March 12, 2010

The Census comes to campus

When the U.S. Census Bureau rolls through college campuses once every decade, many students slip through the cracks.

This year, census and CSU Monterey Bay officials are taking steps to ensure that students get counted – and there's a lot riding on it.

The count helps ensure that the local community receives its fair share of government funding since census data directly affect how billions of dollars per year in federal funding are allocated to local and state governments. And it affects grant and loan programs for college fees.

But money isn't the only reason to be counted. Data about how our communities are changing are crucial to many planning decisions – in education, transportation, public safety, emergency preparedness and disaster recovery, neighborhood improvements and public health, among others. Census data also inform important research done by college faculty, students, librarians and community leaders.

Posters have gone up around campus, reminding students of the upcoming census. Around April 1, those living in what the Census Bureau calls "group quarters" will be counted. Census Bureau employees will visit the 11 residence halls, distributing individual questionnaires for students to complete and return.

Students who live in East Campus housing – as well as those who live in apartments or houses off campus – will receive a general form in the mail between March 15 and 17, just like their parents will receive at home. Roommates will have to fill it out together and should select the "roommates" and "college living" boxes. The forms should be mailed back in the envelope provided.

Census Bureau employees emphasize that it takes about 10 minutes to complete the form.

It's easy to shrug off the census as nothing more than the government taking attendance. But it's more than that: It's a means of improving our community. And what easier way to do so than by just answering "here"?

For more information, visit the Census Bureau at https://2010.census.gov/campus.

Questions and answers about the census

Here are some commonly asked questions regarding college students and the census, provided by the U.S. Census Bureau:

Q. Why should I fill out the census? A. The 2010 Census helps ensure that your academic community receives its fair share of political representation and government funding. Census data directly affect how billions of dollars per year in federal funding are allocated to local and state governments. Data about how our communities are changing are crucial to many planning decisions – in education, transportation, public safety, emergency preparedness and disaster recovery, neighborhood improvements, public health, and much more. Census data also inform important research done by college faculty, students, librarians, and community leaders. Your participation is vital to ensure a complete and accurate count for your community in 2010. And, think of it as a nice way to give back to a community you have called home during your time at CSUMB.Q:****Are my parents able to fill out the form for me? A: No, your parents are not allowed to fill out the form for you. The census is a snapshot of where people are living on April 1. So unless you live at home and commute to school, you must fill out your own census form.

Q:****What if I live on campus? ****A: For group living situations, such as university residence halls, you will receive a special form that will be distributed by Census Bureau employees. You fill it out yourself and don't have to collaborate with your roommates. Each roommate fills out a separate form.

Q: What if I live in East Campus housing or off campus in an apartment or house? ****A: If you live in East Campus or off campus, you will receive a general form, just like your parents will receive at home. You and your roommates will have to fill it out together and will select the "roommates" and "college living" boxes.

Q: What if I'm an international student?****A: Even if you are not a U.S. citizen, you are responsible for filling out the census if you are studying in America in spring 2010. If international students do not fill out the form, community services that they are able to access, such as libraries and hospitals, will lose funding.

Q. What kinds of questions will the census ask me?A. The 2010 Census will have one of the shortest census questionnaires in the history of the United States, dating back to the nation's first census in 1790. It asks only a few simple questions about each of the people living in your household, including name, age, date of birth, sex, race, Hispanic origin, relationship to others in the household, whether you sometimes live or stay somewhere else, and four questions about the household in general. The census form will take about 10 minutes to complete. The census does NOT ask for financial information or your Social Security number.

Q. Can I complete the census online?A. No, questionnaires are not available online. In September 2008, a Census Bureau data collection team completed a thorough analysis of implementing an Internet reporting option. From a technical perspective, they found using the Internet was feasible; however, without time to fully test the entire system, security concerns led the Census Bureau to decide not to offer the 2010 Census questionnaire online. However, the Census Bureau plans to introduce an Internet data collection option in the 2020 Census.

Q. Will the census share my information with anyone?****A. No. By law, the Census Bureau cannot share an individual's census questionnaire responses with anyone, including the FBI, welfare, immigration, other government agencies, or law enforcement entities. All Census Bureau employees have taken an oath to protect confidentiality and know that they are subject to a federal prison sentence of up to five years, a fine of up to $250,000, or both, for disclosing any information that could identify a respondent or household.