Abstract
Student participation in university governance is an essential element of democratic, participatory higher education institutions. However, the relationship between student participation and academic achievement in the Philippine context has not been sufficiently explored. This descriptive-correlational study aimed to investigate the involvement and governance practices of 162 student leaders of a private university in Western Visayas, Philippines, during the AY 2024-2025, which used a validated 30-item instrument. The study found that the levels of involvement and governance practices of student leaders were consistently high to very high, especially in communication, ethical conduct, and community outreach activities. On the other hand, lower engagement was observed in advocacy, initiatives, and budgeting, underscoring the need to empower student leaders in decision-making and expertise-based activities. Variations in student leaders’ governance participation were influenced by age, but variations in sex, program, and position did not reveal significant differences. What was more important was the lack of correlation between governance and academic performance, highlighting the parallel and separate nature of leadership and learning in student development. Significantly, no correlation was found between governance and academic performance, highlighting the separate and parallel nature of leadership and learning in a student’s development. The study recommends a reporting framework, leadership training, mentorship, and financial literacy programs for student governance and development.
Keywords: Student leadership, university governance, academic performance, higher education, Philippines.