Letters

FROM THE DIRECTOR

U.S. CENSUS BUREAU

To: Student Housing

The U.S. Constitution requires that a count of the nation’s population be taken every

ten years. In 2010, the U.S. Census Bureau will conduct a census to count every person residing in the United States. The 2010 Census will provide the information each community relies on to obtain more than $300 billion in federal and state funding distributed each year for schools, employment services, health assistance, parks, services for older adults, and more.

During the 2010 Census, we will conduct operations to count people who live or stay in group quarters, particularly student housing, such as residence halls and fraternity and sorority houses.

When counting the residents at your school, the Census Bureau collects data in compliance with the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA). Colleges and universities can disclose directory information from student records to the Census Bureau without prior consent of the student or his or her parents. Directory information includes a student’s name, date of birth, address, and dates of attendance.

It is vital that the Census Bureau has an accurate and complete count of all the students attending your school. It is important to remember that college students are considered residents of the city where they live while attending school, not of their hometowns. During this operation, we will count students who live in the residence halls, including fraternity and sorority houses. The operation will occur in early April, before the end of the school year.

If you have any questions, please call the Local Census Office. The telephone number is provided in your census materials. Thank you for your cooperation, and we look forward to working with you to obtain an accurate count.

Sincerely,

Steve Murdock

Director

D-30(L)SH