This practicum presents a review of the literature pertaining to student participation in college governance and describes a study conducted to determine student perceptions of governance at College of the Mainland (Texas). A questionnaire was administered to a sample of students who do not participate in student government and to a sample of students who are members of student government; only full-time day students were sampled. Compared to student government members, non-participatory students were less likely to see their needs as coinciding with the activities of student government, were significantly more unaware of their opportunities for college governance, were more likely to feel that their participation would make no real difference, and were more likely to feel that institutional decision-making was not the responsibility of students. Both groups of students believed that student participation ought to make a difference in college governance. Recommendations to increase student participation in a college governance are: (1) steps should be taken to acquaint all students with the activities of student government; (2) there should be a study of what student needs can be served by student organizations; and (3) student government should be reorganized so that it has specific jurisdictions and parallel authority. (DC)