To be a leading democracy in the information age means producing objective, independent, scientifically grounded, and widely shared quality information on where we are and where we are going, on both an absolute and relative basis, including comparisons to other nations.
David Walker, President and CEO of the Peter G. Peterson Foundation / Former Comptroller General of the United States
How will SUSA earn the public's trust?
The State of the USA (SUSA) will earn the public’s trust by its quality, transparency, accountability and independence. Every aspect of SUSA’s operations and interactions with the public will demonstrate these values and commitments.
At the heart of SUSA's approach will be a set of independent and mutually reinforcing checks and balances providing an optimal combination of scientific credibility, user relevance, and public legitimacy—all while insulating the information on SUSA’s website from political agendas and pressure.
The National Academies plans to establish the Roundtable on Key National Indicators dedicated to advising SUSA on scientific and technical issues. This advice will reinforce the quality of SUSA’s processes, information and technology. To ensure representative involvement and make the website’s information valuable to the largest possible number of Americans, SUSA’s participatory process will involve people from a diverse set of sectors, geographies, demographic groups and issue advocates, as well as all levels of government.
To provide SUSA’s website users with the most responsible facts and explanations, carefully chosen editorial boards will weigh decisions about how information is presented. And to ensure accountability to the nation, mechanisms will be put in place, wherever possible, for oversight, audits and reporting to the Congress, the media and the public.
A final element of trust is demonstrating an ability to encourage criticism, showcase open dialogue and respond effectively to suggestions for improvement. SUSA will be a living, interactive source of information and an online community, devoted to retaining the loyalty of its users as it evolves in response to their needs and interests.