With the new decade upon us, it will soon be time for students to take 10 minutes to participate in the U.S. census. The census counts the number of people living in the country and in each state and is used to determine the amount of federal funding each state will receive. Results from the 2000 census showed that students living in college towns had a lower response rate than any other demographic. But since census forms determine how much federal funding Ann Arbor will be given, student response is vital. When students receive their census forms in March, they should do the city a favor and fill them out.

As reported by the Daily on Monday, the 2000 census showed a low turnout rate for college students. The national average for responses hovered around 67 percent. In contrast, one area of Ann Arbor — comprised mostly of student housing — had a response rate of 38 percent. To combat this trend among students, the University has taken measures to encourage students to participate in the upcoming 2010 census, which will occur in March. The University plans to launch a video campaign contest in an effort to reach out to students. The videos are meant to clear up any confusion about where to register and increase student participation. The best video submissions will even receive a monetary prize.

It’s good that the University is working to increase student participation in the census because every individual matters. For every person who doesn’t complete the census, the community loses $1,200 in federal funding each year. Because students didn’t take the time to fill out the census in 2000, Ann Arbor has been missing out on funding that it could have invested in projects like fixing Ann Arbor’s dismal roads and infrastructure. Students who don’t complete the forms are doing Ann Arbor a disservice.

Some students’ confusion regarding census rules is understandable. Students aren't permanent city residents and may think they should be counted in their home town. But the census should be filled out where individuals are living the majority of the year as of April 1. So for students who attend the University eight months out of the year, Ann Arbor is the place to register. Even students who aren’t U.S. citizens must still fill out the census form. And don’t worry about obtaining a census form — they are delivered to every residence in the U.S. and Puerto Rico.

It would be helpful if the Census Bureau made the survey available online. The bureau’s website claims that Internet forms will be available in the future, but won’t be offered this cycle. On top of being more user-friendly, the online forms would be more environmentally-friendly. The bureau should make online forms available for the 2020 census.

For now, students will have to cope with filling out the forms the old-fashioned way in hardcopy and returning them via snail mail. Filling out the census only takes about 10 minutes — most people will only have to answer 10 questions — so there’s no excuse for not doing it.

It’s up to students to get Ann Arbor proper funding. So get your pens ready.