Naomi Weak, History 250: The Historian Craft, Spring 2023

The disabled community has historically been left out of history. They have been mocked and made fun of, hidden away, and put on display for society’s entertainment. On the University of Nebraska Lincoln’s campus, positive changes for disabled students began occurring in the 70s. The extent of the improvements were questionable and even more questionable was how the disabled students were benefitting from the changes. Although the University of Nebraska Lincoln proved to be willing to provide accommodations for the disabled students on campus, the system set in place failed time and time again when students’ education and college life were at stake.

In 1976, UNL acted in accordance with the Rehabilitation Act which required universities to provide disabled students with a compliance officer. This move by the university did not translate to accommodations on college campuses. A compliance officer was simply a university staff member that frustrated disabled students could go to complain about lack of accessibility. UNL hired Brad Munn in this role. Munn acted in this role until 1985 when a computer system was acquired and an education center was formed. This center allowed students to write their own papers while using an adapted technique to type out their essays depending on the student’s individual disability. This was the only form of service for disabled students at UNL for nine years. A compliance officer was not enough to begin with, but students made do for nine years until true accommodations were beginning to be put in place. The education center was still not able to fulfill the true needs of the students. There was not enough staff to aid students, there was not enough funding, and students were suffering in their studies. The university continued to do the bare minimum regarding accommodations for students with disabilities even though they paid the same amount in tuition as other able-bodied students.[1]

Wheelchair Wednesday was an event hosted by the University’s Association of Students of the University of Nebraska (ASUN) with cooperation from Students with Disabilities Committee in 1992 and 1993. This event was hosted to highlight problems faced by disabled students. Students, administrators, and faculty had the chance to move around campus in a wheelchair while attempting to complete various tasks. The idea was to show how difficult it is for disabled students in wheelchairs to maneuver the campus to breed a more understanding environment. Students hailed this event as a success noting that once administrators saw the desperate need for curb cuts around campus by exposing them to the difficulty firsthand, curb cuts were put in. The university should not have had to been exposed to the difficulties for disabled students to care about their needs and do something about the difficulties they were facing. Able-bodied students, faculty, and administration would not have ever noticed how difficult the campus is to maneuver without this event and it should not have taken them confined to a wheelchair for an afternoon to make a positive improvement for disabled students. At the end of the day, all the participants in Wheelchair Wednesday got to get up and walk away from their chairs and move on with their life, the students who lived with the reality of using a wheelchair should not have to wait around for another Wheelchair Wednesday for the university to realize that there was work to be done.[2]

In 1997, the Director of university housing, Douglas Zatechka, praised the campus’ residence housing remarking that it was more accessible than other universities. The university had been renovating their residence halls to create more accessibility like widening doors, expanding bathrooms, and adding grab bars, as well as, adding alternatives to fire alarms for students who may not hear the alarm. The university was eventually able to make Selleck Quadrangle accessible year-round which landed it in the spot as the main accessible dorm on the university’s campus. The improvements were long needed within the residence halls and the university was making progress in accessibility for the good of disabled students. The unfortunate reality is that this was just one building in one part of campus and it is relying on disabled students to inform them what else needs to be added. There needs to be improvements and changes with the disabled student’s well-being and studies in mind, not to portray false accessibility to make the university look better. No matter what, the disabled student’s reality will be different than an abled-bodied students. No disabled student wants to remind university staff of their accommodations they need, especially if they do not currently exist. In a perfect world, there would be precedent for accommodations but these were the precedents in the making.[3]

Kristy Coleman, a junior with cerebral palsy, was denied a roommate by the university due to her disability. In 1993, Coleman, who believed that she should not have to live alone simply because of her wheelchair, decided to sue the university arguing that the housing policies were discriminating against her. Not only did the university deny her request to have a roommate, but they also placed Coleman in a single room which was more expensive than her requested dorm selection. Coleman transferred from Peru State College where she had multiple able-bodied roommates who lived together without any issues. UNL should not have been any different. The university attempted to argue that a roommate of a disabled student would feel the need to perform as a caretaker or run errands for the disabled student. This was led by thoughtless reasoning and the urge to make the “problem” go away without the university being forced to answer for their mistreatment of Coleman. The university violated a disabled student’s right to have a roommate and also forced her to pay the extra cost for a single room when she did not request one.[4]

Coleman’s lawsuit against the university concluded with a verdict in favor of Coleman and decided that the university violated her rights by not allowing the assignment of a random roommate. The ruling also decided that the universities housing policy is based on misconceptions and inaccurate conclusions regarding physically disabled students. Coleman simply wanted a roommate, unlike any other able-bodied student, to contribute to her social interactions and overall college experience. Douglas Zatechka stated that until 1980, roommates were automatically assigned to disabled students in wheelchairs just as any other student would be. This was the policy until it came to the university’s attention that neither students were happy with the room arrangement. That was when the change was made for disabled students to only have roommates if they found them themselves. He continued to note that the ruling signifies that the policy needs to be changed again. All Coleman wanted was a roommate, someone to talk to and live with, just like any other college student. Yet, she had to go to court to argue that her disability did not make her unsuited to live with another student.[5]

The Services for the Students with Disabilities office was a long-established office on campus by the time Mary Thompson took over as director in 2000. Students had grown to rely on and trust the office to get their accommodations on time. Once Thompson took over, the atmosphere and the layout of the office dramatically changed to use the space “more efficiently and effectively”. The change meant that students in wheelchairs had a hard time getting around in an office meant to help not hinder their campus environment. Student Scott Bridge relied on the office for notes due to his blindness. Once Thompson took over, his notes began to come later and later. While Thompson cited that volunteers were needed to take the notes and that sometimes there are not enough volunteers, the office should make it a priority to give students their notes on time. This is something students cannot succeed at the university without. The office was no longer a place where the students felt safe. The once lively office with students hanging around and chatting was widely avoided by Bridge due to the uncomfortable environment set by Thompson’s demeanor. Despite students bringing concerns to the administration, Thompson’s ability to successfully run the office with the student’s best in mind was not immediately called into question. The university failed to see the student’s concerns and failed to listen to the students who were suffering due to the office’s failure to produce their notes on time. This should have been a reg flag for upper administration but Thompson remained in her role until she asked to move positions the following semester and the disabled students were given a new interim director.[6]

Disabled students cannot be set aside while making decisions about accommodations at the university level. No one wants to feel ‘othered’ but the inability to move about campus at the same ability as other able-bodied students allows for this feeling of othering. Disabled students have the ability to move through the world with the limitations they have been given. Sometimes, they require more help but they know when additional assistance is required. Chelsea Marrow, a blind UNL student, remarks that “If you see someone who has a disability, don’t assume that they need help”. The idea that any disabled student needs help to do anything in their daily life only others them further. If students want to help they should volunteer as notetakers for the students who need them. Disabled students urged their able-bodied counterparts to treat them as any other student and not look at them as someone to help because they are capable and able to move through life, they just move through life a little differently.[7]

Disabled students at the University of Nebraska Lincoln still must make leaps and bounds to create a completely accessible campus for all students. One anonymous student remarked in 1975 that she “seen people so lost in the cause of doing good for the handicapped student, they ignore what it is the student wants”. Disabled students deserved to be listened to by the university back then and unfortunately much hasn’t changed. Disabled students are still forced to advocate for themselves and prove their disabled status to be worthy of accommodations. Students must prove their disability with a medical professional among other documents in order to even introduce the idea of accommodations. The idea of college is difficult to grasp for any student taking the leap into higher education but adding a disability makes that idea of higher 9 education even harder. Students should not have to jump through extra hoops to simply go to college and proceed through those four years of higher education like any other able-bodied student is able to. So many improvements need to be made to bring disabled students into an even playing field within the realm of higher education.

Despite the University of Nebraska Lincoln’s willingness to provide accommodations for disabled students, the university’s policies continually failed disabled students when their education and college life was at risk. The university provided the bare minimum for their disabled students time and time again. One person to complain to, one accessible building, and one improvement here and there were not enough for students to be able to go through their college experience seamlessly. Society needs to stop making decisions about the disabled community without disabled people present to make their voices heard.

Notes:

1. Twiestmeyer, Lisa. “Facing Obstacles, Finding Solutions”. 10 April, 1989. Page 13-14. The Daily Nebraskan The Sower. https://nebnewspapers.unl.edu/lccn/sn96080312/1989-04-10/ed-1/seq-14/.

2. Nygren, Judith. “Wheelchair woes hit home”. 1 April 1993. U Comm Subject Records. RG 42-06-02, Box 21, Folder, "Students with disabilities,"Archives & Special Collections, University of Nebraska-Lincoln Libraries.

3. Rood, Lee. “Students pleased with UNL’s accessibility, Zatechka says”. 10 April 1989. Page 6. The Daily Nebraskan The Sower. https://nebnewspapers.unl.edu/lccn/sn96080312/1989-04-10/ed-1/seq- 17/#words=disabilities+disability+disabled+Selleck+Selleck%27s

4. Opperman, Angela. “Disabled student sues UNL”. 3 September 1992. Special Subject Files, RG 52-03-00, Demonstration, Student (May 1970)-Draft. Box 13. Folder "Disability Students," Archives & Special Collections, University of Nebraska-Lincoln Libraries.; Daib, Jolene. “UNL sued over disability housing policy”. 2 September 1992. RG 52-03-00, Special Subject Files. Demonstration, Student (May 1970)-Draft. Box 13, Folder "Discrimination," Archives & Special Collections, University of Nebraska-Lincoln Libraries.

5. O’Hanlon, Kevin. “Disabled UNL Student Wins Suit to Have Roommate”. 10 June 1993. Special Subject Files, RG 52-03-00, Demonstration, Student (May 1970)-Draft. Box 13, Folder, "Disability Students," Archives & Special Collections, University of Nebraska-Lincoln Libraries.

6. Zeman, Jill. “Changes frustrate disabled students”. 17 November 2000. Page 1 and 3. The Daily Nebraskan. https://nebnewspapers.unl.edu/lccn/sn96080312/2000-11-17/ed-1/seq-3/.; Zeman, Jill. “SSD to see change in director”. 29 January 2001. Page 1. The Daily Nebraskan. https://nebnewspapers.unl.edu/lccn/sn96080312/2001-01-29/ed- 1/seq-1/#words=SSD.

7. Russo, Ed. “Students with disabilities don’t want to be treated differently”. 28 February 1997. U Comm Subject, RG 42-06-02,  Box 21. Students with disabilities folder. Archives & Special Collections, University of Nebraska-Lincoln Libraries, 11

Bibliography

• Daib, Jolene. “UNL sued over disability housing policy”. 2 September 1992. Special Subject Files. Demonstration, Student (May 1970)-Draft. RG 52-03-00, Box 13. Discrimination SSF Folder. Archives & Special Collections, University of Nebraska-Lincoln Libraries.
• Dreimanis, Harold. Photograph. The Lincoln Star. 1 April 1993. U Comm Subject. RG 42-06-02 Box 21. Students with disabilities folder. Archives & Special Collections, University of Nebraska-Lincoln Libraries.
• Nygren, Judith. “Wheelchair woes hit home”. 1 April 1993. U Comm Subject. RG 42-06-02 Box 21. Students with disabilities folder. Archives & Special Collections, University of Nebraska-Lincoln Libraries.
• O’Hanlon, Kevin. “Disabled UNL Student Wins Suit to Have Roommate”. 10 June 1993. Special Subject Files. Demonstration, Student (May 1970)-Draft. RG 52-03-00,  Box 13. Disability Students-UNL SSF Folder. Archives & Special Collections, University of Nebraska-Lincoln Libraries.
• Opperman, Angela. “Disabled student sues UNL”. 3 September 1992. Special Subject Files. Demonstration, Student (May 1970)-Draft. RG 52-03-00, Box 13. Disability Students-UNL SSF Folder. Archives & Special Collections, University of Nebraska-Lincoln Libraries.
• Rood, Lee. “Students pleased with UNL’s accessibility, Zatechka says”. 10 April 1989. Page 6. The Daily Nebraskan, The Sower. https://nebnewspapers.unl.edu/lccn/sn96080312/1989-04-10/ed-1/seq- 17/#words=disabilities+disability+disabled+Selleck+Selleck%27s
• Russo, Ed. “Students with disabilities don’t want to be treated differently”. 28 February 1997. U Comm Subject. RG 42-06-02 Box21. Students with disabilities folder. Archives & Special Collections, University of Nebraska-Lincoln Libraries.
• “Students with Disabilities”. 5 November 1975. Page 4. The Daily Nebraskan. https://nebnewspapers.unl.edu/lccn/sn96080312/1975-11-05/ed-1/seq- 4/#words=disabilities+Disabilities+disability+disabled.
• Twiestmeyer, Lisa. “Facing Obstacles, Finding Solutions”. 10 April, 1989. Page 13-14. The Daily Nebraskan, The Sower. https://nebnewspapers.unl.edu/lccn/sn96080312/1989-04-10/ed-1/seq-14/.
• Zeman, Jill. “Changes frustrate disabled students”. 17 November 2000. Page 1 and 3. The Daily Nebraskan. https://nebnewspapers.unl.edu/lccn/sn96080312/2000-11-17/ed-1/seq-3/.

Captions:

The Dean of UNL’s College of Engineering and Technology, Stan Liberty, is participating in Wheelchair Wednesday and is being escorted by students Mike Tod (left) and Brenda Keller, UNL manager of transportation Mike Cacek, and ASUN president Andrew Sigerson. (Dreimanis, Harold. Photograph. The Lincoln Star. 1 April 1993. U Comm Subject. RG 42-06-02 Box 21. Students with disabilities folder.Archives & Special Collections, University of Nebraska-Lincoln Libraries)

Kristy Coleman (pictured), junior majoring in human development and the family, simply wants a roommate to further fulfill her college experience and the university was denying her that right due to her disability. (Opperman, Angela. “Disabled student sues UNL”. 3 September 1992. Special Subject Files. Demonstration, Student (May 1970)-Draft. RG 52/03 Box 13. 29/01/07/06. Disability Students-UNL SSF Folder.  Archives & Special Collections, University of Nebraska Lincoln Libraries.; Daib, Jolene. “UNL sued over disability housing policy”. 2 September 1992. Special Subject Files. Demonstration, Student (May 1970)-Draft. RG 52/03 Box 13. 29/01/07/06. Discrimination SSF Folder. Archives & Special Collections, University of Nebraska Lincoln Libraries)