Petition Letter
Dear Dr. Jenn Stephenson,
I am appealing the Faculty??s decision that I must withdraw from Queen??s for one year, and subsequently appealing to late drop three winter courses, PHIL 250 (Fall 2021 ?? Winter 2022), PHIL 257 (Fall 2021 ?? Winter, 2022), and PHIL 275 (Winter, 2022). I have suddenly developed a serious personal problem, one which is consuming much of my time and energy and has made it impossible to successfully complete my studies this year.
Since the onset of COVID in the spring of 2020, I have experienced a deterioration in my overall health, both mentally and physically. Struggling with online workloads, I had opted to drop my classes for that year and pursue psychological assessment through Queen??s Psych Clinic and the RARC at the advice of my Occupational Therapist. A year later I receive a life changing diagnosis (February of 2021).
I will not go into the details of my condition, however I will attempt to explain the severity of mental stress my diagnoses has put me under. Returning from a gruelling steel factory job where I worked 12 hour shifts in 40 degree weather last summer, I started this school year off in a state of deep depression. My family I was living with before this return to Queen??s was not accepting of my new diagnosis, and the weight of my diagnoses was left unprocessed all summer. This depression caused me to almost immediately fall behind In school, and in an attempt to catch up, I dropped one of my classes and reached out to my professors and recently acquired QSAS advisor. Formulating a plan with my professors, I was able to catch up and pass the first half of my two full year courses (PHIL 250, PHIL 257)
First semester was in person; I noticed barriers but was able to catch up. However, The switch to online was very difficult for me the following semester. Given the nature of my disability, I struggled heavily with online school, particularly in organization, attention, and managing deadlines. At the same time, my mood experienced a significant decline this winter. Between once again being told to Isolate and stay inside, and a turbulent two week long visit back home to the family that I am not supported by, I was left unable to engage in my coursework. My marks languished, and before I knew it I once again found myself severely depressed.
I did not drop these course earlier because of my new access to accommodations and trying to navigate the system with these in place. I had hoped to try and repeat the success I had catching up the semester before. By week eight, I was far behind in coursework and should have dropped my courses then, but I couldn??t bring myself to. I knew that by dropping my courses this semester I would be throwing away all the work I had done in the previous semester catching up. Also, my depression and condition both change my perception of time. I lose track of the days and weeks unless I am on top of it in these situations. The deadline came and went, and it happened in a blur.
My diagnosis last year has consumed my mind since I received it. When I received it, I pocketed the emotions in order to survive the summer with my unsupportive family at home. I had been able to scrape by the first semester in person, but fell off the horse the following semester with the return to online. If my appeal to return to studies next year is granted, I am happy to announce that I have already taken steps to ensure that it would not be a repeat of this past year. One step is that I have decided to stay in Kingston this summer. Instead of returning to the toxic family environment and gruelling labour of home, I have opted to stay near Queen??s campus and prioritize my mental health. I am currently working with a counsellor and occupational therapist through student wellness services to set my self up to hit the ground running this fall. We work on emotional management, time management, and most importantly, on navigating my disability in my everyday life.
Going forward, were I to be allowed to return next year, I would continue my work with these supports into the school year. I would also seek help from Student Academic Success Services for things like breaking down large assignments into manageable portions, and exam study schedules. Unlike last year, I plan to have things like QSAS, and other disability supports set up BEFORE I start school, so that when problems do occur, accessing these supports is not so much of a hassle. I have already met with an academic advisor, and have attached to this appeal an academic plan for completing my degree. I also plan on taking a reduced course load, only three classes a semester, to help manage the work successfully.
Thank you in advance for your consideration of my appeal,
Owen Taylor
I am appealing the Faculty??s decision that I must withdraw from Queen??s for one year, and subsequently appealing to late drop three winter courses, PHIL 250 (Fall 2021 ?? Winter 2022), PHIL 257 (Fall 2021 ?? Winter, 2022), and PHIL 275 (Winter, 2022). I have suddenly developed a serious personal problem, one which is consuming much of my time and energy and has made it impossible to successfully complete my studies this year.
Since the onset of COVID in the spring of 2020, I have experienced a deterioration in my overall health, both mentally and physically. Struggling with online workloads, I had opted to drop my classes for that year and pursue psychological assessment through Queen??s Psych Clinic and the RARC at the advice of my Occupational Therapist. A year later I receive a life changing diagnosis (February of 2021).
I will not go into the details of my condition, however I will attempt to explain the severity of mental stress my diagnoses has put me under. Returning from a gruelling steel factory job where I worked 12 hour shifts in 40 degree weather last summer, I started this school year off in a state of deep depression. My family I was living with before this return to Queen??s was not accepting of my new diagnosis, and the weight of my diagnoses was left unprocessed all summer. This depression caused me to almost immediately fall behind In school, and in an attempt to catch up, I dropped one of my classes and reached out to my professors and recently acquired QSAS advisor. Formulating a plan with my professors, I was able to catch up and pass the first half of my two full year courses (PHIL 250, PHIL 257)
First semester was in person; I noticed barriers but was able to catch up. However, The switch to online was very difficult for me the following semester. Given the nature of my disability, I struggled heavily with online school, particularly in organization, attention, and managing deadlines. At the same time, my mood experienced a significant decline this winter. Between once again being told to Isolate and stay inside, and a turbulent two week long visit back home to the family that I am not supported by, I was left unable to engage in my coursework. My marks languished, and before I knew it I once again found myself severely depressed.
I did not drop these course earlier because of my new access to accommodations and trying to navigate the system with these in place. I had hoped to try and repeat the success I had catching up the semester before. By week eight, I was far behind in coursework and should have dropped my courses then, but I couldn??t bring myself to. I knew that by dropping my courses this semester I would be throwing away all the work I had done in the previous semester catching up. Also, my depression and condition both change my perception of time. I lose track of the days and weeks unless I am on top of it in these situations. The deadline came and went, and it happened in a blur.
My diagnosis last year has consumed my mind since I received it. When I received it, I pocketed the emotions in order to survive the summer with my unsupportive family at home. I had been able to scrape by the first semester in person, but fell off the horse the following semester with the return to online. If my appeal to return to studies next year is granted, I am happy to announce that I have already taken steps to ensure that it would not be a repeat of this past year. One step is that I have decided to stay in Kingston this summer. Instead of returning to the toxic family environment and gruelling labour of home, I have opted to stay near Queen??s campus and prioritize my mental health. I am currently working with a counsellor and occupational therapist through student wellness services to set my self up to hit the ground running this fall. We work on emotional management, time management, and most importantly, on navigating my disability in my everyday life.
Going forward, were I to be allowed to return next year, I would continue my work with these supports into the school year. I would also seek help from Student Academic Success Services for things like breaking down large assignments into manageable portions, and exam study schedules. Unlike last year, I plan to have things like QSAS, and other disability supports set up BEFORE I start school, so that when problems do occur, accessing these supports is not so much of a hassle. I have already met with an academic advisor, and have attached to this appeal an academic plan for completing my degree. I also plan on taking a reduced course load, only three classes a semester, to help manage the work successfully.
Thank you in advance for your consideration of my appeal,
Owen Taylor