This author, in a Leadership column published earlier in EDUCAUSE Review (2002), urged institutional and IT leaders to "move beyond the rhetoric." The earlier article addressed the rapidly changing atmosphere in which higher education IT was evolving and the need to align the IT plan with the strategic direction of the institution in order to effectively move the institution forward. From there, he shared certain steps that college and university leaders could take in ensuring effective IT management for their institution: (1) creating a detailed IT operating plan; (2) gaining consensus among IT and academic management; (3) defining and utilizing metrics and data; (4) communicating the plan; (5) staying focused; and (6) weighing criticism. This column discusses issues of the IT infrastructure planning process that are targeted by both university and IT leaders as being the most critical: (1) internal communication; (2) recurring funding; and (3) transparent and collaborative decision-making.