As any student or alumni will tell you, Les Roches Bluche feels more like a family than a school. It’s a very close-knit community, located in a Swiss mountain village where no part of the campus is more than a short stroll away.
Like any family, there’s a hierarchy to the school. However, in today’s world it’s no longer enough for the senior ‘family’ members – the management and faculty – to simply impose their will on the younger generation – the students.
Communication is everything. And in recent months a more open and constructive relationship between management and students has been hard-wired into Les Roches, with the establishment of the Student Governance Association (SGA).
The SGA has superseded the school’s former Student Social Committee (SSC). But it’s far more than just a direct replacement. Where the SSC – as its name suggests – concentrated on the social life of the school, the SGA has a greatly expanded remit.
Building bridges
“We are the bridge between the management and the student body,” explains SGA President and final semester BBA student Diana Xing Wang. “We’re here to pick up the concerns and feedback – positive and negative – of our fellow students; and make sure this gets through to those in charge. (Tramadol) ”
The SGA has a very visible presence on campus, and not just because it has its own dedicated area within the main lobby. It is also responsible for The Warehouse, a student-run café-bar which opened in November 2018 and hosts a regular program of live music and other events.
[quote]“The Warehouse is really important, because it is for students, by students. It’s a place to come and relax after lessons, grab a drink or a pizza and meet friends. There’s no faculty allowed!” says Diana.[/quote]
The SGA has its own Values Committee, which ensures that the rules are followed and everyone is treated fairly. There’s also a Student Council, which gathers student concerns and feedback to pass on to the school. Last but not least is the Student Board, which gathers together the heads of the various SGA departments, which include events, finance, student life and communications.
Diana adds, “We’ve been up and running for around a year-and-a-half now, so we’re still adapting and evolving the SGA as we go. We’re really grateful for all the support and understanding we’ve had from the school, from Dr Stuart Jauncey, the Managing Director, downwards.
“For the future, we’re looking to open the lines of communication even wider. For that we want to get closer to our fellow students, building their trust that if they share something with us we’ll act on it.”
- Come back soon to hear more from Diana Xing Wang, who shares a personal account of how she’s grown into the role of SGA President and the ways it has allowed her to develop as a person.
