N.C. Central University law students will be seeing former Chancellor Julius L. Chambers at least once a week starting this semester.

Chambers and Ken Harewood were appointed distinguished professors by the UNC Board of Governors on Jan. 14, after being approved by the committee and the board of trustees

Chambers was appointed Charles Hamilton Houston distinguished professor of law in constitutional and civil rights law.

Harewood was appointed Glaxo Distinguished Professor of Biomedical Sciences and Biotechno-logy.

Chambers, an NCCU alumnus who studied law at UNC-Chapel Hill will teach a two-hour seminar entitled “Politics and Civil Rights” for third year law this semester.

“This program will enable the University to bring in faculty members and students with distinguished careers,” said Chambers. “We are expecting to bring a change that will attract the Triangle area.”

In 1964, Chambers opened the first integrated law firm in North Carolina history.

He and his partners successfully litigated civil rights cases and helped shape the contours of civil rights law by winning landmark United States Supreme Court rulings in 1971.

In 1984, he became the director counsel of the Legal Defense and Educational Fund.

The LDEF became the first line of defense against the political assault on civil rights legislation and affirmative action programs that began in the 1970s and 1980s.

Chambers was NCCU’s chancellor from 1993-2001. Under his leadership, the University instigated a $50 million capital fundraising campaign and established its first ten endowed chairs, including the $1 million Charles Hamilton Houston Chair at the Turner Law School. 

Harewood will continue to direct the BBRI and will lead biomedical research at NCCU.

He also will organize the creation of a master’s degree program in biophysics.

Harewood is the principal investigator of NCCU’s Cancer Program.

He explores the molecular genetic and epidemiological basis of prostate cancer in the minority community.

“It’s an extremely important honor and I am delighted that the University has so much confidence in me,” said Harewood.

“We have a unique opportunity to prepare and expose students to basic research and real life sciences.”