Now that Ken Lay has been convicted in the Enron scandal, the question for the University of Missouri at Columbia is: What should it do with the $1.1-million-plus he donated in 1999 to endow a “Kenneth L. Lay Chair in International Economics”? Not surprisingly, the university has found it difficult to fill the post in the years since the company went bankrupt, in 2001 (The Chronicle, February 8, 2002).

Initially, the university said it expected to have no trouble in hiring for the position. A spokeswoman said that the university regarded Mr. Lay, despite his legal difficulties, as “an alumnus who is a great supporter.” Moreover, she said, “he hasn’t been brought to court or been convicted” (The Chronicle, January 3, 2003).

And now? The Columbia Missourian reported today that the matter is in the hands of the university system’s Board of Curators. The board had previously received—and rejected—requests from Mr. Lay to donate the money to Hurricane Katrina relief (September 2005) and to his own legal-defense fund (February 2006).

Henry J. Waters III, publisher of the Columbia Daily Tribune, suggests that the name of the chair be changed to something more palatable—something more likely to attract the interest of a reputable economist.