Changes to Census made

Article 1, Section 2 of the United States Constitution states that: “The actual Enumeration shall be made within three years after the first meeting of the Congress of the United States, and within every subsequent term of ten years, in such manner as they shall by Law direct.”

2010 is the subsequent tenth year which means it is Census time. The Census Bureau has identified college students as one of the main targets of this year’s Census.

In the 2000 Census many college students were not counted. Part of this confusion came about from where students should be counted. Should you be counted in the state you live in, or in the state you go to school in?
The 2010 Census has determined that students should be counted in the state they attend school in because they reside at that location nine months out of the entire year.

Junior Kelsey Meyer has played an active role in promoting the 2010 Census. Currently Meyer is interning with the City of Storm Lake as a communications assistant.

“The Census results will help fund improvements in the Storm Lake community. For each person counted from the Census, an average of $2,500 can be brought back to the community,” Meyer said.

But why is it important that the government know where we live? The Census seeks to count the entire United States in order to allocate seats in the House of Representatives based on individual state’s populations. Several states like Iowa, Neb., Minn. and Mo. are in danger of losing a seat in the House of Representatives, if their population goes down by the estimated amount.

In order to increase the number of people who are counted, this year’s Census contains only 10 questions. By comparison the 2000 Census had over 100 questions. The hope that is since people can fill out the Census in less than 20 minutes they are more likely to fill out the Census form.

Many major Universities have offered incentives or had programs to help increase the likelihood that college students participate. The University of Texas at Arlington is having their Residence Life staff distribute forms, Kent State, who has quite possibly the most interesting plan, will make Census forms available at various bars around campus. Whether intoxicated college students will fill them out or not remains to be seen.

The Census runs until mid-April and forms will be available on campus.