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WNIJ's summary of news items around our state.

New Bill Would Honor Disabilities Advocate For Congressional Gold Medal

Jeff Bossert
/
WILL

The University of Illinois’s main campus in Urbana was the first in the country to accommodate those with disabilities, with bus routes, residence halls and a wheelchair sports program. 

There’s now an effort in Congress to honor the man whose innovation started it all. 

Bills have been introduced in the House and Senate to recognize Tim Nugent with the Congressional Gold Medal.  It would be first such award given to someone who fought on behalf of the disabled… and the first given to a U of I faculty member. 

Now 92 years old, Nugent was the first director of the U of I’s Division of Disability Resources and Educational Services. 

He started with the university in the late 1940’s… and says it took a while to change attitudes:

“The last few years, acceptance of these ideas has just amazed me,” Nugent said. “Because for years, I was being fought.  But the last 15 or 16 years, the University’s gotten behind it, and become proud of what was done, but for years, it wasn’t that way.”

At first, the program, aimed primarily at veterans, had no financial support from the U of I – and had to rely on various funding sources, like grants, and tickets to wheelchair sporting events. 

Taylorville Republican Congressman Rodney Davis is co-sponsoring the bill to honor Nugent with US Senate colleague and stroke survivor Mark Kirk.

“He understands how important this is, he’s a great person to be able to partner with to honor Mr. Nugent,” Davis said. “So Mark can talk about his own struggles, and what it would mean if he were back in college.”

Davis’ visit to the U of I campus Saturday included a tour of Nugent Hall, a residence hall that’s home for many students with disabilities.

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