UNITED STATES CENSUS 2000

COMMONLY ASKED QUESTIONS

• "As a college student, do I get counted here in the census or do my parents count me at their home?"

  Students living away from home while attending college are counted where they are living at college.

  • People living in off-campus apartments where mail is delivered by street name and house number will receive a census questionnaire in the mail in mid-March. If NOT completed and returned, census employees will be going door-to-door at these addresses beginning May 1^st.

  • Residence Hall students will have census questionnaires delivered by census employees to their room/suite for completion beginning April 1^st. If NOT completed and returned, census employees will be going door-to-door to these suites/rooms.

  • Students living at their parents� home while attending college are counted at their parents� home.

• "As an international student, do I complete the census?"

  Students, who are citizens of foreign countries, but are attending college in the United States, should complete the census.

• "Are my answers kept confidential?"

  YES — Your answers will NOT be used to enforce the "grouper law" or any other local laws. The Census Bureau is forbidden by law to share your personal information with anyone and census takers have sworn to protect the confidentiality of your answers.

TEN REASONS FOR COLLEGE STUDENTS TO COMPLETE THE CENSUS:

1. The U.S. Congress uses the census to determine how many seats New York State will have in the U.S. House of Representatives and New York State uses the numbers to allocate seats in the legislature.

2. Firms in the private sector use the data to consider expansion or relocation in the region. Start up firms, in particular, are on the rise in the area due to the presence of a large number of college students.

3. If Albany falls below 100,000 in population, its name will be removed from the lists of a number of firms involved in national marketing efforts. It could impact attracting research dollars and students to the area.

4. The number of college students in the area that could potentially work for firms upon graduation makes the region more attractive to new or existing companies.

5. College students as residents of the community have a civic responsibility as well as a financial stake to fill out the census.

6. An accurate count of college students will help to increase the supply of decent and affordable housing in the community.

7. Census data is utilized to design and develop neighborhood based community services.

8. Public transportation (new bus routes and additional services) is impacted by the needs of, among others, college students in the region.

9. If working on a research project either as a student or for an employer, collecting accurate information about the community is of paramount importance. The census helps in this regard.

10. Billions of dollars per year are allocated by the federal government for programs that depend, in part, upon the census for numeric data.

It�s important (it helps you and the community in which you live)
It�s easy (it doesn�t take a lot of time)
It�s safe (technology protects your answers)

For more information about the census: http://www.census.gov

A message from the Office of Personal Safety & Off-Campus Affairs - Campus Center 110, Division of Student Affairs

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