This document summarizes two projects - RECSO and CITS - that aim to help universities better understand the true costs of operating data centers and IT services. RECSO found that energy consumption in higher education is significant and increasing, but costs are often hidden from decision-makers. CITS conducted benchmarking of IT costs (Phase 1) and will now perform in-depth cost analyses to understand cost drivers like hidden energy and infrastructure expenses (Phase 2). The goal is to provide information and incentives to improve efficiency and potentially realize cost savings.