Dewey Stuit
1909-2008. Liberal arts dean (1948-77), oversaw substantial expansion of UI’s liberal arts faculty and curriculum, and established the UI honors program. A native of rural Illinois near Sterling, he was educated in psychology at Illinois before teaching stints in Minnesota and Nebraska, advancing to full professor at UI after Naval service (1943-46). Eschewing bureaucratic administration, his strength of purpose and will were tested by Vietnam era student demonstrations as he defended military programs on campus, while criticizing anti-war group tactics. On Stuit’s retirement, then UI President Sandy Boyd observed: “In our programs, he wanted better, not more.”