▁chem istry , ▁became ▁a ▁gradu ate ▁research ▁fellow ▁the ▁next ▁year , ▁and ▁earned ▁his ▁Ph . D . ▁degree ▁in ▁physical ▁chem istry ▁in ▁ 1 9 6 4 . ▁ ▁Pres iden cy ▁at ▁Tennessee ▁State ▁University , ▁ 1 9 7 4 - 1 9 8 5 ▁The ▁achiev ements ▁of ▁Hum ph ries ▁on ▁the ▁national ▁level ▁led ▁the ▁Tennessee ▁Board ▁of ▁Reg ents ▁to ▁name ▁him ▁as ▁President ▁of ▁Tennessee ▁State ▁University ▁( TS U ) ▁in ▁ 1 9 7 4 , ▁a ▁position ▁he ▁held ▁until ▁being ▁appointed ▁to ▁lead ▁his ▁al ma ▁mater ▁in ▁ 1 9 8 5 . ▁While ▁at ▁T SU ▁he ▁demonstrated ▁administration ▁skills ▁which ▁resulted ▁in ▁improved ▁and ▁expanded ▁academic ▁programs , ▁upgrad ed ▁fac ulty , ▁increased ▁en roll ment ▁and ▁quality ▁of ▁students , ▁and ▁expanded ▁scholar ships ▁and ▁support ▁activities . ▁He ▁fought ▁for ▁the ▁rights ▁of ▁an ▁histor ically ▁black ▁university ▁which ▁was ▁located ▁in ▁the ▁same ▁area ▁with ▁an ▁histor ically ▁white ▁university ▁when ▁he ▁ins isted ▁on ▁the ▁pre domin ance ▁of ▁T SU ▁over ▁the ▁University ▁of ▁Tennessee ▁at ▁Nash ville ▁( UT N ). ▁This ▁ultimately ▁led ▁to ▁the ▁mer ger ▁of ▁T SU ▁and ▁U T N , ▁with ▁T SU ▁becoming ▁the ▁surv iving ▁institution , ▁her ald ed ▁as ▁one ▁of ▁the ▁fair est ▁and ▁most ▁important ▁des eg reg ation ▁dec isions ▁of ▁the ▁ 2 0 th ▁century . ▁The ▁post ure ▁and ▁el o quence