The Washburn Student Government Association exists to serve the students and registered student organizations with any problems or concerns they may have. Members of the student body are automatically members of WSGA.

The WSGA Senate is the student government arm of the association. There are 32 senators; 27 that are elected by the student body in the spring and five freshman senators that are elected by the freshman student body in the fall. Senators may also be appointed by a WSGA committee and the President throughout the year as vacancies occur. Applications for appointment are available in the WSGA office. Senators must maintain a 2.0 GPA and be enrolled in at least three hours as an undergraduate.

The president and vice president of WSGA are elected each spring by the student body. They, in turn, appoint an executive staff which is responsible for carrying out the decisions of the senate.

The senate is funded by a portion of student activity fees. These fees help provide student services, such as intramural sports, concerts, and an annual student planner.