Honoring Gene Budig as a chancellor emeritus of Kansas University is a long-overdue honor.

KU officials have asked the Kansas Board of Regents to put consideration of the title for Budig on its agenda later this month. According to a KU spokeswoman, KU officials realized when Chancellor Robert Hemenway was granted emeritus status last year that the same honor had not been granted to Budig and decided to correct the oversight.

Emeritus status isn’t automatic for the state’s past university executives, but Budig more than qualifies under the criteria approved by the regents about a year ago. Factors to consider, according to the policy, include “distinguished administrative service that advances the strength, growth and integrity of the university, and outstanding contributions to the higher education system, the community and the state, as well as the length of administrative service to the university.”

Budig served as KU’s chancellor from 1980 until 1994 when he became president of baseball’s American League, a post he held until 1999. He continued to be involved in higher education and was named senior presidential adviser and College Board professor in 2005.

His support of KU also has continued since he left Mount Oread. A recent $100,000 gift from Budig and his wife, Gretchen, established a new professorship and pushed the couple’s total giving to the university over $1 million.

Budig’s service while chancellor and his ongoing support of KU and higher education illustrate a commitment worth honoring. The emeritus title is well-deserved and should win easy approval from the Board of Regents.