Creating a mission statement for the IT department has been a popular exercise the past few years in higher education. Virtually without exception, these mission statements contain language affirming the department’s role in supporting the institution’s goals and objectives and explicitly stating that service to the institution is paramount. However, along with this near-universal recognition of the importance of IT as a service organization, almost every higher-ed IT department has had budget difficulties. Sadly, of course, the item that takes the biggest hit when IT budgets are under pressure is service.