Many students will be counted as an adult for the first time by participating in the 2010 US Census.
During the month of February, the repreCENSUS campaign will encourage students to fill out the census in Baton Rouge.
Five mass communication seniors participating in the Public Relations Student Society of America’s national Bateman competition created the repreCENSUS campaign. Students are required to develop and promote the campaign in February and analyze its success in March.
The repreCENSUS team plans to expand efforts around the greater Baton Rouge Area, but University students are the primary audience.
“College students are the most difficult, hard to reach audience for the census,” said Bateman team member Bridget Cloud.
College students make up about 22 percent of the Baton Rouge population, according to the Bateman group.
Students living on-campus can expect the census to count heads during March or April. Off-campus students will receive the survey in March.
Some students believe their parents can fill out the census for them, but students should complete the census where they live for the majority of the year, Cloud said.
“It’s not where you’re from, it’s where you live,” Cloud said.
Census data affects universities and residents in the area. Data could increase public funding and university tuition grants and loans.
The government awards more than $400 billion in federal funding to communities based on census data, according to the repreCENSUS Web site.
Members of the team will promote the census at events such as concerts and basketball games throughout February. They will also visit residence and dining halls on campus to increase awareness.
RepreCENSUS also plans to promote the ease and confidentiality of the census, Cloud said.
The 2010 Census is the shortest in history, according to the repreCENSUS Web site.
East Baton Rouge Mayor-President Kip Holden proclaimed February as “US Census Awareness Month,” in Baton Rouge and will present the announcement at the Metro Council meeting Feb. 10.
RepreCENSUS created the theme “you never forget your first time,” for the campaign, because many students will fill out the survey for the first time this year.——Contact Grace Montgomery at [email protected]