Students urged to participate in Census

Another decade has passed and, as seen around campus, it is time to fill out a new Census. Most people know that a census is taken to gather information about a our nation organized by states, counties, and cities in terms of socioeconomic and demographic data, but many do not realize its importance.

In the year 2000, the Census determined that Arkansas experienced a population gain of 13.7 percent, which is equal to an increase of about 100,001 to 500,000 people.

Patrick Dixon, the associate dean and director of Residence Life, explained why the Census should be important to the students of Arkansas State University.

Residence Life works with the Census Bureau to ensure that students who live on the ASU campus receive and complete the Census.

"It's important because we want students to be counted, because the Census helps the university with funding, increasing the number of fire stations as well as helping to determine the specific voter precincts in the area," Dixon said.

Dixon added that they had specific protocol in place to handle the Census on campus.

"We have a system in place where the U.S. Census Bureau will request a list of students living in a particular area; they will conduct and verify a random sampling of students, using the information in our database and will ask very demographic-specific questions. This process has gone on for several years. We also do everything we can to help the Census to acquire and utilize that information," he said.

He also stated that the Census Bureau will always begin this process very early, sometimes even a year in advance before the administration of the actual census itself, as "it is very easy to count students with the information stored in our database that is collected when the students move in to a particular building."

Dixon offered some final thoughts to all ASU students concerning the Census, especially to those that may be doing it for the very first time or may be away from home for the semester.

"I encourage all folks to complete the forms so that students are counted back home, I encourage those living in apartment complexes to fill out the forms as well," he said.

In addition to Dixon's comments, several ASU students have expressed opinions on the forthcoming 2010 Census.

"Even though the Census has been around for a very long time, it has never been exact. The Census is typically extremely skewed, so many people don't bother to fill it out or just lie. I know the Census helps determine each state's number of representatives in Congress and how much federal funds go to each region, which is great when it's accurate," said Madelyn Carson, a sophomore history major from Jonesboro. "I saw a sign on campus that said something like, 'if you don't take part in the census, you might as well be dead: That's ridiculous, but it isn't a big deal to fill out the Census. It's only about 10 questions. Why not take a couple minutes and fill it out? One good thing that the Census does, especially in this economy, is to create many jobs," she said.

Hailey Knight, a senior nursing major from Jonesboro also expressed the importance of this annual event.

"I definitely think it is important to participate in a Census. I feel it is of valuable information to know the demographics of the city you live in. Jonesboro has a very mixed population, kind of like of a mini 'melting pot' I don't think the Census will have a big impact, simply because ASU students already know how big of a diverse campus we go to. International students are a big part of campus life, and are regularly participating with locals in sports, medical programs and Greek organizations. I think we should value having friends from different backgrounds, we are all sharing our cultures, languages and lifestyles with each other."

"The Census is important for all U.S. citizens, whether you're a college student or a senior citizen, as an accurate account of citizens in the Jonesboro area can affect how much federal funding for the things we need, so we are all affected by it," said Sara Jones, a junior nursing major from Magnolia. For further information about the 2010 Census, contact the Residence Life office at (870) 972-2042. Though they could not be reached for comments, you can contact the local Census Bureau at (870) 819-3316.