When you only do something once every 10 years, it can be easy to forget why and how it gets done.
So as forms from the U.S. Census Bureau start arriving this week, it wouldn’t be too surprising if students and others weren’t sure what to do with them.
The answer: Fill them out and return them.
West Virginia University students should fill them out as Morgantown residents.
“This is the community whose resources they are using the most,” said Elizabeth Guthrie, partnership specialist with the 2010 Census in Morgantown. Guthrie added that everyone, including international students is counted in the census.
The census helps provide appropriate funding for roads, hospitals, public transportation systems, libraries and education, among other things. It also helps with rent control and lending practices.
At WVU, census data can be used to obtain grants that provide funding for fellowships, research projects, personnel, the Personal Rapid Transit system and sidewalks.
Students concerned about confidentiality or influencing their tax data, have nothing to worry about.
“Whatever you put on your census is sealed for 72 years within the Department of Commerce; it cannot be shared with other federal agencies, state agencies or law enforcement,” Guthrie said. “So, it won’t affect tax status, dependency status, your residency or your tuition.”
The 10-question survey only needs to be filled out once per household, Guthrie stressed.
It asks question about race, age, origin, living arrangements and gender. Everyone who completes the census is asked to complete all questions on the survey, as certain grants depend on such information.
The 2010 U.S. Census will arrive in homes beginning March 15. All forms are due by April 1.
Students who live in the residence halls will also receive the forms, and will be asked to return them to a designated individual by a specific date. The individual will then return them to the U.S. Census Bureau.
For more information on the 2010 U.S. Census, visit http://2010.census.gov .
-WVU-
cd/03/15/10
CONTACT: News and Information Services
304-293-6997
Follow @WVUToday on Twitter.