Honors College Director Craig Cobane said that when someone replaces him, “hopefully in 500 years,” they’ll get to help students through the endowed professorship created for his position.

Endowed professorships are prestigious faculty positions, said Tom Hiles, vice president for institutional advancement. Western uses the interest from endowments to supplement or enhance positions.

“They’re kind of like the Good Housekeeping seal of approval,” he said.

The Board of Regents approved a request at its Friday meeting to pursue money from the state to match money for two endowed professorships, including Cobane’s and a professorship in horticulture for Assistant Agriculture Professor Martin Stone.

The Council on Postsecondary Education requires the board to approve the matches before Western gets the matching money, Hiles said.

He said John and Jacque Jarve donated $500,000 to create the Jarve Endowed Professorship in the Honors College.

An anonymous donor gave $500,000 to create the Mitchell Leichhardt Professorship in Horticulture, he said.

Stone said the professorship is in honor of Leichhardt, a landscape architect.

“It’s really thrilling to honor Mitchell,” Stone said. “It’s nice for me to be affiliated with his name.”

State matching money would take the two endowed professorships, which are among about 35 at Western, to $1 million each, Hiles said.

Hiles said Western didn’t have any endowed professorships before President Gary Ransdell took office.

Ransdell was appointed president in 1997.

Stone said he can use the money from his professorship to do research, including research on organic heirloom tomatoes.

Money from the professorship will help pay for graduate students to do research and fund their stipends, travel and equipment, he said.

The professorship also allows Stone to be paid for 12 months instead of nine months, he said. Most faculty members get paid for a nine-month period.

Cobane said the Honors College can use the money for scholarships, including study abroad scholarships, and undergraduate research.

He said the professorship doesn’t increase his salary.

Both Cobane and Stone said that when they leave Western, students will continue to benefit from the professorships.

“In 100 years and in 200 years, there will still be a Leichhardt professorship in horticulture,” Stone said.

Hiles said giving matching money for the professorships is a good a investment for the state.

Endowments nationwide have taken a plunge because of the economic downturn.

“It’s a big blessing to be able to add several million dollars to our endowments at a time when endowments across the country are down,” Hiles said.