Van Der Byl, Alexander

I’m Alexander Van Der Byl, and I’m running to be your next RCA Students’ Union President. As artists of all disciplines, we are constantly questioning ourselves in order to fulfill our art practice. From simple “Is it okay to try something new?” to “How can I afford to put this work together?”. But these distant thoughts and ideas can often raise more questions than answers. As President of the Students’ Union, I would strive for Connection, Collaboration and Communication for students, lecturers, and College Governance. 

We students are required to be self-sufficient and self-assured, but in an era of increasing isolation, the RCA must do more to strengthen its connection to support students and staff further. Whether it is about access, development, health, housing or money, there should be no barriers to issues being addressed. I’m particularly passionate about this, as my personal experience living with cerebral palsy is showing me every day how important connection, collaboration and communication are in order for people to strive and reach their full potential. In the past, I had the privilege of bringing my perspective to similar roles at the Edinburgh College of Art, and now want to use my acquired knowledge to improve your experience at the RCA.

This is why my key pledges are as following:

1. Lobby for the creation of a tool that is easy-to-use and reliable, and enables students to seek advice from other disciplines, encouraging interdisciplinary communication
2. Create a campaign to increase the bursary system to empower students to access a Materials Grant for projects. 
3. Lobby to allow for access to college studio spaces on Sundays, as many students struggle to find appropriate workspaces outside of College
4. Continuously support teaching staff in regards to their contracts of employment and engagement
5. Examine the levels of support currently given to students with English as their second language to learn whether there is anything that could be done to further enhance their post-graduate experience at the RCA

The RCA is a fantastic institution, and an absolute privilege to attend, which is why it is vital that we ensure each and every student is given the opportunity to fully engage with the RCA community. No one should feel like they are only getting a fragment of a postgrad college with no real connection to fellow students due to circumstances, potentially completely outwidth their control.