Census Confusion No More

So a little while ago I was confused about what was going on for us students, census-wise. People said that, for those of us who live on campus, we just have to wait for our CA’s to take care of it for us. And now Rick Sawyer, Dean of Student Life, just sent out an email making things even more clear. Here’s the info:

On Wednesday, April 7, officials from the US Census Department will be on-campus and will give census forms to the Department of  Community Living.  DCL will then give the forms to Community Advisors, who will distribute them to their residents.  Surveys are seven questions long and should take about two minutes to complete. Students will give their form to their CA, who will return it to Community Living.   It is very important that every student who lives on-campus completes and hands in their form.  Students who fail to complete the form will be contacted by the Census folks directly for form completion.

Some FAQs:
Q: If I am not a US citizen, do I have to complete the Census?
A: Yes, all students who live on-campus, regardless of citizenship status, must complete a form.

Q: If I am not a resident of Massachusetts, should I complete the Census here or at my parent’s house?
A: You should complete the Census form given to you here, not any forms distributed to your parent’s house (unless you commute from home during the academic year).

Q: Will any of my information be shared?
A: It is illegal for the Census department to share any individual information with any other entity.  No Brandeis students or staff will be reviewing your forms or be using the information for their own purposes.

Q: Why should I complete the Census?
A: The data collected through the Census is used to determine congressional representation and funding, including funding for roads, hospitals, schools, and other public works.  Completing the census helps the Brandeis and Waltham communities, both present and future.