The College of Applied Health Sciences is currently in the process of developing a proposal that could potentially convert the unused Beckwith Hall into housing for disabled military veterans pursuing higher education.

The facility could appeal to not only veterans in the area but those nationwide, said Tanya Gallagher, Dean of the College of AHS.

“What we are envisioning is that we would situation ourselves as a national resource,” Gallagher said. “We think that we are in a good position to step up again and organize ourselves to facilitate the programming for veterans who want to access college that have severe disabilities.”

Director of Disability Resources and Educational Services Bradley Hedrick said with Beckwith Hall currently vacant, specifically catering toward disabled veteran students’ housing needs “would be a reasonable way for us to try to re-deploy the facility.”

Students from Beckwith Hall are currently housed in the new facilities in Timothy J. Nugent Hall, which opened this fall.

Hedrick said the building was constructed in 1981 and would probably have to be remodeled if this idea progresses.

The idea is in its early stages and nothing concrete has been established, but Gallagher said the proposal will likely be finished by the end of the year.

“We have to make some changes to accommodate to provide the most accessible space possible for the veterans,” he said.

Although there is no dedicated facility yet, Gallagher said accommodating veterans with disabilities is not new for the University.

“We can build on that history and actually get to where we really began as the first program in the nation to provide accommodation to returning World War II veterans with disabilities,” she said.

Bill Goodman, assistant dean for administration and technology for AHS, said the college is currently reaching out to different groups such as the Illini Veterans Registered Student Organization to get feedback on the idea, and the response thus far has been positive.

Chad Garland, president of Illini Veterans and senior in LAS, said living with others in similar situations will be a great benefit for the severely disabled veterans.

He added that it might also be a good idea to create a space for all veterans in general, similar to a fraternity or cultural house. Dustin Lang of the campus veteran support committee has proposed the idea to the University, he said.

“What ever happens with Beckwith might take a while,” Garland said. “In the mean time having a space might be a good intermediary step.”

The next step in the process to completing the proposal is to identify the numbers of people who could possibly benefit from the program, Goodman said.