All faculty, staff and off-campus students should be completing the census at the address where you live the majority of the year. Follow the instructions you received in the mail or go to https://my2020Census.gov. If you have misplaced your code, you can simply skip that step and provide your address.
For students in this year of displacement due to the COVID-19 pandemic the instructions are a little different.
The Census Bureau has issued guidance that college students should still be counted at the residence they live while attending school, even if they have returned home due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Including all students who would have been graduating in May 2020.
For more information about how the Census is counting college students, you can view this short video.
The importance of counting college students where they spend the majority of their year cannot be underestimated, particularly in small college towns like Ithaca, NY. The Census impacts representation at the state and federal level, access to state and federal funding, as well as provision of social services. Having Ithaca College and Cornell students undercounted, particularly in this challenging year impacted by COVID-19 could have a devastating impact on Tompkins County.
Students who were living on-campus, you don’t need to do anything. You will be counted through the “group quarters” enumeration process created by the Census Bureau. Only information that is considered directory information as stated in the College’s FERPA Policy will be shared with the Census Bureau.
Off-campus students, you should designate one member of your apartment to complete the Census for all of you by going to https://my2020Census.gov. You won’t have a “code” unless you’ve received the mail from your apartment, but you can complete the Census by entering your address. If you're not sure who from your apartment has completed the Census, each individual member should submit their own Census information in the on-line portal.
Thank you all for paying attention to this important matter at this very challenging time!
https://www.ithaca.edu/intercom/article.php/20200509213947714