Jeff Rust // Republican // Utah State School Board District 13

  • How have the arts, culture, and/or humanities impacted your life?
    • I have degree in Russian from Brigham Young University and as such have a strong time to the Humanities department at BYU. I believe the arts round out the education and stimulate innovation.
  • Utah's humanities and arts employ 123,000 Utahns, provide $4.4 billion in earnings, and $13.2 billion in sales. This is a larger economic impact than agriculture, mining, and real estate. Do you consider the arts and cultural sector an economic driver in Utah?
    • Yes
  • Fiscally responsible government investment in the arts and humanities (including humanities and arts education) means to me:
    • I believe arts stimulates innovation, is an assistant in sales and business development opportunities and is an economic driver
  • Items of Business I support:
    • Credit requirements for participation in the arts and humanities should be increased
    • K-6 Students should have increased exposure to arts and humanities education
    • 7-12 Students should have increased exposure to arts and humanities education
    • I support the Beverley Taylor Sorenson Arts Learning Program which puts one arts specialist in most elementary schools
    • I support the POPS (Professional Outreach Program in the Schools) which sends 13 professional arts organizations to all UT school districts
    • I support the iSEE (Informal Science Educational Enhancement) which sends 10 professional science, zoological, and natural history organizations to all UT school districts
    • I support increasing funding for arts education with property tax
    • I support increasing funding for humanities and social sciences education with property tax
    • I support working to increase funding for arts and humanities education.
  • How would you expand participation in the arts and humanities amongst all students?
    • As a liberal arts graduate, I believe the arts are a critical part to innovation. Leadership is enhanced as the arts are coupled with math and science. I believe that a strong emphasis should be placed on making sure that equal focus is given to the arts as the math and science.