Division of Disability Resources and Educational Services
Beckwith Residential Support Services
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Once I started to realize that for almost any problem or issue, I would come across, I either knew someone personally who could assist me or knew someone who knew someone who could help; I could really ease into my new surroundings. — Matt Ludolph, 1st-year resident
Vision The Division of Disability Resources and Educational Services seeks to create an environment wherein: • The nature and degree of access to programs, services, and facilities, and the level of self-determination afforded qualified persons with disabilities are indistinguishable from those which are available to their peers without disabilities. • Persons with disabilities are afforded access as immediately and unobtrusively as possible at the point of institutional contact • Persons with disabilities are recognized for their abilities, rather than their
The mission of the Division of Disability Resources and Educational Services is to ensure that qualified individuals with disabilities are afforded an equal opportunity to participate in and benefit from the programs, services and activities of the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign through the identification and enactment of reasonable modifications to institutional policies and procedures, the provision of effective auxiliary aids and services, the establishment of innovative educational services, and the pursuit of interdisciplinary disability research.
The Division of Disability Resources and Educational Services (DRES)/Beckwith Residential Support Services (BRSS) began a partnership with University Housing during fall semester 2010 with the opening of Timothy J. Nugent Hall. BRSS provides support for first floor residents of Nugent Hall with physical disabilities who require assistance in the performance of basic activities of daily living. Previously, Beckwith served as a stand-alone residence hall which opened its doors in 1981 under DRES serving students with severe physical disabilities. Over the years, the program has expanded and refined its supports to best meet the changing needs of each cohort group that begins its journey at the University of Illinois with support from Beckwith staff and programs. It has long been realized that many students
with severe disabilities are often ill-prepared at the time of high school graduation to successfully adjust to the rigorous Illinois academic environment, while concurrently acquiring the knowledge, skills and experience necessary to live independently (including hiring, training, scheduling, and managing personal attendants without assistance). On the first floor of Nugent Hall, students needing assistance in the performance of activities of daily living are afforded the opportunity to participate in educational opportunities to improve their knowledge and skills in independent living and are empowered by the responsibility which they share with the Beckwith Administrative Team for hiring, training, scheduling, managing, and evaluating Beckwith's personal assistant staff.
disabilities, or stereotypical
attributes ascribed to their respective physical or mental impairments.
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