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Broncos ready to be counted in 2010 census

March 9, 2010

KALAMAZOO--Western Michigan University is launching a month-long campaign to raise student awareness of the importance of everyone being counted in the upcoming U.S. Census.

"Traditional-age college students will be completing census forms for themselves for the first time," says Dr. Diane Anderson, vice president for student affairs, "and there is a lot of confusion about who should be counted and where they should be counted."

WMU has created a Web site at wmich.edu/census with answers to the most common questions, especially who should be counted and where.

You should be counted where you are living while attending college.

  • If you live full-time at your parents’ or guardians’ home and commute to school, you should be accounted for on your parents’ or guardians’ household form.
  • If you live in a residence hall, sorority or fraternity house, you will receive a 2010 Census form, which you should complete for yourself. Your parents should not include you on their form.
  • If you live in an apartment or rental, one form will be sent to your address and should be completed for everyone who resides at that address. You should not be included on any other form.
  • If you are an international student you should participate in the census, which counts everyone—citizens and non-citizens—who reside in the United States on April 1.
  • If you are a WMU student on study abroad—not in the country April 1—you will not be counted in the 2010 Census.

Census forms will be mailed and distributed in mid-March and should be completed and returned by April 1. Personal information is strictly confidential. Aggregate data determines federal and state funding for a variety of programs and apportioning of elected representatives.

For more information about the census visit wmich.edu/census.

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Media contact: Thom Myers, (269) 387-8400, thom.myers@wmich.edu

WMU News
Office of University Relations
Western Michigan University
Kalamazoo MI 49008-5433 USA
(269) 387-8400
www.wmich.edu/news