Madison Davis Lacy has joined the faculty at the University of Kansas as the 2004 Langston Hughes visiting professor. Lacy is a four-time Emmy Award-winning filmmaker and veteran PBS station manager and programming executive. He earned a bachelor's degree in communications from Washington State University.

Anne Moultrie has been appointed associate vice chancellor for communications at the University System of Maryland. Previously, she was the assistant dean of communications for the school of business at the University of Maryland, College Park. She earned a bachelor's degree from Wellesley College and a master's from the University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill.

Caryl Phillips has been named director of initiatives in the humanities at Barnard College. Phillips, the Henry R. Luce Professor of Migration and Social Order at Barnard is a 2004 National Book Critics Circle Award nominee. He earned a bachelor's degree from The Queens College at Oxford University.

Yvonne Roland is the new director of African American, Hispanic, Asian, International and American Indian student programs at the University of Alaska Anchorage. Previously, she was director of the African American, Latin, Asian and American Indian Center at the University of Maine. Roland earned a bachelor's degree from Tuskegee University and a master's from Webster University.

Dr. Melvin D. Shipp has been appointed dean of the College of Optometry at Ohio State University. Shipp comes to Ohio State from the School of Optometry at the University of Alabama at Birmingham. He earned a bachelor's degree from Indiana University, a master's from Harvard University, a doctorate from Indiana University and an additional doctorate from the University of Michigan.

Laurita Thomas has been appointed associate vice president and chief human resource officer at the University of Michigan. Currently, Thomas is administrator of human resources and director of allied health education in the University of Michigan health system. Thomas earned a bachelor's degree from the University of Michigan.