (Honours) degree in Life Sciences, and to pursue further academic endeavours. To that end, I am requesting:
1. To drop NSCI 323 and ENGL 259
2. To request Credit Standing in GRMN 309 (if this is denied, I request alternatively to drop the course)
3. To request an Aegrotat in CRSS 498 (if this is denied, I request alternatively to drop the course)
The reason why I did not request to NSCI 323 or ENGL 259 courses earlier is that I had intended to complete these Incomplete courses. However, as so much time has passed since the classes were given, I no longer feel that I am adequately prepared to finish these courses. In the case of NSCI 323 (being the final degree requirement for my Life Sciences Major), I intend instead to take another option course in the upcoming term.
Below, I detail the medical circumstances that affected and prevented me from engaging in academic work until now, and cite the relevant pages in my documentation file.
Extenuating circumstances affecting my ability to complete academic work
(December 2015 ¿¿ September 2016)
Although I had begun to realize a deterioration of my mental health in April 2016 (Page 1), it was in December that year that I began to request short-term academic accommodation (Page 2, 3) at the urging of my professors. After a month¿¿s break in December 2015, my condition improved somewhat, and I was able to engage in my Winter 2016 Term courses and eventually complete some of them. Unfortunately, by March, I experienced a deterioration of my health (obsessive-compulsive disorder, at some points involving suicide ideation), which significantly impacted my ability to do work. This was made worse by physical illnesses I experienced into April, which resulted in further deferrals (Page 4). Unfortunately, the obsessive nature of this illness resulted in my inability to drop unnecessary courses (Page 2), which in hindsight would have been the wiser choice.
At the time of completion of my Bachelor of Arts degree in May 2016, I had 4 incompletes left (the same 4 courses subject in this appeal). I sincerely wished to complete these courses, and to that end, I engaged substantially with counselling and psychiatry with Student Wellness Services that summer (Page 1). Unfortunately, despite attempts with medication, my health did not improve (Page 5), and I was unable to complete any work in this time.
Extenuating circumstances affecting my ability to engage with the appeal process (October 2016 ¿¿ October 2018)
In spite of my ongoing mental health challenges, I decided to take up the offer to begin a Master¿¿s at Oxford, in hopes that a dramatic change of environment would improve my condition. At this point, I still planned to finish my BScH at Queen¿¿s and made some correspondence with my NSCI 323 professor (Dr Eric Dumont) and Associate Dean Benard in the first few months. Unfortunately, my mental health continued to deteriorate I was for the most part unable to complete any substantial academic work, for Queen¿¿s or for Oxford. By Summer 2017, this had as to the point of self-harm and after interventions from friends and counsellors psychiatrists, I made the difficult decision to withdraw from Oxford and return home to Canada in order to focus on my mental health. I attach notes from a psychiatrist in Oxford detailing this period of time. (Page 6-11)
Since my return home, I have not pursued any academic or career pursuit, but have rather focussed on therapy and medical treatment. My day-to-day activities were limited until Spring 2018, when I was able to engage in some part-time work. By Fall 2018, I felt able to re-engage with my academic plan, and to work toward completing my BScH. I was unable to due so earlier since this had become a somewhat traumatic trigger of anxiety and obsessive thinking for me. However, thanks to new medication and targeted therapeutic treatment (rTMS), I am confident that I am now able to complete this degree, having developed coping mechanisms to help ensure success.
Academic Plan
In order to complete my Life Sciences degree, I plan to take an online course, BIOL 350, in the upcoming Winter 2019 Term to satisfy the 3.0 credits left. As this is an online course, I would be able to continue living at home, where I have the ongoing support of my family in case of any health difficulties. I also have a particular interest in the content of this course (being of a more interdisciplinary nature), which will offer a better likelihood for success.
In the event that my alternate request for either GRMN 309 or CRSS 498 is granted (i.e. a drop), I plan to take an additional course in the Winter 2019 Term to meet the necessary degree requirements.
To begin, I would like to express my sincere gratitude for the support that you and the Faculty of Arts and Sciences have provided me. I have been suffering from a progressively debilitating mental illness since April 2015 that has affected not only my coursework, but also my ability to engage with academics and related processes. Now that my condition is stable thanks to a new treatment program, I am ready to re-engage with my academic life; to complete my Bachelor of Science (Honours) degree in Life Sciences, and to pursue further academic endeavours. To that end, I am requesting:
1. To drop NSCI 323 and ENGL 259
2. To request Credit Standing in GRMN 309 (if this is denied, I request alternatively to drop the course)
3. To request an Aegrotat in CRSS 498 (if this is denied, I request alternatively to drop the course)
The reason why I did not request to NSCI 323 or ENGL 259 courses earlier is that I had intended to complete these Incomplete courses. However, as so much time has passed since the classes were given, I no longer feel that I am adequately prepared to finish these courses. In the case of NSCI 323 (being the final degree requirement for my Life Sciences Major), I intend instead to take another option course in the upcoming term.
Below, I detail the medical circumstances that affected and prevented me from engaging in academic work until now, and cite the relevant pages in my documentation file.
Extenuating circumstances affecting my ability to complete academic work
(December 2015 ¿¿ September 2016)
Although I had begun to realize a deterioration of my mental health in April 2016 (Page 1), it was in December that year that I began to request short-term academic accommodation (Page 2, 3) at the urging of my professors. After a month¿¿s break in December 2015, my condition improved somewhat, and I was able to engage in my Winter 2016 Term courses and eventually complete some of them. Unfortunately, by March, I experienced a deterioration of my health (obsessive-compulsive disorder, at some points involving suicide ideation), which significantly impacted my ability to do work. This was made worse by physical illnesses I experienced into April, which resulted in further deferrals (Page 4). Unfortunately, the obsessive nature of this illness resulted in my inability to drop unnecessary courses (Page 2), which in hindsight would have been the wiser choice.
At the time of completion of my Bachelor of Arts degree in May 2016, I had 4 incompletes left (the same 4 courses subject in this appeal). I sincerely wished to complete these courses, and to that end, I engaged substantially with counselling and psychiatry with Student Wellness Services that summer (Page 1). Unfortunately, despite attempts with medication, my health did not improve (Page 5), and I was unable to complete any work in this time.
Extenuating circumstances affecting my ability to engage with the appeal process (October 2016 ¿¿ October 2018)
In spite of my ongoing mental health challenges, I decided to take up the offer to begin a Master¿¿s at Oxford, in hopes that a dramatic change of environment would improve my condition. At this point, I still planned to finish my BScH at Queen¿¿s and made some correspondence with my NSCI 323 professor (Dr Eric Dumont) and Associate Dean Benard in the first few months. Unfortunately, my mental health continued to deteriorate I was for the most part unable to complete any substantial academic work, for Queen¿¿s or for Oxford. By Summer 2017, this had as to the point of self-harm and after interventions from friends and counsellors psychiatrists, I made the difficult decision to withdraw from Oxford and return home to Canada in order to focus on my mental health. I attach notes from a psychiatrist in Oxford detailing this period of time. (Page 6-11)
Since my return home, I have not pursued any academic or career pursuit, but have rather focussed on therapy and medical treatment. My day-to-day activities were limited until Spring 2018, when I was able to engage in some part-time work. By Fall 2018, I felt able to re-engage with my academic plan, and to work toward completing my BScH. I was unable to due so earlier since this had become a somewhat traumatic trigger of anxiety and obsessive thinking for me. However, thanks to new medication and targeted therapeutic treatment (rTMS), I am confident that I am now able to complete this degree, having developed coping mechanisms to help ensure success.
Academic Plan
In order to complete my Life Sciences degree, I plan to take an online course, BIOL 350, in the upcoming Winter 2019 Term to satisfy the 3.0 credits left. As this is an online course, I would be able to continue living at home, where I have the ongoing support of my family in case of any health difficulties. I also have a particular interest in the content of this course (being of a more interdisciplinary nature), which will offer a better likelihood for success.
In the event that my alternate request for either GRMN 309 or CRSS 498 is granted (i.e. a drop), I plan to take an additional course in the Winter 2019 Term to meet the necessary degree requirements.