The future of the College of Science and Math at Colorado State University-Pueblo is about to change with the selection of the dean.

The two paths have been highlighted and Ron Williams, Ph. D. clearly shows a brighter future for the College of Science and Math, the university and the city of Pueblo.

Listening to the two candidates, Williams and Rick Kreminski, Ph. D., it was easy to identify their differences, primarily their experience and their support of developing a graduate degree program.

The future of this country is based on our ability to compete on a global level, and the future of technology is efficiency and ecology.

Williams understands this and has plenty of experience in the role as dean and the implementation of projects which promote this idea.

As dean at Saginaw Valley State University, Williams was involved in the worm farm project, which turned into a campus-community project.

Students involved received invaluable, first-hand experience in their field of study. The school saved money, and as more research was done other financially and academically lucrative opportunities arose.

Having a dean who understands how to promote projects like this at CSU-Pueblo would be wonderful for the university. This would provide an opportunity for students in different disciplines to work together.

Under Williams’ guidance, his department implemented a successful math tutorial program for disadvantaged high school students.

This program gave many of his students invaluable experience and reinforced learning. SVSU benefitted by having more local students attending the College of Science, Engineering and Technology due to higher math placement test scores.

Pueblo is on the verge of shifting to from a barren and semi-secluded city to an epicenter of ecological technology with well-educated, skillfully-trained workers who are able to work outside their area of expertise.

This is not to say it is incumbent on Williams becoming the dean of the College of Science and Mathematics for Pueblo to prosper. However, regardless of Kreminski’s knowledge, he does not seem to have the experience necessary to bring out the best possible future for this community.

This is a job interview which requires the employer to examine what they want in their future and then find the person who is best equipped to get them there.

Kreminski has some experience as an interim dean and assistant dean at Texas A&M University and he has been part of a tutoring program in his own community. But he did not boast the same successes as the program implemented by Williams.

On the other path is a graduate program at CSU-Pueblo. Kreminski approaches this concept with an open mind, while Williams said he would not be interested in the position as dean of the College of Science and Math at CSU-Pueblo if the school is interested in growing in that direction.

Williams gives the simple reason that it would stretch already scarce teaching resources at CSU-Pueblo.

Kreminski sees the possibility because of the lack of graduate programs at any other university in Colorado Springs, but did not specifically say developing such a program is on his agenda.

Karen Lundberg, a math lecturer at CSU-Pueblo said while it may be true there is no other graduate program in the area, she is not sure the demand is there.

While the future of a graduate program in the College of Math and Science at CSU-Pueblo may be a sticking point, Williams is still the applicant who has the ability to do the most good for the most people.