True excellence in technology implementation emerges when IT, administrative, and academic leaders link IT to mission-critical institutional objectives, investing in hardware and software to serve an explicit purpose and a distinct population of users. This article illustrates that at public institutions of higher education in New Hampshire as well as at schools like the University of Wisconsin-Madison, Fordham University (New York), and Cornell University (New York), this is precisely the case. The benefits of these projects are many, from improved efficiency to increased cost savings across the board. At one institution, an investment in electronic documents even managed to get users excited about reading reports. Still, linking IT to mission-critical objectives is not without its challenges. Any time a system is revamped, it takes time and energy to convince users that the change is worthwhile. The very best approaches to tying IT to mission-critical applications incorporate innovation with a respect for the status quo, never pushing users too far too fast. Projects like these take patience on both sides. Done correctly, the results can be incredible.