Shared governance in higher education means that everyone involved in making decisions and developing policies for a particular college or university has legitimate input. This governing body of individuals may include faculty, administrators, students, regents, and staff. The collective responsibilities that evolve from this shared governance model can foster unity within a tribal collegial system and strengthen relationships. Shared governance for tribal colleges and universities (TCUs) is unique, primarily because it cannot be separated from the cultural perspective of Native peoples. This perspective has always placed great emphasis on inclusivity and cooperative participation. As with virtually all organizations or institutions of higher education, politics can invariably creep into decision making and affect how TCUs operate. But by extending representation and including various voices representing all stakeholders, the corrosive effects of politics can be at least somewhat contained. Staff, faculty, students, administration, and regents from six TCUs were asked to discuss and define what shared governance means to them. They were also asked how they implement and balance their governance structures, what they thought could be improved, and how tribal politics affect TCU governance.