The Central aim of this study was to discover what provisions were being made for the social, cultural, and recreational welfare of students as represented by the creation of a common gathering place and a program for the community life of the institution (the student union). "Student union" also refers, however, in a large part of the world, to a general student government or other student group heavily involved in political and social action. The world-wide generality of the first meaning of the student union programs is shown in descriptions from school in The United Kingdom, Scandinavia, Europe, Africa, Latin America, and Asia. Considerable differences appear in union functioning and administrative attitudes between schools or countries where unions are closely connected with student political activity and those where the unions are separated functionally from such activity. (BP)