President Barack Obama intends to nominate Robert Groves '70 as Census Bureau director, the White House announced on Thursday. If approved by the Senate, Groves, currently a sociology professor at the University of Michigan, will oversee the 2010 census. Some Republicans have criticized the nomination because they disapprove of Grove's 1990 proposals to revise census data collection procedures.
Groves has previous experience at the Census Bureau, first as a visiting statistician in 1982 and then again from 1990 to 1992 as a visiting researcher.
Republicans have charged that Groves' nomination is politically motivated. During his previous time at the Bureau, Groves proposed recalculating census data in a way that could have apportioned House seats more favorably for the Democrats.
Groves proposed extrapolating population totals from statistical samples, rather than using raw data, which would have added roughly five million citizens the 1990 census had not accounted for. The uncounted people were most likely minorities living in urban areas who traditionally have voted for Democratic candidates.
The Supreme Court declared in 1999 that the use of statistical sampling to apportion House seats is unconstitutional.
"With the nomination of Robert Groves, [Obama] has made clear that he intends to employ the political manipulation of census data for partisan gain," Rep. Patrick McHenry, R-N.C, said in a Thursday press release.
Kevin Griffis, director of public affairs at the Commerce Department, said that these accusations are irrelevant.
"Statistical sampling is prohibited by the Supreme Court, so it's not on the table anyway," Griffis said in an interview with The Dartmouth.
The department would have had to begin changing the census process "years ago," he said, in order for statistical sampling to be used in the upcoming census, adding that the criticism is "misinformed and inappropriate and deeply disappointing."
McHenry said in the press release that Groves is a "leading advocate for partisan data manipulation," and that his appointment would force Commerce Secretary Gary Locke to contradict statements, made under oath during his confirmation hearing, that "political manipulation of census results, or 'statistical adjustment,'" would not be used in the 2010 census effort.
McHenry said the Senate should not confirm Groves.
"His efforts to tamper with census results in 1990 are well documented and were rightly rejected," McHenry said in the release.
The 1990 census was widely recognized as flawed, Griffis said.
"Dr. Groves has impeccable professional credentials and is widely regarded as a leader in his field," he added.
The appointment follows recent controversy surrounding a White House proposal that the Census Bureau director report directly to the White House instead of to the Commerce Department, which normally oversees the census. Former commerce secretary nominee Sen. Judd Gregg, R-N.H., said he withdrew his nomination partially due to this clash.
Although Griffis said lawmakers have proposed establishing the Census Bureau as a separate office to avoid future controversy, Groves will report to the commerce secretary.
The 2010 census will be the most expensive to date, costing at least $15 billion. To increase the survey response rate, $1 billion will be devoted to outreach and advertising. Groves' research focuses on improving survey response rates, measuring survey errors and motivation for survey participation.
"The decennial census faces significant challenges, but I am confident that [Groves'] leadership will help us meet those challenges," Locke said in a press release. "He is a respected social scientist who will run the Census Bureau with integrity and independence."
Groves, who majored in sociology at the College, has a master's degree in statistics and sociology and a Ph.D. in sociology, both from the University of Michigan. He has served as a sociology professor at the University of Michigan since 1975 and as the director of the Survey Research Center at Michigan.
"You would be hard pressed to find somebody better suited with more experience in the country," Griffis said.
Groves graduated Phi Beta Kappa from the College and was a member of Phi Delta Alpha fraternity.
As an undergraduate, he worked as a security guard at Vermont State Prison in Windsor, a facility that closed in 1975.
Groves, McHenry's office and the White House were not available for comment by press time.
