“Constitution,” a U.S. Census road-tour bus, will be in front of the Hadley Union Building on Tuesday, March 16, 2010, from noon to 5:00 p.m.
In the event of inclement weather, activities will be moved to the HUB Susquehanna Room.
The stop is part of the 2010 Census “Portrait of America” Road Tour, designed to increase student and community awareness of the importance of participating in the national census.
Census results determine the distribution of more than $400 billion in federal funds and are the basis of Congressional representation.
“IUP is very proud to host the Census Road Tour Bus, and IUP is working with the Indiana County Complete Count Committee to inform our students about the importance of completing the census forms,” Jimmy Myers, director of Social Equity and Civic Engagement, said. Myers is the chair of the IUP Complete Count Committee.
“Our message is designed to complement the tour bus information to students and to help them better understand the importance of being counted where they live while attending college, whether it is in a residence hall or an apartment off campus.”
Various activities are planned by census officials, including a quiz game with prizes to test people's “census savvy.”
Several Indiana County elected officials, IUP administrators, and student leaders will be at the bus at different times to help spread the word about the importance of the census.
According to Census Bureau officials, the 2010 Census “Portrait of America” Road Tour is helping to raise awareness that the 2010 Census is easy, important, and confidential.
The tour bus offers interactive displays for participants to share images and stories explaining what the census means to them and how it will make a difference in their community.
Visitors can also see sample census forms, just like the ones being delivered to mailboxes March 15–17. Census 2010 representatives will be on hand to answer questions and distribute other materials.
The purpose of the Census Road Tour is to inspire interest and encourage participation in Census 2010. Constitution—one of thirteen custom-built buses traveling the country—will make appearances at schools, malls and community events.
The U.S. Constitution requires a population and housing count every ten years. This effort makes use of 1.4 million temporary employees and uses some of the most sophisticated technical and operational tools available to make sure every man, woman, and child is counted once and in the right place, census officials said.
Census Day is April 1, 2010, intended as a point of reference for returning completed forms in the mail. For more information, visit the U.S. Census 2010 website.
More information about the road-tour bus is available by contacting Pam Golden, Philadelphia Regional Census Center, at 412-589-8620 or by e-mail at Pamela.W.Golden@census.gov.