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An infographic for the 2020 Census.

The 2020 U.S. Census at ¾ÅÓÎÓéÀÖ¹ÙÍø

You Count!

Your participation in the 2020 Census is important. The information the Census collects is confidential – but essential to planning how federal funds reach your community and help ensure its bright future.

Come on, Flashes. We’re counting on you to be COUNTED. It’s quick, it’s easy and it can do a lot to help the ¾ÅÓÎÓéÀÖ¹ÙÍø community.

What is the Census?
  • The United States census counts people in the places where they live the majority of the year. The U.S. Constitution requires that a census be taken every 10 years.
Why Should I Care?
  • The information the census collects is important: it helps determine how $675 billion in federal funding is spent for things like school and student financial aid.
  • Only 28% of students responded to the 2010 census.
  • Completing your census form is required by federal law. If you receive a census form and don’t complete it, you could be fined up to $5,000. If you complete a census form with false information, you could be fined up to $10,000.
Who Should Complete the Census Questionnaire?
  • If you are a student living in a residence hall, your response to the census questionnaire will be submitted for you by the ¾ÅÓÎÓéÀÖ¹ÙÍø residence hall administrator.
  • If you live off campus, please either complete the census questionnaire online at 2020census.gov or use the paper form you should receive in the mail at your residence. It should only take 5-10 minutes!
  • All ¾ÅÓÎÓéÀÖ¹ÙÍø faculty and staff should complete the questionnaire as well.
  • College Credit Plus students who are still part of their parents’ households will be counted when their parents complete the questionnaire for their home address.
When is the Census Taking Place?
  • Please fill out the questionnaire between March 1 and the end of spring semester.
  • April 1, 2020 is Census Day – It’s kind of a reminder day: if you haven’t completed your questionnaire yet, you should do it soon!
How Do I Complete the Census Questionnaire?

Students Living On Campus in Residence Halls

If you live in a residence hall, your response to the census questionnaire will be submitted for you by the ¾ÅÓÎÓéÀÖ¹ÙÍø residence hall administrator, Dan Shonk. All you have to do is remind your parents not to include you when they complete the census questionnaire for your family home.

You will receive an email notification that the university will submit a census response for you unless you opt out by March 24. Please watch your email for details.

Students Living Off Campus

If you live off campus, please either complete the census questionnaire online at or use the paper form you should receive in the mail at your residence. It should only take 5-10 minutes!

Please present your printed confirmation (either from the online questionnaire or the top portion of the paper form) at one of the university census events, where you can also participate in prize giveaways:

  • March 16 – Census Information Session for International Students, 3-5 p.m. in room 217 Bowman Hall
  • March 19 – Census Information Session for Off-Campus Students, 5-6:30 p.m. at The Province, 609 S. Lincoln St.
  • April 1 – Census Day Event, 9 a.m.-5 p.m. on the K in Risman Plaza

Faculty and Staff

Please either complete the census questionnaire online at or use the paper form you should receive in the mail at your residence. Thank you for being counted!

What Else Should I Know?
  • Individual census responses are confidential. Federal law prohibits sharing census information beyond generalized statistics.
  • Census data is separate. This data is not automatically collected through other activities like voting, paying taxes or getting a driver’s license.

For even more info, visit .

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