JBHE: Latest News for 7/26/07

In Memoriam

William Percy Hytche Sr. (1929-2007)

William P. Hytche Sr., a mathematician who served for 21 years as president of the University of Maryland Eastern Shore, died this past week at his home in Princess Anne, Maryland. He was 78 years old.

Dr. Hytche was a native of Porter, Oklahoma. He was a graduate of Langston University and held a master’s degree and an educational doctorate from Oklahoma State University.

In 1960 Hytche joined the faculty of what is now the University of Maryland Eastern Shore as an instructor of mathematics. He rose through the faculty and administrative ranks and was named chancellor in 1976. He served in that role until his retirement in 1997.

During his tenure, enrollments at the university tripled and the campus grew by more than 300 acres. Some 32 academic degree programs were added to the curriculum during his tenure.

Sheryl Shivers-Blackwell (1971-2007)

Sheryl Shivers-Blackwell, an assistant professor of business at Florida A&M University in Tallahassee, was found strangled in the locked bedroom of her home earlier this month. Her husband had called police. When police arrived they found the husband in another part of the house in critical condition. He later died. Two small children were found alive. Police believe the incident was a murder/suicide resulting from a domestic dispute. Police had previously been called to the house to break up an argument between the couple.

Professor Shivers-Blackwell was a magna cum laude graduate of Florida A&M University. Later she was the MBA student of the year at the university. In 1999 she received her Ph.D. in organization behavior and human resource management from Purdue University. She joined the Florida A&M University faculty in 1999.