Stuart Dorsey
Senior Consultant
Stuart.Dorsey@academicsearch.org
Dr. Stuart Dorsey is known for his unique ability to mediate, facilitate compromises, and smooth over even the most contentious circumstances. By spending the first part of his career on Capitol Hill in the 1980s, he honed his negotiation skills and gained the unwavering confidence to take on any task head-on. Since joining Academic Search in 2019, he’s been a successful Senior Consultant for an array of searches.
Dr. Dorsey was the 15th President of Texas Lutheran University for eight years and the ninth President of the University of Redlands for five years. Under his leadership, both schools expanded their course offerings and extended campus footprints. TLU added a nursing program, built a football stadium, and renovated its performing arts auditorium while Dr. Dorsey was at the helm. He was also Vice President of Academic Affairs and the University of Evansville; associate professor of economics at West Virginia; professor, department chair, and Dean of the College of Arts and Sciences at Baker University; and assistant professor of economics at Western Illinois University. With most of his higher education experience at small private institutions, Dr. Dorsey is intimately familiar with the challenges these schools face and the best methods to overcome them.
After a three-year teaching and academic researching stint at Western Illinois, Dr. Dorsey went to Washington, DC, to work as an applied economist for the Department of Labor, Pension, and Welfare Benefits Administration. He was named chief economist for the Senate Finance Committee under Senator Bob Dole. The late Sen. Dole was regarded as a skilled negotiator and a master of deal-making, and Dr. Dorsey learned the art of compromise from the senator himself. This knowledge gives him the unique ability to mollify divided committees and guide complex searches to success.
Dr. Dorsey served as chair of the Board of Directors of Independent Colleges and Universities of Texas, and he was chair of the Executive Committee of the Association of Independent California Colleges and Universities. He has served on numerous boards and councils, including the President’s Council of Division IIII for the National Association of Collegiate Athletics and the Board of Directors for the Network of ELCA Colleges and Universities. The South Dakota native has written numerous articles in publications such as The Journal of Labor Economics, Journal of Human Resources, Southern Economic Journal, and Industrial and Labor Relations Review.
Dr. Dorsey received his bachelor’s degree from the University of South Dakota and his master’s and a doctorate in economics from Washington University in St. Louis.
