Mackenzie Thomas
Staff Writer
The United States Census will be conducted this year April 1, otherwise known as Census Day. Conducted by the United States Census Bureau, the 2020 Census will be the first census most college students will be filling out for themselves.
“The importance of the census is it is used to determine how federal funds and grants are distributed annually to public services. This can range anywhere from student grants to university improvements,” said Jennifer Hillmann, the media specialist for the Colorado and Wyoming Census Bureau branch. She said some of the funds and grants distributed will go to aid college students.
Along with the possibility of being dispersed for student financial aid and university improvements, money from the census funds can also go towards road improvements and construction. Funds from the census can also go towards funding local primary school districts as well as funding wildlife restoration and community transit systems.
“You will get counted for the census based on where you live as of April 1, 2020. If you are a student at the University of Wyoming living in Laramie, you will be counted in Laramie because that is where you are living at that time,” said Hillmann.
Universities can benefit from the census because the federal funding can provide extra student financial aid and help make campus improvements.
“This is hundreds of billions of dollars in federal grants annually, if you don’t fill the census out your community can miss out on this crucial funding. This funding can be financial aid programs and campus improvements. It shows the importance you bring to the community,” Hillmann said.
College students filling out the census who live away from home should fill out the census based on where they live and sleep the majority of the year. This ensures the community where they utilize resources can have proper funding in order to maintain the area. Students who live in dorms and residence halls will have residence administrators helping to fill out the census Hillmann said.
“Ultimately, the success of the census depends on everyone’s participation,” Hillmann said. “It only takes a few minutes to complete a form that will have a significant effect on the next ten years of your life. Make sure your voice is heard and represented by getting counted in 2020.”
Beginning in March, each home will receive an invitation to respond to the short questionnaire. The census questionnaire can be answered online, over the phone, or by mail.
The US Census was put in place in order to count people who live in all 50 states, the District of Columbia and the five United States territories. As stated in Article I, Section 2 of the Constitution, participating in the census count every ten years is mandatory.
The United States has been conducting the census every ten years since 1790. For most college students, the 2020 census will be the first census they will participate in by filling out the information themselves.
