Petition Letter
Dear Associate Dean(s) of Arts and Science,
I am appealing for a credit standing (CR) in Pols 332 Post Communist Politics due to a conflict of interest that has developed between my instructor Kate Korycki and I over the winter 2019 semester. The extenuating mental health circumstances impacted my academic performance during the period of March 20th to April 12th, 2019. In particular, I put forth my health situation to the Executive Director at Student Wellness Services Jennifer Dods on March 19th. In response, she immediately booked me with an emergency counselor that same week and guided me through the academic accommodations process for my first time. On the afternoon of March 19th, I submitted a self-declaration of brief absence to my Pols 332 instructor. I had a presentation worth 15 on March 20th that I was completely incapable of performing at that time. The following week I followed up with my instructor and she granted me a zero. Despite informing her of my extenuating circumstance in person she had very little compassion for my situation and zero inclination to consider a reasonable option that would alleviate a 15 reduction to my overall grade.
Furthermore, given the prolonged personal difficulties I was experiencing coupled with the overwhelming pressure to meet final paper deadlines, my student graduate counselor Dennis Pringle recommended that I receive extra time to complete my final term assignments. On April 5th I submitted an STAA form (signed by Dennis Pringle) requesting a week extension for my Pols 406 paper due April 7th and Pols 322 final paper due April 5th. My Pols 406 instructor was very understanding of my extenuating circumstances and provided me with a week extension. However, my Pols 322 instructor again refused to accommodate me. I was making an honest request for an accommodation based on my extenuating circumstance and my instructor responded to my request on absolutely no ¿¿good faith.¿ In response to this confusion, I contacted the Art Science Student Services. The occupational therapist Tess Grant reached out on my behalf in order to clarify the accommodations process to my instructor. After days of email exchanges, I finally received a week extension from my instructor.
I am very grateful for the compassion and personal support I received from the student wellness team up to this time. I hope no future student has to experience the lack of compassion and understanding from another human being as I did with my Pols 332 instructor.
Indeed, I finished my Pols 332 course well below the average course mark I have ever received in any of my upper year politics courses. Hence, I am requesting a Credit Standing appeal because of the personal conflict of interest that exists between my academic performance in the course and the personality conflict with my instructor that extended beyond the course to impacting my own personal health. It was difficult enough dealing with my health issue but to be penalized for it academically is unfair and unjust.
At this time, I feel remarking my grade is unfeasible because it is not a necessary pols course I need to graduate with. I have all of my politics credits accounted for. Remarking is also impractical because a good portion of my grade is not accounted for in physical work that I could not hand in. I feel the best option is to let this go as a ¿¿CR Course¿ and not be penalized for something I had no control over. This way, I can continue on with my academic career in graduate school at Carleton University next fall without any adverse effect on my transcript.
Overall, I hope this letter will recognize that while Professors are supposed to teach students scholarly material, they are also there to support them or at least empathize with them in circumstances that impact their lives beyond the classroom.
Please see the attached letter for supporting documentation that will be provided from Tess Grant.
Thank you for your consideration.
Wyler Dawd
I am appealing for a credit standing (CR) in Pols 332 Post Communist Politics due to a conflict of interest that has developed between my instructor Kate Korycki and I over the winter 2019 semester. The extenuating mental health circumstances impacted my academic performance during the period of March 20th to April 12th, 2019. In particular, I put forth my health situation to the Executive Director at Student Wellness Services Jennifer Dods on March 19th. In response, she immediately booked me with an emergency counselor that same week and guided me through the academic accommodations process for my first time. On the afternoon of March 19th, I submitted a self-declaration of brief absence to my Pols 332 instructor. I had a presentation worth 15 on March 20th that I was completely incapable of performing at that time. The following week I followed up with my instructor and she granted me a zero. Despite informing her of my extenuating circumstance in person she had very little compassion for my situation and zero inclination to consider a reasonable option that would alleviate a 15 reduction to my overall grade.
Furthermore, given the prolonged personal difficulties I was experiencing coupled with the overwhelming pressure to meet final paper deadlines, my student graduate counselor Dennis Pringle recommended that I receive extra time to complete my final term assignments. On April 5th I submitted an STAA form (signed by Dennis Pringle) requesting a week extension for my Pols 406 paper due April 7th and Pols 322 final paper due April 5th. My Pols 406 instructor was very understanding of my extenuating circumstances and provided me with a week extension. However, my Pols 322 instructor again refused to accommodate me. I was making an honest request for an accommodation based on my extenuating circumstance and my instructor responded to my request on absolutely no ¿¿good faith.¿ In response to this confusion, I contacted the Art Science Student Services. The occupational therapist Tess Grant reached out on my behalf in order to clarify the accommodations process to my instructor. After days of email exchanges, I finally received a week extension from my instructor.
I am very grateful for the compassion and personal support I received from the student wellness team up to this time. I hope no future student has to experience the lack of compassion and understanding from another human being as I did with my Pols 332 instructor.
Indeed, I finished my Pols 332 course well below the average course mark I have ever received in any of my upper year politics courses. Hence, I am requesting a Credit Standing appeal because of the personal conflict of interest that exists between my academic performance in the course and the personality conflict with my instructor that extended beyond the course to impacting my own personal health. It was difficult enough dealing with my health issue but to be penalized for it academically is unfair and unjust.
At this time, I feel remarking my grade is unfeasible because it is not a necessary pols course I need to graduate with. I have all of my politics credits accounted for. Remarking is also impractical because a good portion of my grade is not accounted for in physical work that I could not hand in. I feel the best option is to let this go as a ¿¿CR Course¿ and not be penalized for something I had no control over. This way, I can continue on with my academic career in graduate school at Carleton University next fall without any adverse effect on my transcript.
Overall, I hope this letter will recognize that while Professors are supposed to teach students scholarly material, they are also there to support them or at least empathize with them in circumstances that impact their lives beyond the classroom.
Please see the attached letter for supporting documentation that will be provided from Tess Grant.
Thank you for your consideration.
Wyler Dawd