Headline, August02, 2013

'''HOLDING GOVERNMENT

 ACCOUNTABL​E - BUT GIVING CREDIT

 WHERE DUE'''

One of the themes of Mary McCormick's sterling career has been, ''If you can't measure it, you can't manage it.'' In trying to cross-pollinate successful management techniques among the students, public, private and non-profit sectors, Mary McCormick found that focusing on concrete metrics has helped her steer around political quicksand.

Computerized Neighborhood Tracking Environment  -ComNET-  was created on the realization that the city government had no way of gauging how citizens perceived quality of life on the street. Mary set out to create a universal measure that would get various city agencies to work together to improve that quality of life. The result? Community and business groups can now compile a list of things that mar the environment using handheld computers..

Each item gets an automatic date-and-time stamp, and the user can also take color photos using a tiny digital camera. Once the assessment is complete, the group can easily see which agency is responsible for which problem. Then the groups can prioritize what's important and what's not. This way people and government get together and that gets better results.

The intention here to have neighborhood groups do regular assays, so that, ideally, they can follow the improvements over time. To support this brilliant solution, McCormick worked up an easy way to publish the status of various issues, along with photographs, on the Internet. ''It's a great and the best way to hold government accountable.'' she says,''but also giving it credit for the work that it does that benefits neighborhood.''

ComNet is already being used by neighborhood organizations in other cities, including Austin Texas. Her other program that set forth many acclaim was : The Domestic Violence Court System which was adapted by organizations as Safe Horizons at the Brooklyn Family Court and Jacobi Medical Center in Bronx, NY. Even in Georgia  -where the domestic violence app offers videos on how to plan for personal safety after an order of protection is issued  -the system is expected to be used in every county.

McCormick wants E-Community Connect to be a model of how to wire poor communities around the country  -and how to help them develop what she calls ''transformative content'' too. it seems as if McCormick has finally accelerated her strides in bringing citizens, nonprofits, government agencies closer together. The legacy of the Internet, from her perspective, won't be about moving commerce online but about strengthening the social fabric.

''We want to link the Net to real places and improve communities,'' McCormick says.'' I get to be a part of a group that is working on long term strategies for using the Internet to improve the qualities of our lives and to enhance the vitality of our connections......with each other and with our government.

''It's not our nature to showboat or take credit,'' she continues. ''Everything we do is a partnership. But it's just a real thrill to be able to do this kind of work.''

The World Students Society Computers-Internet-Wireless will have the honor to keep publishing her accomplishments in the days ahead. It is a very very compelling mantra.

The world students must recognize that the Internet can help us get out in front of some of the issues that the world has struggled with in the past : education, poverty, health, justice, disenfranchisement, environment.

With respectful dedication to the Students, Professors and Teachers of Brazil. See ya all on !WOW!  Your Ally all the way.

Good Night & God Bless!

SAM Daily Times - the Voice of the Voiceless