James L. Colwell, the founding dean of UTPB’s College of Arts and Education in 1972, passed away on December 11, 2024, at the age of 98.

Colwell served as the dean for nine years, recruiting faculty, creating academic programs, and building relationship within the community. UTPB was comprised of about 1,000 students and 65 faculty at the time.
“His decision to serve was based on the chance to do something very rare in modern times, to help start a university from the ground up. He described his experience at UTPB as the most difficult period of his career, but also the most consequential,” said Colwell’s son John Colwell.
In fact, Colwell hired Founding Faculty Member and Professor of Psychology Dr. Jim Olson who has now been with the University since 1973. Dr. Olson still has the offer letter Colwell wrote him.
“In all my interactions with James Colwell he was always courteous. He was the kind of person who if you wanted to talk with him, you were never a bother. He was a good listener, excellent speaker, and a wonderful writer. He treated everyone with dignity and respect,” said Dr. Olson.
John says his father’s educational experience broadened his horizons and opened numerous opportunities for him. His father wanted to make this experience possible for others.

“We are going to attempt to get away from large, impersonal lecture classes and rote instruction. Instead, we plan to offer considerable self-paced instruction using audio-visual equipment and freeing professors from lectures to work on a one-to-one basis and in small groups with students,” Colwell told the Odessa American when accepting his role at UTPB in 1972.
Dr. Olson explains that when UTPB was founded, it was built on a foundation of innovation, with self-paced instruction being a part of that mission.
John says his father loved both learning and teaching.
“After the deanship, he was pleased to be able to return to classroom teaching and research,” said John.
In an article published in UTPB’s former newspaper The Windmill, James described retiring as dean to become a professor at UTPB as his first opportunity to concentrate on his primary interests in education; teaching and American studies.

“If, 10 years ago, or one year ago, or last month, I could have been given a magic wand to wave to get exactly what I wanted, this would have been it! My years in administration have been priceless, but my great interest in education is in the same field in which I earned my doctorate—American Studies,” Colwell told The Windmill.
According to The Windmill, Colwell was also president of the Permian Historical Society and the editor of the Permian Historical Annual.
“During his time at UTPB, my father also pursued a very successful career in the U.S. Air Force Reserve, retiring as a brigadier general. Serving his country was important to him,” said John.
John says his late mother Claudia Colwell, taught German at Odessa College during their time in Odessa. Colwell retired from UTPB in 1988 as the first Kathlyn Cosper Dunagan Professor of the Humanities.
The College of Arts and Education has since been renamed and is now known as the College of Arts and Sciences. Later this year, the college will be renamed again to the College of Arts and Humanities.