2008 Census Dress Rehearsal

DC

UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
Economics and Statistics Administration

U.S. Census Bureau
Washington, DC 20233-0001
OFFICE OF THE DIRECTOR

February 1, 2008

FROM THE DIRECTOR
U.S. CENSUS BUREAU
To: Student Housing
The United States Constitution provides that a census of the United States be taken every ten years.
In the year 2010, the U.S. Census Bureau will conduct a decennial census across the Nation to
enumerate the U.S. population. The decennial census provides the information each community
relies on to obtain federal and state funding for schools, employment services, health assistance,
parks, services for older adults, and more.
In order to prepare for the 2010 Census, the Census Bureau is conducting the 2008 Census Dress
Rehearsal in your area. This will be our final opportunity to examine procedures we will use in the
2010 Census. During the 2008 Census Dress Rehearsal, there will be operations conducted to
enumerate people who live or stay in group quarters, particularly student housing, such as residence
halls.
When enumerating the residents at your school, the Census Bureau collects data in compliance with
the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA). Colleges and universities can disclose
directory information from student records to the Census Bureau without prior consent of the
student, or his or her parents. Directory information includes a student’s name, date of birth,
address, and dates of attendance.
As an important component of your community, your school presents a special challenge in assuring
a complete count. College students are considered residents of the city where they live while
attending school, not of their hometowns. During this operation, we will count students who live in
the residence halls, including fraternity and sorority houses. The operation will occur in early April,
before the end of school.
If you have any questions, please call the Local Census Office telephone number provided in your
census materials. Thank you for your cooperation, and we look forward to working with you.
Sincerely,

Charles Louis Kincannon

USCENSUSBUREAU
DX-350(L)SH

www.census.gov/census2010