New partnerships with minority-serving institutions are designed to improve the count while training young scientists

Washington, D.C. -- The U.S. Census Bureau is teaming up with six minority-serving higher education institutions to enlist help with its data collection efforts for Census 2000 and to expand research opportunities for minority students and faculty. The initiative was announced at the Model Institutions for Excellence (MIE) national conference held in San Juan Puerto Rico, April 29 - May 2.

Schools teaming up with the Census Bureau are Bowie State University, Spelman College, Xavier University, Ogala Lakota College, University of Texas-El Paso, and Universidad Metropolitana in Puerto Rico. The six MIE institutions are part of a National Science Foundation (NSF)/National Aeronautics & Space Administration (NASA) programs that works with schools serving African American, Hispanic, and Native American student populations.

Through their faculty and students, the schools have committed to providing data collection support, mobilizing community support for Census 2000, helping with volunteer recruitment efforts, and promoting Census projects. The Census Bureau, in turn, will provide research data to the schools, make job and internship opportunities available to students and faculty, and provide promotional materials for Census 2000.

LaVerne Collins, a spokesperson for the Census Bureau, says details of the school partnerships are still being ironed out, but she predicts that activities should begin during the fall of the coming academic year. Collins expects the schools will help the bureau develop a nationwide outreach program that will target the college student population for inclusion in Census 2000.

"We would like to have a program where the students would develop an outreach program targeting other students around the country," she said. "I'm hoping we can move right ahead with [the outreach initiative] in the fall."

Collins added that the partnerships are intended to become permanent so that the schools can continue to take advantage of Census data and employment opportunities after the census is completed for the year 2000.

"The thing that makes this program exciting is that we're working with a small number of schools that have the diversity of the populations we serve. With a small group, we can get to know each institution very well," Collins says.

Dr. Etta Falconer, the MIE principal investigator at Spelman College, says the institution's officials are eager to get the partnership underway. Falconer hopes to see at least twenty Spelman students participate in Census Bureau summer internships next year. She estimates that between 75 and 100 Spelman students will be working in MIE internships with NASA and other federal agencies this summer.

Falconer added that Spelman faculty members will benefit from having direct access to Census data for their research.

Launched in 1994, the MIE program is designed to increase the number of underrepresented minorities in science, engineering, and mathematics fields. Initiatives focus largely on developing models of high-quality science, engineering, and mathematics education at colleges and universities.

"Within three years, our partner institutions are beginning to experience increased retention rates among students in their science, engineering, and mathematics degree programs," said Dr. Albert Bridgewater, program director for the NSF. "These increased rates can be attributed to the institutions' revamping entire systems by enhancing student support activities, revising curricula, implementing new technology, creating and requiring additional courses, and strengthening linkages to graduate school programs."

Bridgewater says the Census Bureau partnerships will provide both scientific and math-oriented opportunities for students and faculty at the six schools.

"The work of the Census Bureau involves computer science and demographic fields of study." he said. "There's room for all types of majors. It's not just a narrow type of activity."