On campuses throughout the United States the issue of shared governance is being hotly debated. The debate over the issue has driven several important questions to the forefront. These include: Just what is shared governance? Should crucial decision making be a joint effort including both faculty members and administrators? Are there certain areas on campus where faculty should be given sole responsibility for decision making? Should faculty and administration have equal power in making decisions that will affect the future of the institution? This article explores these and other critical questions that surround this issue from the perspective of an administrator at a public state run institution of higher education. In this exploration of the various philosophical and pragmatic aspects of the topic the author identifies the foundational research that leads to his beliefs.