OHIO students urged to participate in U.S. 2020 Census starting March 13

Beginning Friday, March 13, the 2020 U.S. Census survey will be online at 2020CENSUS.GOV. It is vital that students respond for the Census to count information that determines federal funding and programs in the Athens community.

The 2020 Census will influence community funding and congressional representation, as well as impact programs like Pell Grants, health care services, food assistance, and more for the next decade.

All students who previously lived in residence halls this spring semester have been counted and do not need to be counted at their permanent home address. Census takers worked directly with University student housing essentials to ensure an accurate student count.

Students who live in off-campus housing that is not owned, leased, or managed by Ohio University can respond online, by phone, or by mail. Students should count themselves at their off-campus address, even if they stay somewhere else during school breaks.

Although many students have moved back to a permanent residence due to COVID-19, those students should still respond to the census with the address where they normally would have lived during the school year. The only exceptions are students who normally live with a parent or guardian during the duration of the school year. 

It is imperative that college students are counted as living on- or off-campus had the health crisis not caused their living arrangements to change.

Learn more at 2020CENSUS.GOV.