University Park

Census Day is April 1, be sure to participate

University Park, Pa. -- The 2010 Census -- a count of everyone living in the United States -- is here. Thursday, April 1 is National Census Day. Penn State students  living on and off campus -- including international students, regardless of their citizenship status -- should take a few minutes to complete the simple questionnaire this week.

College students living away from home are not counted on their parents' questionnaires. People should be counted where they live and sleep most of the year, so students living in on-campus housing will receive their questionnaires there. The 2010 Census consists of just 10 questions about the basic information of people living in a residence. Students living in residence halls, considered "group quarters," will receive individual census forms from their RAs, while those living off campus will receive household questionnaires in the mail. International students who are not citizens also need to complete the census.

Every 10 years, the government reports the number of people who live in the United States by conducting a count called the census. This count is required by the U.S. Constitution. Census data are used to determine the number of representatives each state receives in the U.S. Congress, as well as each county’s representation in the state legislature. Government agencies use the data to make funding decisions for more than $400 billion each year, including Title 1 allocations, college grant and loan programs, public transportation (like CATA), road and community improvements, public health services and hospitals, neighborhood improvements and senior services.

Census Day is April 1, 2010. For more information, visit www.2010census.gov.

Last Updated March 30, 2010