College students concerned about whether they will be counted when this year's census is conducted need not worry, according to Arthur Dukakis, regional director of the Census Bureau.
Students living away from home should not be included in the Census form filled out by their parents -- instead, questionnaires will be delivered to every room at all of the dormitory buildings at colleges and universities nationwide, including Dartmouth, according to Dukakis.
"There will be one questionnaire for each room, regardless of the number of residents," he said. He added that up to 12 residents will be able to include themselves on one form.
The students will be counted as part of the population of the town in which they reside.
"If a student is living in a dormitory at Dartmouth, the student will be considered a Hanover resident," Dukakis noted. "If a student is living in an apartment off-campus in Vermont, then the student will be considered a part of that town's population."
In order to ensure an accurate count, Dukakis said that the Bureau will persist in encouraging people to submit their questionnaires.
"We're going to go back as many times as is necessary to get everyone's data," Dukakis said. According to Kurland, a number of programs depend upon Census data for continued funding. The Americans with Disability Act, the Child Welfare Services Program, and the Low-Income Home Energy Assistance Programs all receive funding based on Census data.
The Census Bureau points out that all information submitted to the Bureau is confidential and is not made available to any other governmental agency.
