October means a lot of things – midterms, Halloween, or maybe a scattering of 21st birthdays for those lucky students coming-of-age at Grand Valley State University. But for people living life alongside a disability, or for their loved ones, October means awareness.

Though technically spearheaded by the Office of Disability Employment Policy (within the United States Department of Labor) as National Disability Employment Awareness Month, the occasion has taken on a life of it’s own, acting as a vehicle to spread awareness and education to communities nationwide.

At GVSU, administration and student organizations alike have made commendable efforts at making an inclusive campus environment, especially the students. With groups like the Grand Valley Disability Advocates (GVDA), with goals that aim to “bring together members of the faculty and student body of the institution on a basis of mutual interest, understanding, and helpfulness for students with disabilities,” we may not be standing on a level playing field, but at least we’re working toward it.

On GVSU’s Disability Support Resources web site, there are plenty of resources for people who want to not only educate themselves on disabilities, but work through ways to help make the campus community even further.

In a column in today’s issue; in fact, on the bottom of this page, blogger/columnist Stephanie Deible aims to dispel myths about disabilities – including curiosity. In her column, she talks specifically about children, but the thought she says, “can and should be expanded to everyone.”

And she’s right.

For those with disabilites, the university has a list of responsibilities they must do at the beginning the semester as well has shared responsibilities between the faculty and the student. These include reporting their disability to faculty in a timely manner and for faculty to report in the syllabus the need to inform the faculty of all special needs.

If those with disabilities are going to be given responsibilites at the school, the students of the university should as well.

It’s human nature to feel uncomfortable in the face of the unknown, but there is nothing stopping us from educating ourselves to take away that barrier, in whatever form it presents itself.

Taking the extra time to become familiar with our fellow students is one step to nourshing relationships built out of mutal respect, understanding and compassion.