The role of academic staff and faculty members in college governance was studied at two public universities. The frame of reference was the social contract model, which posits that individuals give up some rights in order to have other rights protected. Documents were analyzed and interviews were conducted with 50 staff: full professors and associate and assistant professors comprised the faculty category, while academic staff were either instructors or other professionals such as librarians, counselors, admissions counselors, and nurses. Interview questions concerned the participation of staff in governance, their satisfaction with the system, and their interests as participants within the process. Four conceptually distinct but empirically overlapping categories of governance were identified: system governance, institutional governance (university-wide committee structures such as the faculty senate), college governance (consisting of departments for a college with the institution), and departmental governance. It was found that faculty participation in governance varied across professional ranks and that job experience and personal interests of faculty affected their participation. (SW)