As a student wrapped up in cramming for exams, and thinking about what to do after college, you may think that Census 2000 is something that will not have a great impact on your life. However, the fact of the matter is that Census 2000 will impact you and everyone living in the United States. The U. S. Census Bureau calls the decennial census the largest peacetime effort in the history of the nation. Counting the nation’s population is a massive job. It will take 285,000 workers at peak to account for 118 million housing units and 275 million people, living across 8 to 9 million blocks. This does not even include Puerto Rico and the U.S. Island Areas. You may wonder, “Why is Census 2000 so important?” The answer is that the census is what will be used to determine how much money communities will receive in federal funding. The federal government uses the census to allocate over $100 billion that will be used for public service projects like highway construction, hospital services, employment, schools, and educational programs. Census numbers are also used to draw political districts and apportion seats in Congress. The census issue is especially important for colleges and universities that will need federal funds for educational programs and research. State and local governments will also use the census for planning and allocating funds for school construction, libraries, police and fire departments.

College students represent a mobile population that has traditionally been difficult to count. Students living away from home will be counted where they are living in college. Census takers will distribute the census form to students living in dormitories. Students living off-campus will receive a census form in the mail that should be completed and returned. Students living at home should be counted on the form that is sent to their parents’ home. If you are a citizen of a foreign country, but are living with a household in the U.S., you must be counted with the household. Students who are not citizens, and in the country on a temporary basis, will not be counted. Census 2000 is especially important for African Americans. Historically minorities represent the highest numbers among undercounted populations. The last census count in 1990 missed 8 million people, the majority of whom were African Americans. The African American population was one of the most severely undercounted populations in the nation. An estimated 4.4 percent of African Americans were missed nationwide in the last census count.

As an African-American student, take responsibility and make sure you are accurately counted. An undercount costs millions of dollars over the course of 10 years. It could impact vital public service projects and funding that your community or college needs to provide programs or to conduct research. It pays to be counted and the consequence of not being counted would be costly because the count would be inaccurate.

The U.S. Census Bureau makes every effort to reach everyone, no matter where they live or what language they speak. But each census has become more difficult and the response rate has been on a steady decline. The U.S. Census Bureau has embarked on a massive public awareness campaign that for the first time includes a paid advertising component. Between now and the conclusion of the Census 2000 count, you will see and hear the theme, “This is Your Future. Don’t Leave it Blank.” This will go out in a variety of advertising messages that will hopefully get you and more people to participate. The census form will ask a number of questions covering name, sex, age, race, and your status as a homeowner or renter. The questionnaires will arrive in the mail between March 15, 2000 and Census Day, April 1.

The information you place on the census form is confidential. The Census Bureau, by law, cannot share your answers with other governmental agencies like the Internal Revenue Service, Immigration and Naturalization Service, or welfare agencies.

In addition to taking a portrait of the country’s population, Census 2000 provides temporary job opportunities that are ideal for students. Workers will be needed to go to households that have not responded or have submitted incomplete questionnaires. The salaries for these jobs will depend on the location where the workers are assigned. Census workers are paid weekly and the average salary ranges between $6.25 and $16 an hour. Workers will be paid to attend training and reimbursed for mileage costs. Most workers will be needed from mid-April to mid-June. If you’re interested in applying for Census 2000 work, contact the Census Bureau regional office nearest you, or call 1-888-325-7733 for more information. In addition, the Census Bureau has a special need for workers with bilingual skills.

To learn more about Census 2000 and related job opportunities, you can also visit the Census Bureau’s Internet site at http://www. census.gov/dmd/www/.

Be on the lookout for your census questionnaire this spring. A complete count for Census 2000 is an important responsibility that could make where you live, work and go to school a better place for you and your community. “This is Your Future. Don’t Leave it Blank.”

• The distribution of billions of dollars in state and federal funds is based on census numbers - We’re talking schools, job centers and playgrounds.

• The census helps us understand labor supply-Employers need to know where the next generation of workers is coming from.

• Scientific research depends on census data - Sociology reports, medical studies, statistical profiles and maybe even your own research papers depend on census data.

• Planners use the census to develop recreational programs - Children need playgrounds, older people may want parks and you may want a bike path. Knowing the population mix is key to recreational planning.

• Planning for public transportation services, such as selecting bus routes and subway stops, requires census numbers - The bus won’t stop if no one knows there’s someone waiting.

• The census is needed to establish fair market rents and enforce fair lending practices-important to anyone who wants to keep a roof over his/her head.

• The census helps identify areas eligible for housing assistance and rehabilitation loans - The census collects information on housing conditions too.