The Mississippi State University Student Association is working with the City of Starkville and the Mayor’s office to help ensure the entire city is properly counted in the 2010 Census.
SA President and student liaison for the census Thomas Sellers said members are raising awareness about the census in a variety of ways.
“For example, this weekend, several SA Executive Council and cabinet members went door to door in some apartment complexes to remind students of how important the census is [to our university],” he said. “We have also set up a table in the Student Union where students can go from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. to speak with a census worker and turn in their form.”
Sellers said he feels most students are not sure if they should fill out the census in Starkville or in their home town.
“The answer is here [in Starkville],” Sellers said. “This is where they spend the majority of the year, and this is where they should count for the census.”
Sellers said MSU is currently waiting to get the census forms for on-campus students back from the Census Bureau so the residence hall advisers can play an important role in making sure on campus residents are counted. He said it’s important for students to take on the responsibility of filling out their census form.
“Students should know that if they have not received a form at their place of residence, they can visit the table in the union to pick up a new one,” he said. “If they have any questions while filling out the form they can be assisted by a certified census worker.”
Sellers said the biggest incentive to fill out the census is that everyone is required by law to fill out the census every 10 years.
“The more tangible incentives are how much it can help our city,” he said. “A growing population will continue to make Starkville more attractive to new businesses and industries which will bring more options in retail and restaurant to the area. This is something that all students can get excited about.”
Senior communication major Joseph Perez said he received his census in the mail at his apartment, but after consulting with his parents he decided not to fill it out himself.
“I was going to fill it out, and I asked my parents about it, and they said they would fill it out for me and make sure I was counted,” he said. “I was worried because I heard someone would call you or show up at your door if you didn’t fill it out.”
Perez said he has talked with friends about the census and the majority of them are handling the census the same way he did.
“As far as I know everyone’s in the same boat – they haven’t filled it out either and are leaving it up to their parents,” he said.
Sellers said the census is not officially due until June and he urges MSU students to turn it in before they go home for summer as each person counted for will allow for further growth in Starkville.