Published: May 27, 2020

Emergencies like the COVID-19 pandemic illustrate just how important it is for health care facilities in our communities to have the funding and resources they need to effectively support the populations they serve. Complete and accurate census data help make this possible.

Together with data from the Census Bureau’s American Community Survey, census data also allow scientists and health care experts to model the potential impact of an emerging health threat. This powerful tool enables them to anticipate needs and advise the nation’s policymakers on the expected demand for resources.

All of this information—made possible when we complete the census—is critical to helping the nation get ahead of our biggest challenges. For Colorado, an accurate census count could also mean an additional representative in the U.S. House of Representatives.

Now more than ever, your response to the 2020 census matters. Respond today, and make sure your family, friends and neighbors respond too.

You can respond by visiting the census website, or by calling 844-330-2020. It’s easy and typically takes about 10 minutes.

Students

Even if you have returned home from your Boulder residence, your parent(s) or guardian(s) should not count you in their response. If they have, and you normally live off-campus in Boulder, you should still respond.

On-campus residents

Students who normally lived in residence halls or campus housing during the academic year do not need to complete the census survey. CU Boulder Community Living staff is working with the Census Bureau to count you.

Off-campus residents

Students who normally live in a non-CU owned apartment or house, alone or with roommates, should preferably complete the census survey as a household, and can do so now in one of three ways: online (preferred), by phone or by mail.

Whatever method you choose, be sure to use your normal address—where you usually live while you are enrolled as a student at CU Boulder.

Your survey response should include everyone else who normally lives in your household. If you are not sure about your roommate’s information or can’t verify whether your roommate has already responded, please respond for the entire household to the best of your ability. The Census Bureau has tools to avoid duplicate responses and would rather receive duplicates than miss you or your roommate entirely.

If you are not in Boulder now to retrieve your mail, you can still respond to an online survey via the census website, or by calling, toll-free, 844-330-2020. It’s easy and typically takes about 10 minutes.

Other important information

International and undocumented students should be counted at their on- or off-campus residences as described above. Federal law protects the privacy of census responses, and they can only be used to produce statistics.

All students should inform their parent(s) or guardian(s) not to count them in their survey unless they live with their parent(s) or guardian(s) for most of the year.

Faculty and staff are also encouraged to complete the survey.

Learn more about Census 2020 at CU Boulder and why it is important to make sure your voice is heard.