What the 2020 federal census is and why it’s important to count everyone, including students, will be discussed at a campus meeting on Tuesday, Feb. 18, 2 p.m., in Williams Center Room S204.
“Shape Your Future with the U.S. Census” is the focus of the session.
Jason Eastman, a partnership specialist with the U.S. Census Bureau, will explain the significance of the census and how it will shape the future and will also answer audience questions. A lot is at stake with the results of this nationwide head count, according to Fredonia’s American Democracy Project (ADP) Committee.
Whether they live on or off campus or back home with their parents, college students are to be included in the 2020 census, based on where they live and sleep most of the time as of April 1, 2020. Communities where colleges are located depend on an accurate count of students living in the area, according to the U.S. Census Bureau website.
Census numbers help determine how billions of dollars in federal funding flow into states and communities each year for schools, hospitals, roads and other public works projects. Results also decide how many seats in the House of Representatives are allocated to each state. Businesses also consider where they build new stores or ship their projects based on census numbers.
The census is mandated by the U.S. Constitution in Article 1, Section 2. The United States has counted its population every 10 years since 1790.
The census presentation, sponsored by Fredonia’s ADP Committee, is free and open to all students, faculty and staff of Fredonia and community members.
