Census Study Will Keep Question on Majors

The U.S. Census Bureau announced Tuesday that it will keep a question in one of its major surveys, the American Community Survey, about the field of study of those who have an undergraduate education. The bureau had proposed removing the question, but in an announcement in The Federal Register, the agency said that it had heard from many researchers concerned about eliminating the question. Those who are trying to track certain questions that relate to public policy -- such as the effectiveness of programs to encourage more students to earn degrees in the sciences -- also said that they needed the information. The Census Bureau was swayed.